As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Full details on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
How to play 6 nimmt! (Take 5) (2026): 6 nimmt! is a card game with a simple promise: play a number into one of four rows, and whoever places the sixth card in a row takes the first five, along with their bull heads. Everyone picks a card at the same time, so even careful plans fall apart in funny ways. It seats two to ten players, which makes it one of the best large-group card games around. Here are the full base rules from Amigo's anniversary rulebook.
The game you need: 6 nimmt! 30 Years Edition
The anniversary box includes the 104 number cards for the base game, plus special fan cards and a cooperative variant called Beat the Buffalo for one to six players.
Price band: $30+ (about $40) · Check today’s price on Amazon
6 nimmt! players, cards and goal
- Players: two to ten (base game).
- Cards: 104 cards numbered 1 to 104. Each card shows one or more bull heads, which are negative points.
- Goal: finish with the fewest bull heads after several rounds.
- Time: about 45 minutes for a full game.
Bull heads on the cards
| Card type | Bull heads |
|---|---|
| Most cards | 1 |
| Numbers ending in 5 (5, 15, 25 …) | 2 |
| Multiples of 10 (10, 20, 30 …) | 3 |
| Doubles (11, 22, 33 …) | 5 |
| 55 (a double that ends in 5) | 7 |
Setting up a round
Shuffle all 104 cards and deal ten to each player. Turn four more cards face up in a column in the middle of the table. Each of those cards starts a row, and a row can never hold more than five cards. Set the rest of the deck aside until the next round, and keep a notepad handy.
Playing cards
- Everyone chooses one card from their hand and places it face down.
- When all players are ready, reveal the cards together.
- Starting with the lowest card, each player places their card in a row. Then the next lowest goes, and so on up to the highest.
- Repeat until everyone has played all ten cards.
Where your card must go
You do not choose freely. Two rules decide the row:
- Ascending order. A card can only go after a lower card. It must be higher than the last card in that row.
- Lowest difference. Among the rows where it fits, it must go in the row whose last card is closest below it.
Example from the rulebook: with rows ending in 12, 37, 43 and 58, a 44 could legally follow 12, 37 or 43, but the lowest-difference rule sends it after the 43.
Taking a row
The sixth card
If your card would be the sixth in its row, you first take the five cards in that row and put them face down in front of you as your bull pile. Your card becomes the new first card of that row.
A card that fits nowhere
If your card is lower than the last card of every row, you must take any one row of your choice. Your low card then starts that row. Most players take the row with the fewest bull heads.
Cards you take never go back into your hand. They only count against you.
Teaching 6 nimmt! to a new group
Play one open practice round with all hands face up. New players learn the row rules fastest when they can see why a card landed where it did. After that round, shuffle and start the real game. With younger players, you can also play to a lower target, such as 40 points, so the session ends before attention fades.
Scoring and the end of the game
After all ten cards are played, each player counts the bull heads in their bull pile and writes them down. Deal a fresh round and keep going. The game ends when any player reaches 66 or more points. The player with the lowest total wins, and ties share the win.
6 nimmt! strategy tips
- Watch the fifth position. Any row with four cards is a trap for whoever plays the next card there.
- Use low cards on purpose. A very low card lets you choose a cheap row instead of being forced into an expensive one.
- Count the gaps. A card just above a row's last number is safer than one far above, because fewer cards can land in between.
- Expect chaos with big groups. With eight to ten players, rows fill fast. Laugh it off and play for the long game.
- Like quick group card games? Try Skyjo next, or browse our 15-minute party games and family card games lists.
6 nimmt! rules questions
Is Take 5 the same game as 6 nimmt!?
Yes. Take 5 is the name the game has used in some English editions; the rules are the same.
How many players can play 6 nimmt!?
The base game plays two to ten. The 30 Years Edition also adds a cooperative variant.
When does a game of 6 nimmt! end?
When any player reaches 66 or more points at the end of a round. Lowest score wins.
