Kivo is a memory card game. The winner has the lowest score.

Each player starts a round with exactly four face-down cards.

At the start of the round, privately look at exactly two of your own cards, then turn them face-down again.

In Live, Ranked, and Real Life, remembering is your job — there is no persistent memory aid. Turn-Based adds Recollection for what you have legitimately learned.

On your turn, draw from the deck or take the visible discard.

A deck draw is private. You must either replace one of your face-down cards (the replaced card becomes the new discard) or discard the drawn card.

Taking the discard requires replacing one of your cards. You cannot put that same discard back unchanged.

You may undo a take-discard briefly before you replace, if you have not yet gained hidden information.

Some discarded values offer an optional Peek power. You may Use or Skip.

Peek: privately look at one of your own cards.

Exact which values trigger Peek remain an open product decision; this guide describes the Peek action only. Theme art is cosmetic only.

Some discarded values offer an optional Spy power. You may Use or Skip.

Spy: privately look at one opponent card. Only you learn it.

Exact which values trigger Spy remain an open product decision; this guide describes the Spy action only.

Some discarded values offer an optional Swap power. You may Use or Skip.

Swap: exchange one of your cards with one opponent card without revealing either.

Exact which values trigger Swap remain an open product decision; this guide describes the Swap action only.

At the start of your turn, before drawing or taking discard, you may Call Kivo.

Calling ends your turn. Every other player gets exactly one final turn.

Then all hands are revealed for scoring.

If you called and do not have (or share) the lowest hand total, you receive a +10 penalty on that round score.

A hand total is the sum of its four card values (0–13). Lowest is best.

Round score is hand total, plus the Call Kivo penalty when it applies.

Live Private and Turn-Based: play a chosen number of rounds (1, 3, or 5). Cumulative score is the sum of round scores. Lowest cumulative wins; ties stay ties.

Ranked: exactly three rounds, then one sudden-death round if cumulative scores are tied. A second tie is a draw.

Real Life digital tables currently play a single round. Physical Scoreboard scores paper games with cumulative totals or placement points — separate from the digital table.