You can deal 7 cards per player if you’d like to make the game a little easier.
If you run out of cards in the draw pile, shuffle the discarded cards and place them in the center of the play area. Once again, flip over the top card and place it face-up.
For instance, if the center card is a red 10 of hearts, you can put down a card that’s part of the heart suit, or another 10 card. You can place a Joker card on top of any face card, but not on top of any numerical cards. The gameplay will follow the suit of the card that’s under the Joker. [7] X Research source
If you’re playing with an experienced Mao player, you can follow the rules that they’re familiar with.
For instance, if a player puts down a 2 but doesn’t have any other playable cards, then their turn ends. Face value refers to a Jack, Queen, or King.
The only exception to this rule is if you have a 7 in your hand. You can play this 7, and the penalty will be transferred to the next player, who then has to pick up 2 cards. The player who puts down the 7 should say “have a nice day” before ending their turn. If you put down a second 7, you should say “have a very nice day” to the next player.
If a player doesn’t reverse after an 8 is put down, then they qualify for a penalty.
Keep an eye on how many cards each player has left in their hand. If it looks like they’re getting low, they may be saying “one card” soon.
For example, if a player puts down a 9 of clubs, you can also put down a 9 of clubs, even if it’s not your turn. Keep in mind that if you’re only playing with 1 deck, you won’t have any identical cards.
For instance, you can say “Thank you for the penalty” or something similar.
For instance, if someone puts down an 8, the gameplay needs to reverse immediately. If the next player continues to play in the same direction, you can say “penalty for putting down a card. ” This helps keep the rules anonymous to new players while enforcing the parameters of the game.
If you touch your cards during a point of order, you need to draw a card as a penalty. Any player can call a point of order, which will pause the game and temporarily suspend the rules. Use a point of order if you need to clarify part of the game to another player, or if you need to take a break for some reason. [23] X Research source
If you say “Mao” or “Mao Mao” when it’s not your turn, you have to pick up 5 cards.
This is a preset rule, not an unspoken one. Remind all players to keep it clean before the game starts!
Mao may be a frustrating game at first, but it’ll get easier as you play more games! If you really need to explain the game, call a point of order before doing so.
