So you’re a card game fanatic? Well, boy do you have to know or experience playing this one. Kobo is a card game that involves memory and card manipulation. Now let me tell you, this game gets so intense and heated sometimes that you will discover how much of snake you and your friends can be.
Objective: To end the game and be the player that has the lowest score of cards in front of them. Or by a player discarding of all their cards by either swapping them or matching them. A score is determined by a player adding up the values of their remaining cards.
Setup: Each player is dealt four cards, face-down and arranged into a two-by-two grid or square formation. No one is allowed to look at any of their cards. Once, everyone has been dealt too, players are allowed to look at their bottom two cards (cards closest to them) one time only. Participants are tasked with remembering these cards. (Jokers cannot be dealt)
Gameplay: The game starts by someone stating or the group voting on who will have the first turn. The person in the clockwise direction of the starting player has the second turn.
On a turn a player may either:
- Draw a card from the deck/stock pile (the face-down pile)
- Draw a card from the discard pile (the face-up pile)
When drawing the play can:
- Swap the drawn card with one of their own cards: The player picks one of their cards to discard and replaces it with their drawn card.
- Match the drawn card with any card that has the same value: For example, a player draws a six and knows that one of their cards from their grid is also a six. The player can discard of the drawn six and then discard of their known six thus, “matching” their card. However, all players are open to “match” discarded cards. Let’s say another individual also has a six and is able to place their six before another player can. Only the first person to “match” the card is allowed to discard their card. Memory can sometimes fail an individual. If a player incorrectly matches (i.e. discards a five when a six was initially discarded) they will miss their next turn. In some versions of this game, the player may draw an extra card and not be allowed to look at it.
- Discard the drawn card: Sometimes it may be best to discard of the card you have drawn. Cards with values seven to twelve are power-up cards. These powerups cards give players special abilities to use.
There are two ways for a game to end:
- Someone runs out of cards: They match their last card.
- A player calls out “Kobo”: A player can call out “Kobo” at any point in the game when it is their turn. When it is called out every player except for the person who states “Kobo” gets one more turn. Afterwards, everyone turns their cards face-up and the individual with the lowest score wins. If the winning player is the one that called “Kobo,” every other player must start the next round with an extra card (instead of four dealt cards in set-up they get five). If the player that called “Kobo” looses they must start the next round with an extra card. This person can also fail if their score matches with another player. This is because individuals that say “Kobo,” are now playing against everyone else. Essentially, their score must beat all other players. In the next round, players who fail to have four or less cards remaining when the round ends must begin the next game with an additional card (five cards becomes six).
Power Cards:
- Seven or eight: look at one of your own cards. (only you get to see it)
- Nine or ten: look at another players card and return it. (only you get to see it)
- Jack or queen: swap cards with another player. (do not look at it)
Card Values:
- 2-10 = face value
- King of diamonds = 0
- Ace = 1
- THERE ARE NO JOKERS
