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How to Play
Goal
KAPOW! is a rummy style card game in which players compete to have the fewest points after 10 rounds of play. In each round, players start with a hand of face down cards. Through successive moves, cards are revealed and may be retained, discarded, or replaced. The cards in the deck will provide you with many paths to success. Seizing opportunities and avoiding pitfalls are key to winning. Kai can be a tough opponent, but also a good teacher. So, put on your thinking cap and enjoy Kapow!
Setup
Each player is dealt 12 face-down cards, arranged in 4 vertical columns of 3 cards each, referred to as triads. The remaining cards form a draw pile, with one card face-up starting the discard pile.
What's a Triad?
Your task is to complete each triad in your hand. Complete triads get discarded, thus removing points from your hand. A triad is complete when it contains:
Three of a kind — same value in all 3 positions (e.g. 7, 7, 7)
A run — three consecutive values, ascending or descending (e.g. 5, 6, 7 or 12, 11, 10)
The card closest to the center of the table is in the top position of a triad. This holds true for cards in Kai's hand as well. When a complete triad is discarded, the card in its top position is placed face up on the discard pile with all other discarded cards beneath it.
Fixed Cards (96)
Values 0–12. Eight of each (except 1 and 2 which have four each). Simple — the number on the card is its point value.
P
Power Cards (16)
A powercard has a face value of 1 or 2. The plus and minus signs on a powercard indicate that they can also be used to raise or lower the value of a position in a triad by the face value amount of the card. When placed alone in a position, the position's value is 1 or 2. When placed in combination with a face up card in a position, the position's value is increased or decreased by the modifier value selected. For example, a powercard with a ± value of 2 can be used to modify the value of a position with a value of 5 to a value of 3 or 7, depending upon the modifier selected.
The combined cards are referred to as a powerset. A powerset may be discarded as a whole but the cards within it may not be separated. Additional powercards, however, may be applied to a powerset, thereby raising or lowering its value.
A powercard that is placed alone in a position can be converted to a powerset by placing a fixed value card, or powercard, in the same position. Kai will offer you placement options to choose from.
K!
KAPOW! Cards (6)
Wild cards (value 0–12). In addition to being a wild card, KAPOW! cards are mobile. During your turn, you can swap a KAPOW! card with any card or powerset in your hand. You may perform multiple KAPOW! swaps before ending your turn.
These cards count as +25 points until discarded in a complete triad. It is best to use or discard them before the end of a round.
First Turn
Reveal any 2 cards in your hand (click them). Then draw a card and play it to your best advantage.
Each Turn Thereafter
Draw — click the draw pile or discard pile to pick up a card
Play it — either:
Discard it — click the discard pile
Replace a card — click any card or powerset in your hand (the replaced card(s) go to the discard pile)
Create a powerset — click on any card or powerset in your hand. Kai will present you with various ways you can play the card.
You may swap a free KAPOW! card with another card in your hand. Once a KAPOW! card is used within a complete triad, however, it may only be swapped within the triad.
Any completed triads are discarded, and your turn ends.
Going Out
When all of a player's cards are revealed or discarded, the player's round has ended. Other players then get one final turn. First, they reveal all hidden cards in their hand, then choose a card from the draw or discard pile and play it to their best advantage. KAPOW! swaps, if desired, may then be taken and their turn ends.
You may choose to go out with incomplete triads in your hand. This makes sense when you believe other players will be caught with more points than yours after their final turn. Triads with a value less than zero should also be retained. Avoid building negative value triads into a valid run or set, which requires them to be discarded.
The player that goes out first starts the next round.
Round Scoring
Completed triads = 0 points (already discarded)
Incomplete triads = sum of card values in each position
Unused KAPOW! = +25 points each
Powersets = the sum of the fixed value and powercards with it
Going-Out Penalty
If you go out first but don't have the lowest score, your score for that round is doubled. Going out first is risky — only do this if you believe your score will be the lowest of all players after their final turn.
After 10 Rounds
The player with the lowest total score wins.
Quick Tips
Build triads with multiple paths to completion — a triad with 9, 9, and 11 can be completed by drawing 9, 10, -2, or a KAPOW! Put the odds in your favor.
Power cards can make negative values — a -2 power under a 0 = -2 points. Negative value triads help to lower your score.
Play defensively — when you complete a triad, its top card becomes available to your opponent on the discard pile. When placing cards in a triad, try placing cards in the top position that are not helpful to your opponent.
Play offensively — cards in the top position of your opponent's triads may become available to you if the triad is discarded. You may want to build your triads with that in mind.
Don't go out too early — if Kai has a lower score, yours gets doubled
Take advantage of swaps — swap KAPOW! cards as needed to build and complete triads. Remember, a KAPOW! card may be swapped before your turn ends, even if it was used to complete a triad. If possible, avoid giving it to your opponent.
Shed points — late in a round, don't get stuck with high value cards in your hand. When your opponent is close to going out, seek to replace high value cards with lower value cards. You may also want to avoid choosing KAPOW! cards if they are not immediately useful to your hand. After your last turn they count as +25 points if they remain in your hand.
Use "Understand Kai's Move"
After Kai plays, click the Understand Kai's Move button to see the reasoning. Great way to learn advanced strategy.