Cambio rules

The complete rules of Cambio on one page, with a quick reference you can keep open while you play — and the house rules people argue about.

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1. Players and cards

2 to 6 players, one standard 52-card deck with both Jokers.

2. Card values

Red Kings −1 · Jokers 0 · Aces 1 · 2–10 face value · Jacks, Queens and black Kings 10.

3. The deal and the peek

Each player gets four cards face down in a 2 × 2 square. One card is turned face up to start the discard pile. Before play, each player secretly looks at their two nearest cards, once. The first round starts with a random player; after that, whoever had the worst hand last round goes first. Play goes round the table.

4. A turn

Do one of:

• Draw from the deck, look at it, then swap it for any one of your cards (that card goes face up on the discard pile) or discard it.
• Take the top discard and swap it into your hand. It can't go straight back.
• Call Cambio instead of drawing.

If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard pile (except its top card) to make a new one.

5. Power cards

A power works only when you draw the card from the deck and discard it straight away. Using it is optional.

• 7 or 8: look at one of your own cards.
• 9 or 10: look at one card in another player's hand.
• Jack or Queen: swap any two cards on the table, unseen — yours with someone's, two of someone else's, or two of your own.
• King: look at any one card, then choose whether to swap it with any other card on the table.

Swapped cards stay face down, in their new places — so watch where they go.

6. Snapping

At any moment, if you think a card in any hand has the same rank as the top card of the discard pile (suits don't matter), you can snap it. The snapped card is turned face up.

• Your own card, right: it goes on the pile — one card fewer.
• Someone else's card, right: it goes on the pile, and you give them one of your cards (your choice).
• Wrong: the card goes back, and you take a forfeit card from the deck.
• Only the first correct snap on each discard counts.

7. Calling Cambio

At the start of your turn, instead of drawing, call “Cambio!”. Only one player can call each round. Everyone else gets one more turn — the caller's cards can still be swapped or snapped. Then every hand is revealed and scored.

If your hand is emptied by snapping, that's an automatic Cambio.

8. Scoring and winning

Everyone scores their hand total. The caller also gets −10 if their hand is the lowest on its own, or +10 if it isn't (a tie for lowest isn't lowest). Scores add up; when a round ends with anyone on or over the score limit, the lowest total wins.

Common variations (house rules)

Agree the house rules before you deal. In ¡Cambio!, the rules above are the standard — and the campaign mixes in twists of its own, from sandstorms that shuffle your hand to cursed cards worth double.