Rules

Quick, Narrated in English:

Detailed, English:

Downloadable PDF: KOMBIO RULES (English)

Detallado en español:

OVERVIEW: 

The goal of the game is to get the lowest score by viewing, swapping and matching cards. A game consists of multiple rounds, each player adds their score each round.

There are 70 cards total each with a point value ranging from -1 to 14.

The QTY of each card is as follows:

-1,0 = 3 each

1-12 = 5 each

13,14 = 2 each

SET UP:

Deal four cards face down to each player. Position the cards in a 2x2 rectangle.

 

GAMEPLAY:

At the beginning of each round, players can view their bottom two cards once.

For the first turn, the player left of the dealer draws a card, views it without showing anyone, and decides to either exchange it with a card in their hand before discarding the card in their hand or directly playing it face up onto the discard pile. If the card is an ability card (7 through 14), they can use the ability (more info below). Play continues in a clockwise direction. 

For future turns, players can either draw a card from the deck or discard pile (if it hasn’t been matched upon) and exchange it with a card from their hand. To use an ability card, it must be drawn from the deck and played directly into the discard pile. Cards discarded from a player’s hand do not have abilities.

ABILITY CARDS:

Certain cards allow players to view and swap cards. Ability card values start at 7 and end at 14. Players do not have to use the ability if they do not want to.

LOOK AT YOUR OWN:

Sevens and eights allow players to view one card in their hand.

LOOK AT OTHERS:

 Nines and tens allow players to view one card in an opponent’s hand.

BLIND SWAPS:

Elevens and twelves allow players to swap any two cards on the table without viewing either card. The two cards can be between any hand. 

LOOK & SWAP: 

A thirteen allows players to view any card on the table and swap the viewed card with another card, without viewing the other card. Players do not have to swap the viewed card.

DOUBLE LOOK & SWAP: 

A fourteen allows players to view any two cards on the table and swap the viewed cards. Players do not have to swap the two viewed cards.

MATCHING: 

At any time in the game, regardless of turn, players can reduce the number of cards in their hands by being the first to match atop the last discarded card with a card from their hand or from an opponent's hand. A successful match is placing a card of the same value of the last discarded card onto the discard pile. This is a race and can only happen once per discarded card. 

Matching is limited to one attempt per turn per player.

If you successfully match an opponent's card, you give your opponent a card from your hand. You may not view the card you give your opponent.

 

INCORRECT MATCHING: 

If a player incorrectly attempts a match from their hand, they must ensure everyone sees the incorrect card before returning it to their hand. They then take a penalty card without viewing it from the deck and add it to their hand.

If a player incorrectly attempts a match from an opponent’s hand, the opponent decides if the other player should take the mismatched card or return it and take a penalty card without looking. 

 

CALLING “KOMBIO”: 

In replacement of their turn, players can end the round by calling “KOMBIO”. Everyone is allowed one final turn. The KOMBIO Caller’s hand is locked from viewing, matching and swapping. Reducing your hand to zero cards is an automatic "KOMBIO" call. Once each player has taken their last turn, cards are revealed.

Note: If playing 1v1, the KOMBIO Caller’s hand is not locked.

SCORING: 

After the last turn, players reveal their cards and add up the values of their cards to get their hand score.

If the KOMBIO Caller has the lowest score, the Caller receives their hand score.

Everyone else adds +10 points to their hand scores.

If one or more players ties or beats the KOMBIO Caller, the Caller adds +15 points to their hand score.

Everyone else receives their hand scores.

GAME STRUCTURE: 

 You can...

Play to a set number of rounds, such as 5.

-or-

Play to a set value, such as 100 points. 

The lowest cumulative score wins.