Rules for Koira

Koira is the sister game to Mattis and consists of two different rounds with completely different objectives. It’s suited for 2–6 players and typically takes 10–20 minutes per round.

The main difference from Mattis is that in the first round, tricks go around the whole table (not just to your neighbor). This makes the game more complex and strategic, as all players participate in each trick.

The goal is to get rid of all your cards as quickly as possible in the second round!

You need a standard 52-card deck (no jokers):

• 2 players: Remove 10 random cards without looking at them
• 3–6 players: Use the full deck

Each player is dealt 3 cards. The rest are placed in a face-down draw pile in the center. Card ranking: Ace is highest, 2 is lowest.

In the first round, suits don’t matter – only the value counts!

The starting player plays one card. All other players then play one card each. The player who played the highest card normally wins the trick and takes all the cards.

War rules: If two or more players play cards of the same value, a war breaks out – even if someone else played a higher card! Example: One player plays a King, two others play Fives → the players with Fives go to war, the King cannot win the trick.

Multiple wars: With 4+ players, multiple wars can happen. Only the highest war counts.

When war happens: Players with matching cards play new cards. The highest new card wins all the cards – unless another war happens.

Risking it: On your turn, you may choose to draw a card from the deck instead of playing from your hand. That card must be played no matter what it is.

Refilling hand: As long as there are cards in the deck, always draw back up to 3 cards after each trick.

The winner of the trick leads the next play.

The player who takes the last card from the draw pile does not add it to their hand. This card becomes the trump suit for round two and must be kept hidden until all players have emptied their hands.

Round one ends when only one player still has cards in hand, or everyone is out. The player with the trump card reveals it and adds it to their won cards pile.

Note: Having no cards after the first round does not mean you’ve won – you’ll draw cards in round two!

The player who drew the trump card begins and plays any card. The other players, in turn, must:

• Play a higher card of the same suit (♠️♦️♣️♥️), OR
• Play a trump card if they don’t have the suit
• If someone plays a trump, the next player must beat it with a higher trump

Can’t play? You must take the first card that was played in that trick. The trick continues until everyone has played the same number of cards as there are players.

The player who played the highest card wins the trick and leads the next. Tricks have no value and are simply discarded.

Players may agree to allow sequences:

• Instead of one card, you can play a sequence of consecutive cards in the same suit
• Example: ♥️5, ♥️6, ♥️7 as a sequence
• The next player must beat the sequence with a higher one of the same suit or trump
• If you can’t beat the sequence, you must take in the entire sequence

This makes the game even more tactical and challenging!

The game ends when only one player still has cards. That player loses!

Players who get rid of their cards first take the top spots. Remaining players continue playing for lower placements.

Unlike in Mattis, the loser doesn’t get a special title – the focus is just on finishing first!

How to avoid losing in Koira:

• Round one: Use war to your advantage – equal cards can win big
• Observation: Watch who has what during wars
• Risking it: Use the draw pile when you need a specific card
• Trump control: Keep track of the trump suit throughout round two
• Card tracking: Count how many cards other players have
• Positioning: Turn order is crucial for second-round tactics

Koira has its own terminology:

• Koira: The name of the game
• War: When two or more players play equal high cards
• Highest war: The war involving the highest card values
• Risking it: Drawing a card instead of playing from your hand
• Trump card: The last card from the draw pile, sets the trump suit
• Sequence: A run of consecutive cards in the same suit (optional rule)
• Round table: Everyone plays in every trick (unlike Mattis, which is one-on-one)

Koira and Mattis are sister games with much in common, but each has its own unique twists and challenges:

Similarities:

• Both have two completely different rounds
• Same setup: 3 cards in hand, draw pile in the middle
• Round one is about collecting cards, round two about getting rid of them
• Trump card is determined by the last card from the draw pile
• Risking it is allowed in the first round
• Optional sequence rule available

Main Differences:

• Trick play: In Koira, everyone participates in every trick; in Mattis, tricks are played one-on-one
• War: Koira allows complex wars with multiple players; Mattis has simple duels
• Loser’s title: In Mattis, the loser is called “Mattis”; in Koira, there’s no special name
• Strategic depth: Koira requires more planning and observation as all players are involved in each trick

Which game should you choose? Koira is great for players who want more strategic depth and complexity, while Mattis is perfect for quicker games and newcomers learning the basics.