The Game of Mao

This is one version of Mao. This guide has been created so that you don’t have to
worry about forgetting the many rules of this game. Try not to let anybody read it – the game
is more fun when half the players are clueless.

The deck you use for this game should contain Jokers, and can be made up of
multiple decks. The game starts with all players being dealt 7 cards. The number of cards
may be less if there are more players. The remaining deck is placed on the table, and a card is
flipped face up. If it is an Ace, Jack, Joker, 2, 7, or 8, it is shuffled back into the deck and a
new card is flipped. Play commences when someone says, “The name of the game is Mao,
and the game starts now.”
In this game, no one may discuss any of the rules at any time. Doing this results in a
penalty. All that the other players may know is that they must get rid of their cards, that the
name of the game is Mao, and that they must say “Mao” when they are out of cards. You may
also tell them what to do when they say “Mao”, but only if it has actually happened.
Players play cards much as in Crazy 8’s. If it is your turn, you must play a card of the
same suit or value as the card on the table (unless the suit has been changed by a Jack or a
Joker has been played). Players play one after another, in a clockwise or counter-clockwise
direction during normal play. The game starts as clockwise. A player’s objective is to get rid
of his or her cards. One must say “last card” when one has one card remaining and “Mao”
when one is out of cards.
Players who are out of cards and have said “Mao” may deal themselves back in at any
time with the same number of cards as when they started. When they are back in, they may
enforce a new rule of their choosing. There are no rules about what rule you create, but it
should be fair to all players, it should make sense, and it shouldn’t be ridiculous (i.e., you
shouldn’t have to sing the national anthem and dunk your head in a bucket of cold water
every time a 9 is played). Try to make rules such that penalty cards can be easily avoided by
those who know the rule. Remember, a rule should be fun, or all the other players will quit.
During regular play, there are several cards that have special effects. These cards, and
their effects, are listed below:

Ace – When played, the next player’s turn is skipped.

2 – When played, the next player picks up 2 penalty cards. This is not like in Crazy
8’s, where two 2’s in a row cause 4 cards to be picked up – it is always 2.

7 – The player of this card must say, “Have a nice day.” If they are playing this on top
of another 7, they must say, “Have a very nice day.” For every additional 7 in the pile,
another “very” must be added. So if there are five 7’s in the pile, and you add another,
you must say, “Have a very very very very very nice day.” The next player must say,
“thank you,” if only one seven has been played. If more than one seven has been
played, they must say “thank you very very very etc… much,” the number of “very’s”
in the thank-you being equal to the number of “very’s” the previous player used to
say “have a nice day.” The next player must also pick up penalty cards equal to the
number of 7’s in the pile.
 8 – When 8 is played, the order is reversed. If player one plays a 3, then player two
plays an 8, it is player one’s turn again.

Jack – Player declares a new suit. If the player fails to declare a new suit in a
reasonable time, any other player may – first-come, first-serve. There is no penalty
for failing to declare a new suit. Jack’s must be played like regular cards – so you
can’t play a Jack of Clubs on a 2 of Spades, as you can with 8’s in Crazy 8’s.

Joker – When a Joker is played, the player must say “Here comes the badger.” Any
card may be played on a Joker.

During regular play, whenever a Spade is played, the player must say the name of the
card, i.e., “King of Spades”.
A player should play quickly. If it appears a player does not know it is his or her turn,
another player may start counting down from five with their fingers, the fingers being visible
to the other players. If the proper player does not play in that time period, or show that they
are about to play by fidgeting through their cards, they are penalized, according to the rules
for penalties discussed below.
During regular play, a player may not talk, unless it is required by the cards (like how
they must say the name of a Spade), to give a penalty, or to declare a point of order. There are
no exceptions. Swearing counts, but laughing and certain other sounds are acceptable.
If a player cannot play, he or she must draw a card for the deck and end his or her
turn. There are no penalties for drawing cards when one is not supposed to.
If a player has twenty or more cards, they are eligible for the mercy rule. A point of
order must be declared, and the player’s hand is split in half. The number of cards required
for the mercy rule can be set higher or lower, depending on how many people you have. If
someone decides to abuse the mercy rule by intentionally taking penalty cards so that they
can split their hand, the other players may decide to limit or cancel the mercy rule for that
particular player.
A point of order can be declared at any time by any player by saying, “Point of
order”. You may talk during point of order, but not about the rules of the game. Also, you
may not touch your hand during point of order, unless it is agreed that it is necessary (i.e., to
count you cards to determine eligibility for the mercy rule). A point of order should be
declared to discuss some matter that cannot be settled in silence. There is no official rule
against abusing the point of order, but if someone is abusing it too much you may decide as a
group to add an extra penalty. Point of order is ended when someone declares, “End point of
order”.
Throughout the game, penalty cards are given if any rule is transgressed, such as if
someone talks. Each offence warrants one penalty card. If the offence is not remedied,
additional penalty cards may give until it is. So if someone fails to pick up a card after a
seven, they can be given penalty cards until they do pick up (penalty cards for breaking rules
do not replace penalty cards given in the natural course of the game, such as from 2’s). You
must state the offence when you give a penalty card. If you make a bad call, you can be
penalized.
If someone says “Mao” at the wrong time, they are given 9 penalty cards, and the
giver says: “Talking, lying, and taking our lord’s name in vain.” You should give the cards as
you say this, one card for every word.
And those are the rules of Mao. Enjoy!