How does “Atomic” (or “Nuclear”) work?
You get to decide that for yourself. It’s a table rule. Some players permit seven pairs of anything. Some players say the hand can only be made if the player never had a joker in the hand. Some players also say flowers invalidate the atomic hand. Some players say the player has to declare “atomic” (or an equivalent announcement) when going for the hand, and declare “nuclear-free zone” (or words to that effect) when the hand becomes void due to having picked a joker or flower. You and your group get to figure out those details and how much the hand is worth, if you and your group want to use the table rule at all. Read FAQ 14.
