How Do You Score Koi-Koi?

Koi-Koi is a traditional Japanese card game that is played using Hanafuda cards. The game involves two or more players who compete to score points by matching different combinations of cards. In this article, we will discuss how to score Koi-Koi.

Basic Scoring Rules

In Koi-Koi, players score points by creating specific combinations of cards. The basic scoring rules are as follows:

  • Tane: This is when a player has two cards of the same month in their hand. It is worth one point.
  • Tanzaku: This is when a player has three or four cards with ribbons in their hand.

    It is worth one point.

  • Akasaka: This is when a player has the red ribbon card and the poetry ribbon card in their hand.
  • Aotan: This is when a player has the blue ribbon card and the sake cup card in their hand.

Koi-Koi Scoring Rules

When a player creates any of the above combinations, they can choose to continue playing or stop and score their points. If they choose to continue playing, they can try to create additional combinations for extra points.

  • Koi-Koi: If a player chooses to continue playing after creating a combination, they say “Koi-Koi”. If they create another combination on the next turn, they receive additional points depending on which combination was made. If they fail to make another combination, they lose all of their points for that round.

Bonus Points

In addition to the basic scoring rules, there are also bonus points that players can earn during the game.

  • Bright: If a player has four bright cards (cards with a moon or a sake cup), they receive one bonus point.
  • Rainy: If a player has four rainy cards (cards with a ribbon or a sake cup), they receive one bonus point.
  • Boar-Deer-Butterfly: If a player has the boar, deer, and butterfly cards in their hand, they receive three bonus points.
  • Cards in the Field: If there are specific cards on the field (cards that have been played but not yet scored), players can earn bonus points for creating combinations with those cards. The bonus points vary depending on the card.

Winning the Game

The game ends when one player reaches a predetermined number of points. In most cases, this is either seven or ten points. The first player to reach this number of points wins the game.

In conclusion,

Koi-Koi is an exciting and challenging game that requires skill and strategy to win. By understanding the basic scoring rules and bonus point system, players can increase their chances of winning. So next time you play Koi-Koi, remember these scoring rules and try to create as many combinations as possible for maximum points!

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Daniel Bennet