The key to play Kalooki well is pulling the right cards. Early in the game, you should only draw from the stock pile, otherwise you will reveal too much about your hand by drawing from the discards. In the game of Kalooki, the most powerful players are the ones that have the most knowledge about the other players’ cards. You can count on the fact that the other players are going to try to figure out what you are holding and planning to meld, so they are not going to want to discard any cards they think you want. This is why knowing how to choose your discards is a valuable skill. You want to start by discarding cards that you don’t think you can use later on, being careful to begin with the ones you don’t think will help anyone else either. A good memory is an absolute necessity in this game, because you will have to keep track of every card the other players are picking up and discarding. You want to avoid discarding anything that an opponent can meld or pick up.

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Keep your eyes open, and don’t let your opponents get the cards they want. If you suspect a Kalooki is about to be called, put down as many cards as you can to avoid amassing penalty points. Avoid melding any sets or runs that your opponents will be able to add to later on. The ultimate play you can make in this game is to “go Kalooki,” which is putting down your entire hand in a single turn. You will score bonus points for doing this, and the other players will be penalized for the cards they are left holding, which is usually more than it would have been if you had melded little by little. That being said does not hang on indefinitely waiting for a Kalooki if your opponents have already melded and laid down cards. You could end up getting stuck with your hand and pick up a lot of penalty points.