How To Play: Colorado

Welcome to my totally unbiased Colorado strategy guide! If you’ve ever found yourself sweating over which cards to keep or watching your score tank faster than my WiFi during a storm, you’re in the right place. Here you’ll find a quick outline of the game rules and, more importantly, my best strategies for winning (or at least not coming dead last).

Overview

What’s in the box

• 44 Color cards
• 5 Jokers
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Colorado: Rules Summary

Setup

1. First, give each player a score sheet and a pen. Do not use crayons, even though they’re more fun.

2. Next, shuffle the deck of game cards very well. My shuffling is so bad, my friends once accused me of inventing a new card order.

3. Deal one card to each player, face-down. Place the rest in the center as the draw pile.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, draw a card and put it face-up on the table. You can start a new row or add it to an existing one.

2. Players can collect a row on their turn, instead of drawing. This means you grab all the cards in that row and score them.

3. If a row has three cards, you must take it—even if you don’t want to. That’s the rule that always gets me!

4. Keep going clockwise, either drawing or collecting, until all cards are gone.

Winning

1. At the end, each color you collect only scores if you took at least one of that color. Empty colors, no harm, no foul!

2. For each color, only count the highest card’s value — except for one color, which scores negative points.

3. Add up your points, but don’t get too excited too soon. The person with the most points wins, and you get bragging rights. Unless your friends are sore losers, like mine.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Each player can only start three different colored sets. Plan wisely, or you’ll regret it when you see the cards you can’t keep.

2. If you have to take more than three sets, you choose which to keep below and which to score as negative points. Ouch!

3. No peeking at the draw pile. My friend tried this once and we caught him red-handed. Literally, his fingers were covered in Cheetos.

How To Play colorado can sound tricky, but it’s pretty simple once you try. Each rule adds a little chaos and a lot of laughs. Have fun and remember: luck loves the bold, but sometimes it skips my table entirely!

Best Colorado Strategies

Master Card Selection and Timing in Colorado

Pick Your Poison Wisely

Each time you pick a card, your future can change. My friend Steve once grabbed every high card he saw, and, well, he ended up with a score even my cat would be embarrassed about. So, think before you grab!

1. Match colors you already collect for safe points.
2. Avoid colors that could hurt your score unless you have no choice.

Watch the Table Like a Hawk

If you pay attention to what others are collecting, you can pick cards that block their sets. I learned this the hard way after Emma swooped in and blocked me three rounds in a row.

1. Check piles and opponents’ collections before picking.
2. Take cards opponents want, but only if it helps you too.

Time Your Moves

Sometimes, patience pays. Grab a pile early for a single good card, or wait until it grows for bigger rewards. Knowing “How To Play colorado” is great, but knowing when to pick separates winners from the rest of us!

1. Weigh the risk of a big pile versus the safety of a single card.
2. Act fast if your best color shows up before someone else takes it.

Risk Versus Reward: How To Make Winning Choices in Colorado

I’ve lost many games of Colorado because I got greedy. Taking risks is fun but it can backfire fast. First, you must weigh your options. Next, decide when to play it safe or grab a risky card. Here’s how I learned to win more often using risk versus reward decisions:

Know When to Pass

1. If the row stinks, just pass. You’ll avoid getting stuck with cards you don’t need.
2. Don’t just grab a row for one good card. Think about what you’ll be stuck with.

Spot Dangerous Sets

1. Keep an eye on colors you already have too many of. More sets mean more minus points.
2. If you see a pile that gives you a third card in a color, it may cost you in the end.

Weigh Short-Term Gains

1. Sometimes, grabbing a risk now pays off big later. Just make sure it fits your plan.
2. Only risk it if the reward is better than the pain of a minus row later.

Remember, in Colorado, it’s all about picking your battles—take risks, but only smart ones! That’s how to play Colorado for sweet victory.

Set Collection Prioritization: Outwit, Outlast, Out-Collect!

Know Your Sets Early

First, decide which sets you want. The earlier you choose, the better you control your fate. For me, looking at the first two rounds told me where to aim.

1. Track your cards and opponents’.
2. Spot gaps—avoid competing where rivals are strong.
3. Focus on sets you can complete quickly.

Flex When Needed

If someone blocks your plan, switch gears fast. I once got stuck chasing blue but pivoted to red just in time. That saved me!

1. Stay flexible with your picks.
2. Don’t get stubborn over one color.

Cut Your Losses

Sometimes, you must drop a set. It stings, but it’s better than chasing the impossible. Remember, smart collectors win more often in “How To Play colorado” guides than hoarders ever do!

1. Assess your weakest set and drop it early.
2. Prioritize sets you can finish with least risk.

Colorado Mastery: Let the Good Times Roll

Alright, you’ve made it this far, which means you’re now more ready than my Aunt Edna at Bingo night. If you remember to balance risk and reward, grab cards like your snacks depend on it, and keep an eye on those pesky opponents, you’ll do better than I did my first time (I scored lower than my WiFi signal in the basement). Just remember: “How To Play colorado” is as much about outsmarting your friends as it is about laughing at your own mistakes. Now get out there, shuffle up, and show them who’s boss!

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