THREE TO EIGHT.
DEAL IT RIGHT.

President setup by player count

These are Bleach’s automatic deck settings. Every card is dealt, so players at some table sizes begin with one card more than others.

What changes as the table grows?

Three-player President

Three players receive long hands—18, 17, and 17 cards from one deck—so there is time to build and protect combinations. The social ladder is compact: President, Citizen, and Asshole or Scum. Bleach exchanges one card between first and last before the next round.

This is the minimum table size because two players would remove the middle of the hierarchy and make passes, pile control, and the card tax far more predictable.

Four to six players

Four to six is the practical sweet spot. Four players get an exact 13-card deal. Five introduces one Citizen and uneven 11- or 10-card hands. Six produces four 9-card hands and two 8-card hands, with enough players to make passes useful information without making every turn slow.

At these sizes, first and last exchange two cards while Vice President and Vice Asshole exchange one. That gives the next round a visible hierarchy without changing every hand beyond recognition.

Seven- and eight-player President

Bleach switches to two decks at seven seats. Seven players receive six 15-card hands and one 14-card hand; eight players receive 13 each. The duplicate ranks create more pairs, triples, four of a kind, and equal-rank suit comparisons than a one-deck game.

A large table is noisier and less predictable, which suits a party. Use a turn timer if the group tends to stall, and explain how duplicate cards compare before the opening deal.