How Matatu is played
The Matatu card game is fast to learn and impossible to put down. Here's a whole round, exactly as it plays out in Matatu Champion.
The deal — seven cards each
Every round of Matatu starts with seven playing cards in your hand. The rest of the deck becomes the draw pile, and one card is flipped to start the game. Size up your hand: your matches, your attacks, your escape routes.
Match the suit or the number
On your turn, play a card that matches the top of the pile by suit or by number. Seven of hearts showing? Any heart works — or any other seven. No match? Tap the deck and draw.
Attack cards turn the table
This is where Matatu bites. Drop a 2 or 3 and your opponent draws penalty cards. An 8 or Jack skips them completely. An Ace lets you call the next suit — and the Ace of Spades cancels any penalty. The Joker? A five-card bomb.
The cutting card ends it all
A 7 is the cutting card. Slam it down to cut the round on the spot — everyone counts what's left in their hands, and the lowest total takes the game. Time it right and steal a round you were losing.
Win the round, take the cash
Empty your hand first — or hold the lowest count when the round is cut — and the stake is yours. Top up with mobile money, play Matatu for cash in the Matatu League, and withdraw your winnings straight to your phone.
