Minimao

That Real Life Thing

Entry posted by Etcetere May 29, 2006

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It's befitting that my last entry was on cards. Because I've recently learned the world's best card game and wish to share it with you. It is called Minimao

This can be found on Kevan dot org, yes indeed that site of those zombie links. But this game has nothing to do with those, thankfully.

Here's how it works:

BASIC GAME RULES

- Take a deck of cards. Literally any deck. This game will work with traditional playing cards (jokers included), Trading cards, business cards, absolutely anything. Preferrably you should have a lot, around the number of a deck of 52 cards.

- There are two piles; a draw pile and a discard pile. Draw pile is facedown and the discard pile is beside it, with one card already in it at the start of the game.

- Everyone is dealt 5 cards.

- At each turn, the player places down a card in the discard pile. Unless, if they are unable to go, they draw a card.

- To win a round, you must lose all your cards. Basically, for the first round, whoever goes first ends up winning first.

Now here's what makes the game interesting: You make up the rules. All the rules that weren't specified above you create. Here's how that works:

CREATE-A-RULE

- Whenever you win a round, you create a secret rule and name it. The rule can be absolutely whatever you want, and the name can be whatever you want as well.

- If someone breaks this secret rule you made, you tell them "You have violated *rule name*". You do not tell them what the rule is or what it means, you just tell them the name of it and that they violated it. It is up to the other players to figure out the rule's meaning for themselves.

- Rule violaters must draw a card. If they had played a violating card, they take that card back as well. It is then the next person's turn.

And that's all there is to it! Once several rounds are played, there's several rules that everyone must remember, and it's very fun because the game can take any turn you want it to.

Things to remember about making rules:

- Rules cannot make it impossible to play a card. Examples include "You cannot ever play a diamond", "Queens must be played on other Queens", or "All cards must be played on the 2 of Clubs".

- Try not to make them too complicated. Then it's not fun, and that's the whole idea of playing a game in the first place. Of course, sometimes complicated rules are funny, so just use judgement.

- The rules can be as ridiculous as you want them to be.

- The rules don't even have to have anything to do with the cards themselves! Example: "Everytime someone touches their nose, everyone else must clap."

- I recommend writing your rules down privately, so you can remember them.

RULE EXAMPLES (These are using a traditional deck of cards)

Here's some examples that me and my friends have used:

Fibwee - Face cards can only be played on top of a card of the same suit.

Kriggan - Every time you play a card, you must slap the table.

Superman - All cards must be played with the left hand.

Eyeball - Cards played must be within 2 higher or 2 lower of the previous card's value.

Pobert - If you play a Jack, you must flip the discard pile upside-down.

Sip a Cup - No doubles allowed.

Yellow Hat - Everyone must mimic the current player's sitting position.

Swiffel - If an Ace is played, everyone switches hands.

To Be or Not To Be - Kings can only be played on twos.