Edition: Classic Jenga with 54 wooden blocks. Last checked October 25, 2026
Jenga Rules: How to Play Jenga
Jenga is the game with the wooden block tower that gets taller and wobblier with every turn. You pull a block out and stack it on top until the tower falls. Here are the rules, and answers to the questions that often lead to arguments.
- Players
- 2 or more
- Age
- 6 and up
- Playing time
- 10 to 20 minutes
How to win: Don't be the one who knocks the tower over. The player who makes it fall loses.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Jenga.
Can you use both hands?
No, only one at a time.
You may only touch the tower with one hand at a time. You can switch hands, but never use both at once.
Young kids are often allowed to steady the tower with their other hand while they learn.
Can you test several blocks before choosing?
Yes.
You may tap blocks to find one that is loose. If you give up on a block, push it back into place before trying another.
Some play touch it, take it: the first block you touch is the one you must take.
Can you take blocks from the top?
Not from the top level.
The block must come from a level below the highest complete level. The top level and the one being built are off limits.
Some also make the bottom level off limits to make the game harder.
Who loses if the tower falls right after your turn?
The player who placed the last block.
Your turn is not over until the next player touches the tower or 10 seconds have passed. If the tower falls before that, the previous player loses.
Many count out loud to 10 so there is no doubt.
Do you lose if just one block falls?
Yes, under the official rules.
The game ends when the tower falls, or when any block other than the one you are moving falls. Then you have lost.
Many families just put a single fallen block back and keep playing as long as the tower stands.
What you need
- 54 wooden blocks
- The loading tray from the box, if your edition has one
- A steady table
Setup
- 1Set up the tower on a steady table.
- 2Build 18 levels with 3 blocks in each.
- 3Lay the blocks in each level crosswise to the level below.
- 4Straighten the tower so it stands evenly, and decide who goes first. Often the person who built the tower starts.
How to play
- 1Take a block from any level below the highest complete level.
- 2Use only one hand at a time. You may switch hands along the way.
- 3You may tap and nudge blocks gently to find a loose one. If you pick a different block, push the first one back into place.
- 4Place the block on top of the tower, crosswise to the level below.
- 5The top level must be filled with 3 blocks before you start a new one.
- 6Your turn ends when the next player touches the tower, or 10 seconds after you placed your block.
- 7Keep taking turns clockwise.
- 8The game ends when the tower falls, or when any block other than the one you are moving falls. The player who caused it loses.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Jenga rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many blocks are in Jenga?
There are 54 blocks, built into 18 levels with 3 blocks in each.
Can you win at Jenga?
Yes. The player who knocks the tower over loses, and the last player to finish a turn successfully wins.
Source: The publisher's rules for classic Jenga and common family tradition. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.