L.L.A.M.A. Card Game
Play a card, draw or quit. Keep distinct numbers—and those costly Llamas—out of your hand, and learn when a full clear can remove a 10-point penalty token.
L.L.A.M.A. is a compact card-shedding and push-your-luck game by Reiner Knizia, published by AMIGO. Your goal is to finish with fewer penalty points than the other players. When the pile blocks your next play, drawing may save your hand—or make your eventual penalty worse.
This guide explains playable card sequences, the choice between drawing and quitting, distinct-card scoring, penalty-token returns, the 40-point game ending and the difference from Llama Dice.
Why this simple game gets interesting
Multiple copies of a number incur only one penalty, making a cluttered-looking hand less dangerous than it appears. Yet fully clearing your cards can be very valuable because it may remove a black ten-point token collected in an earlier round.
Game at a Glance
1. Play
Discard the same or next number in sequence.
2. Draw
Try to improve your options at the cost of a turn.
3. Quit
Freeze your remaining cards as negative points.
4. Score
Count each distinct value once and compare tokens.
Setup and what’s in the box
L.L.A.M.A. (often styled LAMA) is a 2–6 player card game designed by Reiner Knizia. The deck contains 56 cards: eight copies each of the numbers 1 through 6 and eight Llama cards. It also includes 50 white one-point tokens and 20 black ten-point tokens.
Shuffle the deck and deal six cards to each player. Turn one card from the remaining deck face up to create the discard pile; leave the other cards face down as the draw pile. Put the penalty tokens within reach. The youngest player begins the first round, with play continuing clockwise.
Three choices on your turn: play, draw or quit
On every turn, you must choose one of the following actions:
- Play a card: place one legal card from your hand onto the discard pile.
- Draw a card: take one card from the draw pile and end your turn. You cannot play that newly drawn card immediately.
- Quit the round: put your remaining hand face down in front of you and take no more turns until the round ends.
You may quit even when you could legally play a card. Choosing to stop rather than risk drawing is central to the game. Your cards remain penalties at scoring, but quitting protects you from making the hand worse.
Which cards can you play on each number?
| Top discard | Cards you can play |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 or 2 |
| 2 | 2 or 3 |
| 3 | 3 or 4 |
| 4 | 4 or 5 |
| 5 | 5 or 6 |
| 6 | 6 or Llama |
| Llama | Llama or 1 |
Thus the sequence wraps around: 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → Llama → 1. You can repeat the current value or advance by one step along that sequence. You cannot skip numbers, such as playing a 5 directly on a 3.
Example: if the top card is a Llama, you may play another Llama or a 1, but not a 2. Once someone plays the 1, the next player may use a 1 or 2.
When should you draw instead of quitting?
Drawing is the gamble in L.L.A.M.A. If you have no legal play, you can draw hoping to find a playable number on your next turn. But that card adds another possible penalty. You may also draw voluntarily when holding a playable card, hoping to improve your future choices.
Important: drawing consumes your entire turn. When the deck runs out, nobody may draw again; play and quitting remain available.
If every other player has quit, the lone remaining active player may continue playing cards but cannot draw. That creates an important limit on the potential benefit of staying in after everyone else stops.
When does a round end?
A round ends as soon as one player plays their final card or every player has quit. A player who quits early waits while the remaining players finish.
When only one player remains active, they may continue taking turns to play cards they can legally discard, with no additional drawing. If they cannot continue productively, they may quit and the round ends.
Collect all cards, reshuffle for the next round, deal six cards each and reveal a new starting discard. Under the published rules, the player who most recently played a card in the previous round begins the next.
How negative-point scoring works
Each player counts the cards still in their hand or set aside when they quit. Each distinct number is counted only once, regardless of how many copies remain. A Llama is worth ten penalty points, also counted only once even when several are held.
| Remaining cards | Penalty | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 3, 3, 3 | 3 | Only one distinct number |
| 2, 5, 5 | 7 | 2 + 5 |
| Llama, Llama | 10 | Llama counts once |
| 1, 4, Llama, Llama | 15 | 1 + 4 + 10 |
| No cards | 0 | Hand completely cleared |
Take white one-point and black ten-point tokens totaling your penalty. You may exchange ten white tokens for one black token at any time. Your running penalty is the value of the tokens you hold, not a written running total that remains unaffected by returned tokens.
The rule that can remove ten penalty points
Anyone who successfully plays every card from their hand may return one previously collected penalty token to the supply. You can return a white one-point token or a black ten-point token—whichever you possess and prefer.
Example: you have a black 10-point token and two white one-point tokens from earlier rounds, representing 12 penalty points. If you play out your hand this round, return the black token and keep the two white tokens, reducing your running penalty to just 2.
Clearing the hand does not mean subtracting ten points automatically: you must hold a black token to return one. And quitting with an empty-hand penalty is not the same as playing all your cards; the token-return reward is for playing out.
How the 40-point finish works
After scoring a round, if at least one player has 40 or more negative points, the game ends. The player with the fewest penalty points wins, even if another player was the one who triggered the ending.
If several players share the lowest score, they share the victory. The 40-point threshold is checked after the round, so players may exceed it before the game ends.
Eight L.L.A.M.A. strategy principles
- Distinguish duplicates from new values. Drawing another 5 while holding a 5 doesn’t increase your immediate unique-number penalty.
- Consider the cost of your entire hand. A Llama plus low numbers may be a better time to quit than a collection of many different high values.
- Preserve useful transitions. A 6 and Llama offer a route back around to 1 if the pile progresses that way.
- Drawing is not free flexibility. An extra card might be playable later, but drawing consumes a turn and can create another distinct penalty.
- Don’t wait for a deck reshuffle. The draw pile is not replenished during a round.
- Notice how many players remain. When everyone else quits, the final player loses the option to draw.
- Prioritize a full clear when carrying a 10 token. It can eliminate ten previously accrued points in one action.
- Adapt near the 40-point threshold. With one player close to ending the match, a safe low-penalty quit may be preferable to an ambitious rescue attempt.
These tips are strategic deductions from published rules, not claims of firsthand playtesting.
L.L.A.M.A., Llama Dice and other versions
L.L.A.M.A. is the original card game with play, draw and quit actions. L.L.A.M.A. Dice (also sold as LAMA Dice) is a separate dice-based adaptation in which dice determine which numbered cards can be removed. It has its own risk and scoring rules.
Some editions write the name as L.A.M.A. or simply LAMA; those usually refer to the original card game. Do not confuse a dice edition’s three-Llama roll effects with the base card game.
L.L.A.M.A. FAQ
How many players can play?
Two to six.
How many cards are dealt?
Six to every player at the beginning of each round.
Can you play a 1 on a Llama?
Yes. You may also play another Llama.
Can you play a Llama on a 5?
No. A Llama can be played on a 6 or another Llama.
Can you draw and then play in the same turn?
No. Drawing ends your turn.
Can you quit even if you have a legal play?
Yes.
Do multiple copies of the same number multiply your penalty?
No, each distinct number counts once.
How much is one Llama worth?
Ten penalty points, no matter how many Llamas are left in your hand.
How do you remove a black 10-point token?
Play every card out of your hand and choose that token as your one returned token.
Can the last player keep drawing after everyone else quits?
No. They may keep playing legal cards but cannot draw.
When does the match end?
After a round where any player reaches 40 or more negative points.
Sources and editorial scope
Rules checked October 11, 2026. The worked examples and advice are original editorial content, without claims of personal playtesting. The base card game is distinguished from Llama Dice. Editorial policy and corrections.