Kabufuda ("nine-cards") are Japanese playing cards used for gambling games such as Oicho-Kabu. A Kabufuda deck contains 40 cards, with designs representing the numbers 1 through 10. There are four cards for each number. Kabufuda cards are smaller and stiffer than Western playing cards. The object of all kabufuda games is to get a total closest to nine.
"Oicho-Kabu" is a traditional Japanese gambling game similar to baccarat. The goal of the game is to reach a total closest to 9 without going over. As in baccarat, the last digit of any total over 10 makes your hand: a 15 counts as 5, a 12 as 2, and a 20 as 0.
The name of the Japanese mafia, the "Yakuza", originates from this game. The worst Oicho-Kabu hand is 8-9-3, or "ya-ku-sa". This gives a sum total of 20, or 0 points.
Only play this game if you dare...
