What you need
A standard deck plus two Jokers and at least two players — or just the Matatu Champion app, which handles the deck, the rules and the opponents for you.
Step 1 — the deal
Everyone gets seven cards. The rest go face-down as the draw pile, and the top card is flipped face-up beside it to start the discard pile.
Step 2 — match suit or number
On your turn, play one card that matches the top of the discard pile by suit or number. A 7♥ showing means any heart or any 7 is legal. Nothing legal? Draw one card — turn over.
Step 3 — learn the attack cards
Five cards break the rules, and they're what make Matatu Matatu: 2 and 3 force the next player to draw penalty cards, 8 and Jack skip them entirely, an Ace lets you call the next suit, and the Joker drops a five-card bomb. The Ace of Spades cancels any penalty aimed at you.
Step 4 — fear (and love) the 7
A 7 is the cutting card. Played legally, it ends the round immediately: everyone counts what's left in their hand and the lowest total wins. Number cards count face value, but attack cards are expensive — a 2 counts 20, a 3 counts 30, the Joker 50 and the Ace of Spades 60.
Step 5 — win
Empty your hand first and you win outright. Or cut with a 7 while your count is lowest. Either way — the table pays.
Your first real game: play a few rounds against the AI to get the rhythm, skim the full rules for the edge cases, then read the strategy guide before you sit at a cash table.
