Mau-Mau (card game) facts for kids
If a player's final card is a Jack, they must call "Mau Mau"
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| Type | Shedding-type |
|---|---|
| Family | First-out wins |
| Players | 2–5 |
| Skills required | Tactics, communication |
| Age range | 6+ |
| Cards | 32 or 36 |
| Deck | French or German pack |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Card rank (highest to lowest) | A K Q J 10 9 8 7 A K O U 10 9 8 7 |
| Playing time | Various |
| Random chance | Medium |
| Related games | |
| Switch, Crazy Eights | |
Mau-Mau is a fun card game for 2 to 5 players. It's super popular in countries like Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Netherlands. Mau-Mau is part of a bigger group of games called "shedding games." This means your main goal is to get rid of all your cards before anyone else! You play Mau-Mau with regular playing cards, either French or German decks.
Contents
How to Play Mau-Mau
Setting Up the Game
You usually play Mau-Mau with a deck of 32 cards. This can be a French-suited pack (where cards from 2 to 6 are taken out) or a German pack. If more than 5 people want to play, you can use two decks of cards mixed together.
The main goal is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards. When you play your very last card, you usually have to say "Mau!" If you forget to say it, you don't win and have to pick up more cards as a penalty. If your last card is a Jack, you have to say "Mau Mau!" instead.
To start, each player gets a hand of cards, usually 5 or 6 cards. The rest of the cards are placed face down in a pile. This pile is called the stock or draw pile. Then, the top card from the stock is turned over and placed face up. This is the discard pile. Players then take turns playing their cards.
Playing Your Cards
You can only play a card if it matches the card on top of the discard pile. It must match either the suit (like hearts, spades) or the value (like a 10, a Queen). For example, if the card on the discard pile is the 10 of spades, you can play any other spade or any other 10.
If you don't have a card that matches, you have to draw one card from the stock pile. If the card you draw can be played, you can play it right away. If not, you keep the card you drew, and your turn ends. The game then moves to the next player.
What happens if the stock pile runs out of cards? Don't worry! The discard pile (except for the very top card) is shuffled and turned over. This becomes the new stock pile.
Special Cards
Some cards have special powers in Mau-Mau. These are the 7, 8, Jack, and Ace:
- 7 (Seven): If you play a 7, the next player has to draw two cards. They can still play a card if they have one.
* Cool Trick: Some people play that if the next player also has a 7, they can play it. Then the player after them has to draw four cards! This can keep going, making players draw more and more cards.
- 8 (Eight): If you play an 8, the next player misses their turn. They have to "wait."
* Cool Trick: Like the 7, if the next player also has an 8, they can play it. Then the player after them misses their turn, and so on.
- Jack (J): A Jack is like a "wild card." You can play a Jack on top of any card, no matter its suit or value. When you play a Jack, you get to choose which suit the next player has to play. For example, if you play a Jack, you can say "Next card must be hearts!"
- Ace (A): If you play an Ace, you must play one more card right after it. If you don't have another card to play, or if you can't match the suit or number, you have to draw a card from the stock. You cannot win the game if your very last card is an Ace.
- Last Card Rule: Remember, when you have only one card left, you must say "Mau!" If that last card is a Jack, you must say "Mau-Mau!" If you forget, you have to draw a penalty card.
Mau-Mau Variations
Many card games have different ways to play them, and Mau-Mau is no exception! Here are some popular variations from different countries:
Austria and Bavaria
In Austria and Bavaria, a similar game is called Neuner ("Nines"). It's played with 32 cards, but they add a Joker. In this version, the Nines are also "wild cards," just like the Jack in regular Mau-Mau.
Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic, the most popular version is called Prší (which means "raining"). It uses a 32-card German deck. The rules are very similar to Mau-Mau, but with a few changes:
- Players start with 4 cards each.
- An Ace makes the next player skip their turn.
- A 7 makes the next player draw two cards. But if they also have a 7, they can play it, and the next player has to draw four cards!
- A Queen can be played on almost any card (not a 7 or Ace). When you play a Queen, you get to choose the next suit.
- In some versions, the Jack doesn't have any special power.
- You don't have to say anything when you have only one card left.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, Mau-Mau is known as Pesten (meaning "bullying"). They often use a bigger deck of 54 or 55 cards, sometimes even multiple decks if many people are playing.
- All players get 7 cards to start.
- A 2 makes the next player draw two cards.
- A Joker can be played on any card and makes the next player draw five cards!
- If players play 2s or Jokers one after another, the drawing penalty adds up! So, if someone plays a Joker and the next person plays a 2, the third player has to draw 7 cards (5 + 2).
- A 7 lets you play another card right away if you have one.
- An 8 makes the next player skip their turn.
- An Ace reverses the direction of play (so if it was going clockwise, it now goes counter-clockwise).
- A King works like a 7, letting you play another card.
- A Jack changes the suit, just like in regular Mau-Mau.
- When you have one card left, you must say "Laatste kaart" ("Last card") or knock on the table. If you forget, you might have to draw 5 penalty cards!
Portugal
In Portugal, a game similar to Mau-Mau is called Puque.
- The 2 is the "skip turn" card instead of the 8.
- Players must say "Puque" when they play their second-to-last card.
Slovakia
In Slovakia, the game is called Faraón (Pharaoh). It's very similar to the Czech version:
- Players start with 5 cards.
- An Ace makes the next player skip their turn.
- A 7 makes the next player draw three cards. Like in other versions, if they play another 7, the penalty adds up for the next player.
- An Ober (which is like a Queen in some decks) can be played on any card, and the player chooses the next suit.
