Cambio card game rules
Cambio is a classic memory card game played with a standard deck: keep your cards face down, remember what you've seen, and finish with the lowest hand.
It goes by many names, including Cambio, Cabo, Pablo and Cactus, and almost every group plays slightly different house rules. Below is the most common version. Rafiki is a free online game in the same family that you can play with friends in your browser.
What you need
- One standard 52-card deck, usually with the two Jokers.
- 2 or more players, and pen and paper for scores.
Setting up
- Deal 4 cards face down to each player, arranged in a square.
- Each player secretly looks at two of their own cards (often the two nearest them) and memorises them.
- The rest of the deck is the draw pile. Turn the top card over to start the discard pile.
A turn
Draw a card. Either swap it with one of your face-down cards (discarding the old one), or discard it straight away. Some cards have a power when they're discarded straight from the draw pile:
| Card | Common power |
|---|---|
| 7 or 8 | Look at one of your own cards |
| 9 or 10 | Look at one of an opponent's cards |
| Jack | Blind swap one of your cards with an opponent's |
| Queen | Often: look at two cards, then choose whether to swap them |
Sticking (snapping matching cards)
In many games, when a card is discarded, any player can quickly throw a card of the same rank from their hand onto it. Get it wrong and you take the card back plus a penalty card. Some groups also let you stick a card from an opponent's hand and then give them one of yours. In Rafiki this is called a Slam.
Calling Cambio
When you think you have the lowest hand, call "Cambio" instead of taking a turn. Everyone else gets one final turn, then all hands are revealed.
Scoring
| Card | Usual points |
|---|---|
| Red King | -1 (sometimes 0) |
| Joker | 0 (sometimes -1) |
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 to 10 | Face value |
| Jack, Queen, Black King | 10 |
If the caller doesn't have the lowest hand, they usually take a penalty, often 10 or more points. Play to a points limit (for example 100) or a set number of rounds. Lowest total wins.
Play Cambio-style online
Rafiki uses these core ideas: 4 hidden cards, peek and spy powers, blind swaps, slamming and a final call. The game handles the rules, timers and scoring for you. See how Rafiki compares with Cabo, Cambio and Golf.
Questions
Is Cambio the same as Cabo?
They are closely related. Cambio is usually played with a standard deck and house rules; Cabo is also the name of a published card game with its own numbered deck.
How many cards do you get in Cambio?
Usually 4, dealt face down. You look at 2 of them at the start.
Can I play Cambio online?
You can play Rafiki, a free online game in the same family, at playrafiki.com, with friends or computer players.
Rafiki is free in your browser, with no download. Play against computer players straight away, or sign up to invite friends to a private room.
Play Rafiki now