Go-Stop

Go-Stop

Go-Stop (고스톱, also called Godori or Hwatu) is the most popular card game in South Korea, played with a Hwatu deck — the Korean version of the Japanese hanafuda deck. Like Koi-Koi, it uses matching by month and collection of scoring combinations. Its defining mechanic is the Go/Stop decision: after reaching a scoring threshold, the current player must choose whether to declare “Stop” (take winnings) or “Go” (continue for bigger rewards at increasing risk).

The Deck

48 Hwatu cards in 12 suits (months), 4 cards per month. Card types by value:

• Bright (광, Gwang): 5 cards, one each in January (Pine), March (Cherry Blossom), August (Full Moon), November (Rain), and December (Phoenix)
• Animal (열끻, Yeolggeut): 9 cards
• Ribbon (때, Ddi): 10 cards, in three types: Red Poetry (Jan, Feb, Mar), Blue (Jun, Sep, Oct), and Plain
• Junk (피, Pi): 24 cards; some months have a bonus double-junk card worth 2 junk

The Deal (3-Player)

Each player is dealt 7 cards. 6 cards are placed face-up on the field. Remaining cards form the draw pile.

The Turn

1. Play a card from hand: if it matches a field card’s month, capture both; if no match, place it on the field
2. Draw from the pile: if the drawn card matches a field card’s month, capture both; if no match, place it on the field
3. Check for Go/Stop: if the player now meets the scoring threshold, they must declare Go or Stop

Special Captures

Ttadak (따닥): if the card played from hand AND the drawn card both match field cards of the same month (capturing two separate pairs in one turn), the player earns a bonus and each opponent pays 1 chip penalty.

Triple field capture: if three cards of the same month are already on the field when you play the fourth, you capture all four.

Scoring Combinations

Brights:

• 3 non-Rain Brights = 3 pts
• 3 Brights including Rain (November) = 2 pts
• 4 Brights = 4 pts
• 5 Brights = 15 pts

Animals:

• 5 animals = 1 pt; +1 pt per additional animal
• Godori (고도리): Cuckoo (February) + Bush Warbler (April) + Geese (August) = 5 pts

Ribbons:

• 5 ribbons = 1 pt; +1 pt per additional ribbon
• Red Poetry ribbons (Jan + Feb + Mar) = 3 pts
• Blue ribbons (Jun + Sep + Oct) = 3 pts

Junk:

• 10 junk cards = 1 pt; +1 pt per additional junk
• Double-junk cards count as 2

The Go/Stop Decision

When a player reaches 3 points (or the agreed threshold), they must announce:

• “Stop” (스톱): collect winnings. Other players pay the stopping player. Round ends.
• “Go” (고): continue. Scoring accumulates. A player who has said “Go” cannot later collect fewer points than accrued.

Risk of “Go”: If another player stops first, or the draw pile is exhausted before the Go-player stops, the player who said “Go” pays double penalties to the winner. Each additional “Go” declaration multiplies the payout by 2.

If the “Go” player successfully stops later without another player stopping first, they collect at a multiplied rate.

Penalties

Other players pay the winner chips based on the winner’s total points. Bonus payments apply for winning with 7+ points, for opponents holding only junk, and for multiple “Go” declarations.

2-Player Go-Stop

Each player receives 10 cards; 8 cards are placed on the field. Otherwise identical to 3-player.