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How to play No Thanks! (2026): No Thanks! is a tiny card game with a big laugh factor. A card flips up and you can either take it, along with any counters sitting on it, or pay one counter to say “No thanks!” and pass it on. Cards are bad points, counters are good points, and runs of numbers ease the damage. It takes two minutes to teach and works for three to seven players. These rules follow Amigo's current rulebook.
The game you need: No Thanks! (Amigo)
The current Amigo box includes the 33 number cards, 55 counters and an expansion of 22 special cards for groups who want more variety after a few games.
Price band: $20–$30 (about $23) · Check today’s price on Amazon
No Thanks! players, cards and goal
- Players: three to seven.
- Cards: 33 number cards valued 3 to 35.
- Counters: 55 small tokens, used to refuse cards.
- Goal: end with the lowest score. Each card counts against you; each counter you keep counts in your favor.
Setting up No Thanks!
Shuffle the 33 number cards and set nine aside face down without looking. They are out for this game, so nobody knows exactly which numbers are missing. Place the other 24 cards face down as the deck. Return the special cards to the box for the base game.
| Players | Counters each |
|---|---|
| 3–5 | 11 |
| 6 | 9 |
| 7 | 7 |
Keep your counters hidden from everyone else for the entire game. The rulebook says the player who most recently said “No thanks!” goes first.
Your turn: take it or refuse it
- Flip the top card of the deck face up.
- Either take the card, plus every counter on it, and place it face up in front of you.
- Or refuse it by placing one of your counters on the card. Play passes to the left, and the next player faces the same choice.
- If you take a card, you flip the next card and decide again. Your turn only ends when you refuse a card.
As higher cards come up, players refuse them again and again, and counters pile up. Eventually the pile of counters makes a nasty card worth taking.
A sample No Thanks! round
Picture three friends. The 27 flips up. Ana pays a counter, Ben pays a counter, and Cara pays one too. Back to Ana, who pays again. Now four counters sit on the 27. Ben holds the 26, so the 27 would cost him nothing extra because it extends his chain. He takes the card and the four counters, then flips the next card and decides again. That little moment of timing is the whole game.
Out of counters
If it is your turn and you have no counters left, you cannot refuse. You must take the card. That is why hoarding counters early in the game matters so much.
Scoring number chains
Each single card scores its face value as negative points. A run of consecutive numbers, called a chain, only scores its lowest card. A 15 and 16 together score just 15. If you later add the 14, the whole run of 14 to 16 scores just 14. Stack chains so the lowest card shows, but keep every value visible to the table.
End of the game
The game ends when someone takes the last card from the middle. Add up your single cards and the lowest card of each chain, then subtract one point for each counter you still hold. The lowest total wins, and ties share the victory. In the rulebook example, a player with 48 points of cards and 8 counters finishes at 40.
The 22-card expansion
After a few games, try the special cards. Pink cards are mixed into the number cards and can hurt your score, while green cards are dealt separately and give strong actions at the right moment. Use the expansion setup in the rulebook; the base rules above stay the same.
No Thanks! strategy tips
- Let others pay you. If a card fits one of your chains, pass it once or twice so counters collect, then take it.
- Mind the missing nine. A chain might be impossible to finish because the card you need was set aside.
- Watch counter piles. Players low on counters will be forced to take cards soon, so time your refusals.
- Low cards are cheap. Taking a 3 or 4 early costs little and can start a chain.
- Next game: if your group enjoys quick push-your-luck cards, try Skyjo or browse our 15-minute party games.
No Thanks! rules questions
How many counters do you start with in No Thanks!?
Eleven each with three to five players, nine with six and seven with seven.
Why do you remove nine cards in No Thanks!?
So nobody can be sure which numbers are in play, which makes chains a gamble.
Can two people play No Thanks!?
The Amigo edition is rated for three to seven players.
