Mao is a card-shedding game that uses a standard deck of 52 cards, without the jokers. The components of Mao card game are the cards and the players, who need to follow the secret mao rules that change every round. To set up the game, one player (the dealer) shuffles the deck and deals 3 to 7 cards to each player, depending on the number of players.
Mao Rules
The dealer then places the remaining game cards face down in the center of the table and flips over the top card to start the discard pile. The dealer also says “The name of the game is Mao” to begin the game. The gameplay is similar to Uno or Crazy Eights. You have to get rid of all your cards by matching the suit or rank of the previous card. You can buy cards from Amazon.com.
However, there are also secret rules that you have to figure out by trial and error. If you break a rule, you get a penalty card and a brief explanation of what you did wrong. The rules can vary depending on who you play with, so be prepared for surprises.
Mao Card Game Rules
Some common rules of Mao card game are:
- If you play a seven, you must say something amusing, or else you will receive a penalty card.
- If you play a six, you must pass a card to the player on your left, or else you will receive a penalty card.
- If you play a jack, you must swap hands with the player on your right, or else you will receive a penalty card.
- If you play a heart, you must play the card with your left hand, or else you will receive a penalty card.
- If you play a queen, you must make a move in a subgame (e.g. a game of chess), or else you will receive a penalty card.
- If you fail to play a card of the same color as the previous card, you will receive a penalty card.
- If you fail to play a card of a higher rank than the previous card, you will receive a penalty card.
- If you fail to play a card that is a multiple of the previous card, you will receive a penalty card.
- If you fail to play a card that has a letter in common with the previous card, you will receive a penalty card.
- You must say “thank you” when you receive a penalty card, or else you get another one.
- You must say the name of the suit when you play an ace, or else you get a penalty card.
- You must say “Mao” when you play your last card, or else you get a penalty card.
- You must not talk during the game, or else you get a penalty card.
How to Play Mao Card Game
The game aims to get rid of all the cards in one’s hand and the first person to do so wins the round and becomes the new dealer for the next round. They also get to make up a new rule for the game, which they do not reveal to the other players. At the beginning of the game, one player flips over the top card of the draw pile and says “The game of Mao has begun.” The dealer then deals three cards to each player, and the remaining cards form a draw pile in the center of the table.
The player to the left of the dealer goes first, and the gameplay proceeds clockwise, the person plays a card from their hand that matches the rank or suit of the top card of the discard pile and if the player has no matching card, they must draw a card from the draw pile and add it to their hand, ending their turn.
At the beginning of the game, one player flips over the top card and says, “The game of Mao has begun” and payers take turns to play a card, the card played must match the suit or rank of the active card and if a player can’t play, they draw one card from the draw pile.
After playing the second-to-last card, players must call “Last Card” and then “Mao” at the end of their turn. When a player announces “end of order,” “point taken,” “point of disorder,” or “pick your cards up,” play resumes.
In the card game Mao, the winner is granted the privilege of creating a new rule for the subsequent game. This new rule must not be in contradiction to any existing rule and kept secret from the rest of the players, who must figure it out during gameplay. To win the game, a player has to play their final card without breaking any rules and say “Mao” or “Mao Mao”.
