How to set up Skyjo
Give each player 12 face-down cards in four columns of three, then reveal two cards each.
Layout
Every player builds the same 4-by-3 grid: four vertical columns and three rows. Keep enough space around the columns so a completed matching column can be lifted away without disturbing the rest.
Put the undealt cards face down within everyone's reach. Turn the top card face up beside them to start the discard pile.
Reveal two cards
Each player chooses any two of their 12 cards and turns them face up. There is no official requirement that the two cards be in different rows or columns.
Choose the first player
Add the two visible cards for each player. The player with the highest visible total starts the first round. In later rounds, the official rulebook gives the start to the player who ended the previous round.
A player reveals a 9 and a 2, for 11. Another reveals a 6 and a 4, for 10. The player showing 11 starts.
Setting up a Classic layout
Five steps. An empty table; twelve face-down cards dealt to a player; the cards arranged as four vertical columns of three; two of the twelve turned face up; and the draw and discard piles placed in the centre.
An empty table
Shuffle all 150 cards.
Twelve cards each
Deal twelve cards face down to every player.
Four columns of three
Arrange them in a grid: four columns, three cards deep.
Reveal any two
Each player turns two of their own cards face up. Any two.
The piles
The remaining cards form the face-down draw pile. One card is turned face up beside it to start the discard pile.
Each player has twelve cards in four vertical columns of three. Reveal any two before the first turn.
Written in our own words and checked against the official rulebook. Skyjo.co.uk is an independent guide, not affiliated with Magilano. Spot an error? Tell us and we fix it.