Gringo card game rules

Gringo is a fast memory card game for 2 to 6 players with a normal deck. Everyone has four hidden cards, you try to remember what's where, and when you think your hand is the lowest you shout "Gringo!"

It's a name for the game often heard in England and picked up on travels, and it's the same family as Pablo, Dutch, Cabo and Cambio. Every group has its own house rules. These are the Gringo rules as we learned them.

What you need

• A standard 52-card deck plus the two Jokers.
• 2 to 6 players.
• Paper to keep score over several rounds.

Setting up

1. Deal 4 cards face down to each player, in a square of two rows.
2. Look at your two nearest cards once, remember them, and put them back face down.
3. Put the rest of the deck face down as the draw pile, and turn the top card over to start the discard pile.

Your turn

Draw the top card of the draw pile. Then either swap it with one of your face-down cards (the old card goes on the discard pile), or put it straight on the discard pile. If you discard a special card straight away, you can use its power.

Special cards

Slamming a match

Whenever a card goes on the discard pile, anyone can throw a card of the same rank on top of it, even out of turn, and from anyone's hand, not just their own.

• Your own card: it's gone, so you have one card fewer.
• Someone else's card: it goes on the pile and you give that player one of your cards.
• Wrong card: it goes back, and you take the top card of the draw pile and add it, face down, to your cards.

Shouting Gringo

When you think you have the lowest total, shout "Gringo!" Everyone else gets one more turn, but the caller can't be touched: nobody can look at, swap or slam their cards. Then all cards are turned over and counted.

Scoring

Play as many rounds as you like. The lowest running total wins.

Play Gringo online

You can play these exact Gringo rules free in your browser: start a Gringo game, add computer players or invite friends, and shout Gringo when you're lowest.

Gringo vs Rafiki

Rafiki is our version of the same game, built to play online for free. It keeps the 4 hidden cards, the peeking, the blind swaps and slamming from any hand. The differences: 7 and 8 let you look at your own card, 9 and 10 at someone else's, and Jack, Queen and black King blind swap. Red Kings and Jokers are both -1. Just like Gringo, once you call, nobody can touch your hand. See the full Rafiki rules.

Questions

What does the black King do in Gringo?

You look at any card on the table, then you can swap cards anywhere you like. It's the most powerful card to draw.

Can anyone touch the caller's cards in Gringo?

No. Once someone shouts Gringo, their cards are safe: nobody can look at, swap or slam them during the last turns.

What is the best card in Gringo?

The red King, which is worth -3. Hold on to it.

What happens if you slam the wrong card in Gringo?

The card goes back, and you take the top card of the draw pile and add it face down to your cards.

Can I play Gringo online?

Yes. Rafiki lets you play with Gringo house rules free in your browser: start a Gringo game at playrafiki.com/create?rules=gringo and play computer players or friends.