Editing Beggar-my-neighbour (section)

== Play ==
A [[standard 52-card deck]] is divided equally between two players, and the two stacks of [[playing card|cards]] are placed on the table face down. The first player lays down their top card face up to start a central pile, and the opponent plays their top card, also face up, on it, and this goes on alternately as long as no [[Ace]] or [[court card]] ([[King (playing card)|King]], [[Queen (playing card)|Queen]], or [[Jack (playing card)|Jack]]) appears. These cards are called "penalty cards".

If either player turns up such a card, their opponent has to pay a penalty: four cards for an Ace, three for a King, two for a Queen, or one for a Jack. They do this playing the required number of cards to the central pile. When they have done so, if all the cards are numerals, the player of the penalty card wins the hand, takes all the cards in the pile and places them under their pack. The game continues in the same fashion, the winner having the advantage of placing the first card. However, if the second player turns up another Ace or court card in the course of paying to the original penalty card, their payment ceases and the first player must pay to this new card. This changing of penalisation can continue for some time.  When a single player has all of the cards in the [[Playing card|deck]] in their stack, they have won.

For more than two players, play proceeds clockwise. If a player reveals a new penalty card while paying their penalty, the next player around pays the tax.<ref name=Guardian20081122 />