How the money works
Whoever empties their hand first wins and the other two pay one stake per card left. A player who never played a single card is “shut out” and pays double — with sixteen cards dealt that is thirty-two stakes, enough to wipe out several rounds of winnings.
The hand size is adjustable (sixteen by default) and the shut-out threshold follows it. The value of one card is adjustable too.
Common questions
Can four play?
Yes — set four players and the maths is the same. Pao De Kuai is traditionally a three-hander though, since a stripped deck does not stretch to four.