Mao (card game)

Mao

Alternative names	Mau
Type	Shedding-type
Players	3+ (best with 5–8)[1]
Skills	Invention, induction, memory
Cards	52
Deck	Standard 52-card deck
Rank (high→low)	N/A
Play	Clockwise Counter-clockwise
Playing time	5 minutes upwards per round
Chance	Variable
Related games
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Mao (or Mau^[2]) is a card game of the shedding family. The aim is to get rid of all of the cards in hand without breaking certain unspoken rules which tend to vary by venue. The game is from a subset of the Stops family and is similar in structure to the card game Uno or Crazy Eights.^[3]

The game forbids its players from explaining the rules, and new players are often informed that "the only rule you may be told is this one".^[4][5] The ultimate goal of the game is to be the first player to get rid of all the cards in their hand. Specifics are discovered through trial and error. A player who breaks a rule is penalized by being given an additional card from the deck. The person giving the penalty must state what the incorrect action was, without explaining the rule that was broken.

There are many variants of Mao in existence.^[6] While beginners sometimes assume that the dealer (sometimes called the "Chairman", the "Mao" or the "Grand Master") and other experienced players are simply making up possibly inconsistent rules (as in the games Mornington Crescent or Fizbin), the rules of Mao are consistent within each game and can be followed correctly.^{[citation needed]}