Koikoi is an engaging game played with Hanafuda, the traditional Japanese playing cards. If you're eager to dive into this cultural gem, here's how to play and master Koikoi:

How to Play Koikoi

To start a game of Koikoi, players take turns discarding a card onto the table. When a card is played, if it matches the month of any cards already on the table, you can capture those matching cards. The aim is to collect sets of cards that can score points.

A key moment in Koikoi is when you have the chance to end the round. If your hand contains a flush (all cards of the same month), you can choose to finish the game and score points based on your collected cards. Alternatively, if you're feeling lucky, you can opt to continue playing, aiming to capture more cards and potentially increase your score. This decision to continue or stop is what gives the game its name, "Koikoi," which means "come on" or "bring it on."

Be aware, though, that if neither player can score at the end of a round, it results in a no-score game, known as a "draw."

The ultimate winner of Koikoi is determined over a series of games, typically 12 rounds. The player with the highest total score at the end of these rounds emerges as the champion.

Game Record Saving

Conveniently, your game records in Koikoi are saved automatically, allowing you to track your progress and improve your strategies over time.