MEZARPOLYHortlak: online colour and number matching card game
Hortlak is a graveyard-themed card game where you match the colour or number of the top card and race to empty your hand first. It is made for fans of colour-and-number matching games and comes with its own special cards and original rules such as Resurrection. At Mezar Café you play it free in your browser with 2–8 players, with friends or against bots, with no download or account.
Last updated: 20 October 2026
Play Hortlak
At a glance
| Players | 2–8 (8-player rooms are free) |
|---|---|
| Deck | 110 cards: 4 colours (Amber, Mint, Lavender, Crimson) × 25 cards, 4 Ghosts, 4 Curse +4 and 2 Resurrection |
| Per colour | One 0, two each of 1–9, Into the Grave, Turn Back and Shovel +2 |
| Start | 7 cards each; the first card in the middle is always a number |
| Turn time | 20, 30, 45 or 60 seconds (the host chooses) |
| Bots | Easy, Normal and Hard |
How to play Hortlak
- Play a card that matches the colour or the number/symbol of the top card. If you can't, draw from the deck.
- Into the Grave skips the next player, Turn Back reverses the turn order, Shovel +2 makes the next player draw 2.
- Ghost can be played on anything and lets you pick a colour; Curse +4 picks a colour and makes the next player draw 4.
- Resurrection: pick one of the last 3 discarded cards and it counts as played again.
- Stacking (room setting, on by default): when a +2 hits you, play a +2 or Curse +4 to grow the penalty and pass it on. Only a +4 can go on a +4; whoever can't play draws the whole penalty.
- Call HORTLAK! as you play your second-to-last card. If you don't and someone catches you before the next player moves (plays or draws), you draw 2. The first player to empty their hand wins.
Tips that win games
- Keep Ghosts and Curse +4s for last; they rescue you when your hand gets tight.
- Switch to the colour you hold most of, so you still have plays in the next turns.
- Use Resurrection to replay a strong card that just went by (Shovel +2, Into the Grave).
- Watch your rivals' card counts: penalty and skip cards matter most when someone is down to one.
- Don't forget to call HORTLAK!: until the next player moves, the table can catch you. If you forgot, say it before anyone catches you and the penalty is off.
Bots
Easy, Normal and Hard bots fill empty seats. When choosing a colour they switch to the one they hold most of, and they favour penalty cards. Easy bots sometimes forget to call HORTLAK! and are slow to notice others forgetting; Hard bots never forget and catch players who don't call it most often.
Play HortlakFrequently asked
How many players can play Hortlak?
From 2 to 8. Bots can fill empty seats.
How many cards are in the Hortlak deck?
110 cards: 25 in each of four colours (Amber, Mint, Lavender, Crimson), 4 Ghosts, 4 Curse +4 and 2 Resurrection cards.
What if I forget to call HORTLAK!?
If you didn't call HORTLAK! as you played your second-to-last card and someone catches you before the next player plays or draws, you draw 2 penalty cards. Say it before you're caught and there is no penalty.
What does the Resurrection card do?
It can be played on any colour; you pick one of the last 3 discarded cards and it counts as played again. For example, you can replay a Shovel +2 that just went by.
Can +2 and +4 penalties be stacked?
Yes, if the room setting is on (the default). A +2 or +4 can go on a +2, only a +4 on a +4; whoever can't play draws the whole penalty.
Is Hortlak free?
Yes. You can play free as a guest without an account; everything sold only changes looks.
Is Hortlak UNO?
No. Hortlak is an original game with no affiliation to Mattel or the UNO brand. It offers the general mechanics of colour-and-number matching games with its own cards, names and rules such as Resurrection.