Shirinma [しりんま], also called Shiriuma [シリウマ], is a Mekurifuda game played by 12 or more players (but not more than 23).
It was attested to be played in the Kokonogi District, Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.
The game features a unique auction gameplay system where other players may bid for the rights to another player’s card, so that when that card wins, they get a share of that player’s winnings. This was likened to a person riding a horse that is already being ridden by another rider, hence the name Shiri-uma [尻馬 - lit. ‘rear horse’]
¶ The Cards
48 cards of a Komatsu deck is used. Remove the extra onifuda card from the deck.
If you do not have a Komatsu or any mekurifuda deck, you may use a western playing card deck by removing all '10’s and jokers from the deck.
¶ Showdown Cards
All '1’s (Dragons), '10’s (Maids), '11’s (Horses), and '12’s (Kings) are considered “showdown cards”. If a player does not have at least one of these cards, they cannot participate in the showdown, and therefore have no chance of winning during that round.
The strength of “showdown cards” are listed below, in descending order:
- King > Horse > Maid > Dragon
¶ Setup
First, determine the values of the following wagers. These will be placed to the pot, which will be taken by the winner of the round.
- Ante - paid by every player at the beginning of each round.
- Payment for getting a Dragon
- Payment for getting a Maid
- Payment for getting a Horse
- Payment for getting a King
Example:
- Ante - 20 chips
- Payment for getting a Dragon - 0 chips (no payment)
- Payment for getting a Maid - 10 chips
- Payment for getting a Horse - 20 chips
- Payment for getting a King - 30 chips
Next, determine the dealer, using any method you prefer.
¶ Start of Round
Each player antes into the pot.
The dealer shuffles the deck and the player to their left cuts. The deck is then placed on the table face-down.
Then the dealer draws 1 card from the deck and places it onto the field face-up. This card is for information purposes only, and will not be used during gameplay.
The game then begins. Turn to play moves counter-clockwise, starting with the dealer.
¶ 1st deal
During a player’s turn, the dealer gives the player 1 card, which will be placed on the table near them face-up for all the players to see.
¶ Non-showdown card
If the card is not a “showdown card”, then the turn immediately passes to the next player, since the player cannot use this card to win the round.
¶ Showdown card
If the card is a “showdown card”, then the player must place the corresponding payment into the pot, depending on whether the card is a Dragon, a Maid, a Horse, or a King.
The player then asks the other players if they want to “ride on the back”.
¶ Back-riding (Auction)
Any other player may then bid to buy half of the rights to the player’s “showdown card”.
You may bid as many chips as you like.
The highest bidder becomes the “back-rider”. They win the rights and place their bid into the pot.
Any player may “back-ride” on multiple player’s cards. Once a player has become a back-rider, they may still participate in further auctions.
After the auction is done, the player’s turn passes to the next player.
¶ 2nd deal
Once all players have passed their turn, then proceed with the 2nd deal.
All procedures during the 1st deal are repeated in the 2nd deal.
When all players have passed their turn during the 2nd deal, then proceed with the showdown.
¶ 3rd deal (for 12 to 15 players only)
If during the 2nd deal, nobody receives a “showdown card”, then it is necessary to proceed with a 3rd deal.
Like the 1st and 2nd deals, all procedures are the same, and once all players passed their turn, proceed with the showdown.
If there are 16 or more players, then 3rd deal is impossible, since there are not enough cards left in the deck for every player to have a 3rd card.
If during the last deal, nobody still has a “showdown card”, then the round is forfeitied. The pot carries to the next round.
¶ Showdown
Only players with an Ace, Maid, Horse, or King can participate in the showdown.
First, the trump suit is determined by turning the deck face-up so that the bottom card is exposed. The suit of the bottom card is considered the trump suit.
The player with the strongest “showdown card” of the trump suit is declared winner.
- If no one has bought half of the rights to the winner’s card, then the winner takes 100% of the pot.
- If a player has bought half of the rights to the winner’s card, then the pot is roughly split 50-50 between the winner and the back-rider.
The player to the dealer’s right becomes the dealer for the next round.
If the card on the field is of the trump suit, then the round is forfeited. The pot carries to the next round.
If the card on the bottom of the deck is a ‘2’ or a ‘3’, then the round is forfeited. The pot carries to the next round.
If no one has a “showdown card” of the trump suit, then the round is forfeited. The pot carries to the next round.
¶ Example Round (12 players)
¶ Wager amounts
- Ante - 20 chips
- Payment for getting a Dragon - 0 chips (no payment)
- Payment for getting a Maid - 10 chips
- Payment for getting a Horse - 20 chips
- Payment for getting a King - 30 chips
¶ Start of Round
Each of the 12 players antes 20 chips into the pot.
Player #1 (dealer) shuffles the deck, and Player #12 cuts it. The deck is placed on the table.
Player #1 draws 1 card and places it face-up on the field.
The card on the field is a 1 (Dragon) of swords.
¶ 1st Deal
Player #1 draws 1 card and places it face-up near himself.
Player #1’s 1st card is a 7 of cups, which is not a showdown card.
Player #1 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #2.
Player #2 places it face-up near himself.
Player #2’s 1st card is a 6 of cups, which is not a showdown card.
Player #2 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #3.
Player #3 places it face-up near himself.
Player #3’s 1st card is a 8 of swords, which is not a showdown card.
Player #3 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #4.
Player #4 places it face-up near himself.
Player #4’s 1st card is a 4 of coins, which is not a showdown card.
Player #4 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #5.
Player #5 places it face-up near himself.
Player #5’s 1st card is a 2 of swords, which is not a showdown card.
Player #5 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #6.
Player #6 places it face-up near himself.
Player #6’s 1st card is a 10 (Maid) of cups, which is a showdown card.
Player #6 places 10 chips into the pot, and asks if other players want to “ride on the back”.
Player #2 offers to bid 1 chip for half the rights to Player #6’s card.
Player #3 offers to bid 2 chips for half the rights to Player #6’s card.
No one offers to outbid Player #3, therefore, Player #3 is the “back-rider”.
Player #3 places 2 chips into the pot.
Player #6 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #7.
Player #7 places it face-up near himself.
Player #7’s 1st card is a 3 of swords, which is not a showdown card.
Player #7 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #8.
Player #8 places it face-up near himself.
Player #8’s 1st card is a 11 (Horse) of cups, which is a showdown card.
Player #8 places 20 chips into the pot, and asks if other players want to “ride on the back”.
Player #2 offers to bid 1 chip for half the rights to Player #6’s card.
Player #4 offers to bid 2 chips for half the rights to Player #6’s card.
Player #2 raises his bid to 4 chips for half the rights to Player #6’s card.
No one offers to outbid Player #2, therefore, Player #2 is the “back-rider”.
Player #2 places 4 chips into the pot.
Player #8 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #9.
Player #9 places it face-up near himself.
Player #9’s 1st card is a 9 of clubs, which is not a showdown card.
Player #9 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #10.
Player #10 places it face-up near himself.
Player #10’s 1st card is a 10 (Maid) of coins, which is a showdown card.
Player #10 places 10 chips into the pot, and asks if other players want to “ride on the back”.
No one offers to bid for half the rights to Player #10’s card.
Player #10 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #11.
Player #11 places it face-up near himself.
Player #11’s 1st card is a 9 of swords, which is not a showdown card.
Player #11 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #12.
Player #12 places it face-up near himself.
Player #12’s 1st card is a 2 of clubs, which is not a showdown card.
Player #12 passes his turn.
¶ 2nd Deal
Player #1 draws 1 card and places it face-up near himself.
Player #1’s 2nd card is a 9 of cups, which is not a showdown card.
Player #1 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #2.
Player #2 places it face-up near himself.
Player #2’s 2nd card is a 1 (Dragon) of coins, which is a showdown card.
Player #2 asks if other players want to “ride on the back”.
No one offers to bid for half the rights to Player #2’s card.
Player #2 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #3.
Player #3 places it face-up near himself.
Player #3’s 2nd card is a 5 of clubs, which is not a showdown card.
Player #3 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #4.
Player #4 places it face-up near himself.
Player #4’s 2nd card is a 6 of clubs, which is not a showdown card.
Player #4 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #5.
Player #5 places it face-up near himself.
Player #5’s 2nd card is a 7 of swords, which is not a showdown card.
Player #5 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #6.
Player #6 places it face-up near himself.
Player #6’s 2nd card is a 1 (Dragon) of clubs, which is a showdown card.
Player #6 asks if other players want to “ride on the back”.
No one offers to bid for half the rights to Player #6’s card.
Player #6 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #7.
Player #7 places it face-up near himself.
Player #7’s 2nd card is a 12 (King) of coins, which is a showdown card.
Player #7 places 30 chips into the pot, and asks if other players want to “ride on the back”.
Player #1 offers to bid 10 chips for half the rights to Player #6’s card.
No one offers to outbid Player #1, therefore, Player #1 is the “back-rider”.
Player #1 places 10 chips into the pot.
Player #7 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #8.
Player #8 places it face-up near himself.
Player #8’s 2nd card is a 5 of cups, which is not a showdown card.
Player #8 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #9.
Player #9 places it face-up near himself.
Player #9’s 2nd card is a 7 of coins, which is not a showdown card.
Player #9 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #10.
Player #10 places it face-up near himself.
Player #10’s 2nd card is a 12 (King) of swords, which is a showdown card.
Player #10 places 30 chips into the pot, and asks if other players want to “ride on the back”.
Player #4 offers to bid 10 chips for half the rights to Player #10’s card.
No one offers to outbid Player #4, therefore, Player #4 is the “back-rider”.
Player #4 places 10 chips into the pot.
Player #10 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #11.
Player #11 places it face-up near himself.
Player #11’s 2nd card is a 11 (Horse) of coins, which is a showdown card.
Player #11 places 20 chips into the pot, and asks if other players want to “ride on the back”.
No one offers to bid for half the rights to Player #11’s card.
Player #11 passes his turn.
Player #1 draws 1 card and gives it to Player #12.
Player #12 places it face-up near himself.
Player #12’s 2nd card is a 4 of cups, which is not a showdown card.
Player #12 passes his turn.
Since there is at least 1 player who has a showdown card, proceed with showdown.
¶ Showdown
The deck is flipped to reveal the bottom card.
The bottom card is a 12 (King) of cups. Therefore, the trump suit is Cups.
Player #6 has a 10 (Maid) of cups.
Player #8 has a 11 (Horse) of cups.
Horse > Maid
The winner of the round is Player #8, with Player #2 as the back-rider of the winning card.
The pot is worth 386 points.
Player #8 (winner) takes 193 points.
Player #2 (back-rider) takes 193 points.
Since Player #1 is the dealer, then Player #2 becomes the dealer for the next round.