KarHow to play Magic Peaks
Magic Peaks is a TriPeaks score duel with three pyramids of cards. Remove an exposed card one rank above or below the discard, build long chains and reveal new options. The same deal is used for both players.
Start a game
- Look at the discard and the exposed pyramid cards.
- Play an exposed card one rank higher or lower; suit does not matter.
- Continue a chain to increase its scoring bonus.
- Draw from the stock when no useful play remains; drawing resets the chain.
- Clear the layout or finish with the higher score before the match ends.
The layout and rank sequence
There are 28 cards in three pyramids, plus a stock and a face-up discard. Covered cards become available when the cards covering them are removed. You cannot select a covered card simply because its rank would fit.
Ranks wrap through Ace: a King can be followed by an Ace, and an Ace by a King or Two. Suit and red/black colour do not affect a legal play.
Chain scoring
The first card of a chain scores 100. Each following card without drawing gains another 25 points, up to a 400-point chain bonus, so an individual card can be worth up to 500. Clearing the whole layout adds 2,500.
Drawing a new stock card resets the chain. A game can end when the board is cleared or when no move remains and the stock is empty. Identical deals make selecting the next useful card important.
Example: five cards in a chain
Five consecutive plays score 100+125+150+175+200 = 750. Five separate first plays, each interrupted by a stock draw, would score only 500 before any other bonuses.
If the discard is Seven and both Six and Eight are exposed, compare the next step after each. An Eight that leads to Nine may extend the chain, while a Six with no follow-up may force a draw. Also consider which hidden cards each choice exposes.
Time and duel ending
A human duel lasts up to three minutes. Both players work simultaneously on the same initial deal; when one finishes, the other has fifteen seconds left. The higher score wins.
Play quickly when the choice is obvious, but do not trade away a strong chain merely to finish a few seconds earlier. Exposing covered cards and preserving legal continuations generally helps both pace and score.
Strategy and useful habits
- Look one move beyond each currently legal card.
- Prefer choices that uncover useful hidden cards.
- Draw only after checking available continuations.
- Balance the chain bonus with the remaining clock.
Common mistakes
- Applying Klondike’s suit or alternating-colour rule.
- Trying to remove a still-covered card.
- Forgetting that Ace connects to both King and Two.
- Assuming first to finish always has the winning score.
Questions and answers
Does suit matter?
No. Only a rank difference of one matters.
Can I play an Ace after a King?
Yes. The rank sequence wraps between King and Ace.
What is the clean-board bonus?
2,500 points, in addition to points from the cards and their chains.