diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 13326bc..d45e61c 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -15,6 +15,79 @@ const Card = packed struct(u6) {
     rank: u4,
 };
 
+const GameState = struct {
+    allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
+    prng: std.rand.DefaultPrng,
+    draw_pile: std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Card),
+    discard_pile: std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Card),
+    hands: []std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Card),
+
+    pub fn init(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, seed: u64, num_players: usize) !@This() {
+        var draw_pile = std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Card).fromOwnedSlice(try makeStandardDeck(allocator));
+        errdefer draw_pile.deinit(allocator);
+
+        var prng = std.rand.DefaultPrng.init(seed);
+
+        prng.random().shuffle(Card, draw_pile.items);
+
+        const cards_per_player: usize = switch (num_players) {
+            1, 2 => 7,
+            3, 4 => 6,
+            else => unreachable,
+        };
+
+        const hands = try allocator.alloc(std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Card), num_players);
+        errdefer allocator.free(hands);
+        for (hands) |*hand| {
+            hand.* = try std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Card).initCapacity(allocator, cards_per_player);
+            for (0..cards_per_player) |_| {
+                hand.appendAssumeCapacity(draw_pile.pop());
+            }
+        }
+
+        var discard_pile = try std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Card).initCapacity(allocator, 52);
+        errdefer discard_pile.deinit(allocator);
+
+        // start game with one card in the discard pile
+        discard_pile.appendAssumeCapacity(draw_pile.pop());
+
+        return @This(){
+            .allocator = allocator,
+            .prng = prng,
+            .draw_pile = draw_pile,
+            .discard_pile = discard_pile,
+            .hands = hands,
+        };
+    }
+
+    pub fn deinit(this: *@This()) void {
+        this.draw_pile.deinit(this.allocator);
+        this.discard_pile.deinit(this.allocator);
+        for (this.hands) |*hand| {
+            hand.deinit(this.allocator);
+        }
+        this.allocator.free(this.hands);
+    }
+};
+
+pub fn makeStandardDeck(allocator: std.mem.Allocator) ![]Card {
+    var deck = try allocator.alloc(Card, 52);
+    errdefer allocator.free(deck);
+
+    var next_index: usize = 0;
+    for (0..4) |suit| {
+        for (1..14) |rank| {
+            deck[next_index] = Card{
+                .suit = @enumFromInt(suit),
+                .rank = @intCast(rank),
+            };
+            next_index += 1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return deck;
+}
+
 /// A texture with a regular grid of sprites
 const TileSheet = struct {
     texture: seizer.Texture,
@@ -167,6 +240,10 @@ pub fn main() !void {
     var canvas = try seizer.Canvas.init(gpa.allocator(), .{});
     defer canvas.deinit(gpa.allocator());
 
+    // game state
+    var game_state = try GameState.init(gpa.allocator(), std.crypto.random.int(u64), 1);
+    defer game_state.deinit();
+
     while (seizer.backend.glfw.c.glfwWindowShouldClose(window) != seizer.backend.glfw.c.GLFW_TRUE) {
         seizer.backend.glfw.c.glfwPollEvents();
 
@@ -209,31 +286,40 @@ pub fn main() !void {
             1001...std.math.maxInt(c_int) => card_tilemap_large.?,
             else => unreachable,
         };
-        for (0..4) |suit| {
-            for (1..14) |rank| {
-                const card = Card{ .suit = @enumFromInt(suit), .rank = @intCast(rank) };
-                const tile_index = deck_sprites.getTileForCard(card);
-                deck_sprites.tilesheet.renderTile(&canvas, @intCast(tile_index), .{
-                    @floatFromInt(rank * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[0]),
-                    @floatFromInt(suit * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[1]),
-                }, .{});
-            }
-        }
 
-        deck_sprites.tilesheet.renderTile(&canvas, deck_sprites.blank, .{
-            @floatFromInt(1 * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[0]),
-            @floatFromInt(5 * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[1]),
-        }, .{});
-        deck_sprites.tilesheet.renderTile(&canvas, deck_sprites.back, .{
-            @floatFromInt(2 * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[0]),
-            @floatFromInt(5 * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[1]),
-        }, .{});
+        const draw_pile_pos = [2]f32{
+            canvas.window_size[0] / 2 - @as(f32, @floatFromInt(deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[0])),
+            canvas.window_size[1] / 2,
+        };
+        const discard_pile_pos = [2]f32{
+            canvas.window_size[0] / 2 + @as(f32, @floatFromInt(deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[0])),
+            canvas.window_size[1] / 2,
+        };
+        const hand_pos = [2]f32{
+            (canvas.window_size[0] - @as(f32, @floatFromInt(game_state.hands[0].items.len * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[0]))) / 2,
+            canvas.window_size[1] - @as(f32, @floatFromInt(deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[1])),
+        };
 
-        for (0..52) |i| {
+        for (game_state.draw_pile.items, 0..) |_, i| {
             const oy = -@as(f32, @floatFromInt(i)) * (@as(f32, @floatFromInt(deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[1])) / (52.0 * 4));
             deck_sprites.tilesheet.renderTile(&canvas, deck_sprites.back, .{
-                @floatFromInt(4 * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[0]),
-                @as(f32, @floatFromInt(5 * deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[1])) + oy,
+                draw_pile_pos[0],
+                draw_pile_pos[1] + oy,
+            }, .{});
+        }
+
+        for (game_state.discard_pile.items, 0..) |card, i| {
+            const oy = -@as(f32, @floatFromInt(i)) * (@as(f32, @floatFromInt(deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[1])) / (52.0 * 4));
+            deck_sprites.tilesheet.renderTile(&canvas, deck_sprites.getTileForCard(card), .{
+                discard_pile_pos[0],
+                discard_pile_pos[1] + oy,
+            }, .{});
+        }
+
+        for (game_state.hands[0].items, 0..) |card, i| {
+            deck_sprites.tilesheet.renderTile(&canvas, deck_sprites.getTileForCard(card), .{
+                hand_pos[0] + @as(f32, @floatFromInt(i)) * @as(f32, @floatFromInt(deck_sprites.tilesheet.tile_size[0])),
+                hand_pos[1],
             }, .{});
         }