Who goes first in Elevenses?
2013 Phil Walker-Harding English rulebook
The player who most recently finished drinking a delicious cup of tea is the first start player.
Rule details
Play moves clockwise from the start player within each round.
For later rounds, the player with the fewest sugar cubes becomes the new start player. If tied, use the tied player closest to the current start player in clockwise order.
Source & edition
- Elevenses: The card game of morning tea: English rulesPhil Walker-Harding · Set-up; Playing the Game; The End of a Round · Checked 2026-09-23Printed page references: 1, 2, 3
Image: © Adventureland Games and T. J. Lubrano · The World of Playing Cards, 2013 feature of Adventureland Games original edition
If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.
If there’s a tie
The rulebook doesn’t say. If you need a tie-break, pick a player at random.
More starting rules
Browse available game rulesGames with a similar starting rule
Alubari: A Nice Cup of TeaThe player who most recently drank a cup of tea is the starting player and takes the starting player marker.
BrewWhoever most recently brewed a cup of tea or coffee gets the first-player marker. Turns proceed clockwise from that player.
Wonderland's WarThe person who most recently had tea begins the first round.
CaféThe player who most recently had a cup of coffee is the starting master and takes the master token.
Death ValleyThe player who most recently drank water plays first.
Free game-night tools: score keeper · turn timer · dice roller · all tools
Found a different instruction in your edition? Send a correction with the game, edition, and source.