How To Play: Colorado

Overview

If you’ve ever wanted to turn shouting at your friends over piles of cards into an art form, Colorado is your game. After getting trounced by my buddy Steve last weekend (he still won’t let me forget it), I wrote this guide. I’ll cover how to play Colorado with a quick outline of the rules, plus the best strategies for actually winning for once. Let’s save your dignity together.

What’s in the box

• 56 cards (in 5 colors, numbered 1-13, and 3 jokers)
• 5 summary cards
• 1 rule booklet

How To Play Colorado: Rules Summary

Game Setup

1. Spread out the deck of 99 cards. Shuffle them well. Trust me, don’t let Steve shuffle. He cheats at shuffling. Every. Single. Time.
2. Sort the cards by color and number if you like looking at little rainbows. Otherwise, just deal them out evenly among players. Everyone should have a hand of cards.
3. Take the wild cards and mix them in. These shake things up, like pineapple on pizza. Not everyone likes it, but it keeps things interesting.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, draw a card from the deck or take a card from a row. Think carefully! Sometimes the card you want is the one you should avoid. (This is a metaphor for my dating life.)
2. Add the card to your collection or to one of the rows in the center. If you add it, hope your buddy doesn’t grab it first.
3. Once a player takes a row, they are out for the rest of the round. The round ends when everyone has a row.
4. Keep playing until all the cards are gone. Again, don’t let Steve count the cards. He can’t count past 15.

Winning the Game

1. Count the number of different colored cards you have at the end. You want lots of one color, not one of each. More colors means more negative points, just like collecting parking tickets.
2. You score points for your three largest color groups. All other colors? Negative points. Yes, life isn’t fair.
3. The player with the most points wins! The loser buys snacks for the next game night.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Wild cards can act as any color, so use them wisely. If you mess up, blame Steve. It builds team spirit.
2. If you forget whose turn it is, whoever last made a snack run goes next.
3. If two players tie for points, decide the winner by a thumb war. Or just play another round, unless it’s past your bedtime.

With these rules, you now know How To Play colorado and are probably ready to beat your friends. Good luck, and remember: wild cards can’t fix a losing attitude, but snacks can.

Best Colorado Strategies

Mastering Hand Management for the Win

Know When to Hold

In Colorado, timing is everything. Ask yourself: Should I take these cards now, or wait? Waiting too long could leave you with junk. However, grabbing too early can ruin your set. How To Play colorado tip: Watch the table, not just your own hand.

1. Count the cards left in the round.
2. Remember your opponents’ visible sets.
3. Pounce only when a pile helps your main colors.

Stay Flexible

Don’t lock into one plan. When someone snags your color, adapt. Mixing things up keeps your options open and opponents guessing.

1. Switch colors if your top picks get blocked.
2. Be ready to accept small piles with just one good card.
3. Pile on pressure by leaving risky stacks for others.

Count Points, Not Just Colors

While everyone loves a rainbow, in this game less can be more. Keep a mental tally of your score. Sometimes, passing on a tempting pile saves you more points in the long run.

1. Track your likely end score each round.
2. Avoid extra colors unless points outweigh the risk.
3. Take a pile only if it improves your best color.

Risk vs Reward: Walking the Line in Colorado

Know When to Push

I once decided to take one more card in hopes of a big payoff. Spoiler: I lost. You need to sense when to stop before disaster. Try these:

1. Pay attention to your current high colors.
2. Check what cards are still in the deck.
3. Only risk grabbing when you can handle the penalty.

Watch Opponents

You gain nothing if you keep risking but ignore your rivals. Sometimes, it pays off to play it safe and let them falter.

1. Track their piles.
2. If they risk big, consider a safer route.

Adapt Your Strategy

Every round, things change. Never stick to one plan. The “How To Play colorado” rulebook even says: stay alert!

1. If you start strong, play safe later.
2. If you’re behind, take more risks to catch up.

Paint by Numbers: Nailing Color Commitment in Colorado

Pick Your Poison Early

No one wants to end up with rainbow regret. Right out the gate, spot your strongest suit and stick to it. If you wobble, you’ll lose big time. Here’s what I do:

1. Choose one or two colors to focus on after your first few turns.
2. Avoid picking cards that hurt your main color plan, even if they look shiny.

Monitor Rivals With Eagle Eyes

Don’t play solo in your head. Watch what colors your friends hoard. This lets you snag points they ignore and block them when needed.

1. Notice which colors opponents avoid—those can be safe picks for you.
2. If someone goes hard on a color, sometimes it’s best to let them fight for it and choose another lane.

Stay Flexible, but Not Wobbly

Sure, the world changes—so can your color plan, but not too much. If the table turns into a color mess, cut your losses. Sometimes, I admit, I bail on a color if it gets too risky. The real trick is knowing when!

1. Commit, but give yourself one backup color in case your first choice dries up.
2. Be honest with yourself if a color is a lost cause and switch in time.

Ready to Master Colorado?

Let me tell you, the journey from clueless to Colorado champ is wild. My friends still refuse to sit next to me after I faked a color commitment and snagged the win. If you remember to play it cool, manage your hand, and jump on those colors wisely, you’ll soon be making people groan at your clever moves too. Now go shuffle up and show them who’s boss! And don’t forget to tell them you learned how to play Colorado from the best (that’s me, obviously).

Want to know what we think of Colorado? Read our detailed review of Colorado here