Literature is a card game for six players. It uses a modified version of the Western 52-playing card deck; the 2's are removed, leaving 48 cards. A card game is any game using playing cards, either traditional or game-specific. ... Some typical Anglo-American playing cards. ...

The players are divided into two teams of 3 players each. Generally, the players are seated alternating teams. Each player is dealt 8 cards, which they keep to themselves. Conceptually, the 48 cards are divided into 8 sets. Each of the 4 suits has 2 6-card sets, a 'low' set containing cards numbered 3 through 8, and a 'high' set containing cards 9 through Ace. Players are not to communicate anything about the card they hold to team members, verbal or otherwise. This article is about the playing card. ...

The object is to get more points than the other team. One point is given every time a team successfully declares a set. A player declares a set by identifying the set, and then identifying which of his/her team members (including the player) hold which cards in that set. A player can only declare a set on his/her turn, and must attribute every card in the set to a team member. For example, a player (with teammates named Mary and Joseph) might declare a set by announcing:

Low spades, I have the 4 and 8, Mary has the 3, and Joseph has the 5, 6, and 7.

If the attributions are correct, then his/her team receives 1 point. If the attributions are false, and all the cards in the set were held by team members, then nothing happens. However, if the attributions are false, and one or more of the cards in the set were held by a player from the opposing team, then the team of the declaring player loses 1 point.

Gameplay begins with one player asking for a card from an opposing team member, specifically naming rank and number/symbol. Players must have at least one card in the same set of the card they are asking for. If the opposing player has the card, they must give it to the asking player, who is then allowed to ask again for a specific card from any opposing team member. If the opposing player does not have the card, it is then that player's turn to ask. Players can declare sets at any time during their turn. The game proceeds in this manner until all the sets have been declared.

Note: variations of the game played in India have 2-7 as low and 8-A of high with low being smaller and hence easier to get. Then you get one pt for low and two pt for high. This variant is played in household meetings with very intense dependence on memory. One can only ask for a card one does not already have. Hence, using the questions asked to others in the game, you can deduce the card or set of card s aplayer has. More so, if you ask for say a 3 of Spades, you have to have one of the lower spade set to begin asking.