Mau-Mau

Game preview: Mau-Mau

Round1
Plays0
Cards in hand5
Wins0

Mau-Mau

Game menu

Game settings

This game uses only 32 cards, seven through ace, without jokers. Rules for twos through sixes or jokers are therefore unavailable.

Inapplicable extra options are disabled. Confirming a rules change starts a new match. Game information also lists this match’s complete settings.

Match and deck
Special ranks
Draw penalties and skips
Wild jacks
Multiple discards and follow-upsChoose equal ranks as a group; the last selected card is on top. Follow-ups, reversals, copying, swaps and passing remain single-card actions. Forwardable skips are played singly. Jack groups require jack-on-jack and independently wild jacks. Skip groups require forwarding off and the final-card-only effect.
Drawing
Mau, finishing and scoringBefore a play leaving one card, enable Mau. A missed declaration immediately draws the configured penalty. Computers call Mau correctly.Round wins: highest total wins at the target. Remaining-card penalties: lowest total wins when someone reaches the threshold. Values: 7–10 face value, jack 2, queen 3, king 4, ace 11. A final jack may double that round’s score.
Display

Sound

Game information

How to play

Baseline and matching

Play with 32 cards, seven through ace, against one to three computers. Match suit or rank. By default a jack is independently wild and declares the next suit. Gold outlines mark playable cards. Tap a card; with multiple discards enabled, select cards and confirm Play selection.

Penalties, skips and follow-ups

By default a seven makes the next player draw two and lose the turn; an eight skips them. Forwarding, tens skipping and other rank effects are selectable house rules. Resolve a pending penalty by payment or a permitted response first; a jack does not cancel it. A follow-up action requires another matching play; without one, use the configured draw procedure.

Mau and finishing

Enable Mau before a play leaving exactly one card. A missing call immediately draws the configured penalty; there is no reaction race against computers. By default the first empty hand wins, with a final seven penalty still paid. Finishing bans or continuing the final seven chain are additional options.

Special house rules

A nine suit run allows only further cards of that suit and can end with End turn. With multiple discards, the final selected card sets the suit. Choose a hand-swap target; for passing, each player selects one card before all pass simultaneously. A copying ten repeats the previous effect, never a jack. Only drawing, skipping, reversing or choosing a suit applies on an opening discard; other opening actions are neutral.

Fair computers and interrupts

Computers choose using their own hand, public cards and hand counts. They cannot see your cards or the stock. With optional king interrupts, a choice waits for your decision; fast fingers are unnecessary. Computers then check their own king responses in fixed seat order.

Stock, scoring and pausing

When the stock runs out, shuffle the discards except the top card. The active declared suit and pending penalties survive. If a full cycle cannot draw or play, the round ends without a winner. Choose round wins or remaining-card penalties; match scores stay only in memory. Menus and background time pause computers and the timer. Three occurrences of the same complete position, or 10,000 plays, also end the round without a winner.

Active house rules

The settings shown here govern this game. Revisiting starts a new match; only your preferences are retained.

Choose equal ranks as a group; the last selected card is on top. Follow-ups, reversals, copying, swaps and passing remain single-card actions. Forwardable skips are played singly. Jack groups require jack-on-jack and independently wild jacks. Skip groups require forwarding off and the final-card-only effect.

Account saves and rankings are not enabled for Mau-Mau. An abandoned round is not automatically resumed on your next visit.

Game guides: Mau-Mau, house rules and variants

Start a new match?

The current match ends. The new match uses your chosen settings.

Which suit do you choose?

Whose hand do you swap with?

Which card do you pass?

Interrupt with a king?

Play waits for your decision. You do not need to click faster than a computer.

Round result

About Mau-Mau

Empty your hand

Mau-Mau combines matching cards with tactical actions. Play a 32-card deck against one, two or three computers. Their cards stay hidden; the discard, active suit and hand sizes are public.

Connect suits and plan ahead

Use equal ranks to change suit and choose a jack’s suit to support your remaining hand. Sevens and skips can change the pace. Before your penultimate discard, consider which final card will remain.

Your ruleset

The default deals five cards, uses wild jacks, non-forwarding draw-two sevens and skipping eights. Add house rules in Settings. Conflicting combinations are blocked; confirming rules changes starts a new match.

Mau-Mau: rules and settings

Rules and finishing

Match suit or rank; a declared suit overrides the jack’s printed suit. Pending draw penalties block ordinary plays. Use the checkbox to call Mau before leaving one card. Missing it immediately draws the configured penalty. Your ruleset determines which action cards can finish and how a final seven chain ends.

Phone and computer controls

Tap a gold-outlined hand card or activate it with Tab and Enter. Jacks open suit selection. With multiple discards, mark a group and confirm it. The stock draws or pays a pending penalty; End turn appears when a voluntary continuation can end. Swaps and passing cards use dedicated choice dialogs.

Tips for decisions

Preserve several connections instead of depending on one suit. A jack does not automatically defend against sevens. With two players a skip directly grants another turn; with four the turn order differs. Read the active house rules in Game information before your first play.

Settings and house rules

Choose two to four players, three, five or seven starting cards, and the opening-discard procedure. Ranks seven through ace have individual action choices. Further options cover seven chains, forwarded skips, jack-on-jack, multiple discards, drawing, finishing, Mau penalties and scoring. Only one rank may reverse direction. King–queen pairs require ordinary kings and queens; nine-based suit runs exclude multiple discards. Sound, volume, timer display and reduced motion do not change rules.

  • Rules preset: Basic rules, Seven chains, Tens skip.
  • Total players: 2, 3, 4.
  • Starting cards each: 3, 5, 7.
  • Opening discard: Ordinary, Apply draw, skip, reverse or wild effect.
  • Seven: Ordinary, Draw two.
  • Eight: Ordinary, Skip next player.
  • Nine: Ordinary, Reverse direction, Suit run.
  • Ten: Ordinary, Skip next player, Reverse direction, Copy previous effect, never on jack, Everyone passes one card.
  • Queen: Ordinary, Swap hands with chosen player.
  • King: Ordinary, Play a matching follow-up, Kings may interrupt.
  • Ace: Ordinary, Play a matching follow-up, Skip next player, Reverse direction.
  • Forward seven penalties: Can be enabled or disabled.
  • Play normally after paying a penalty: Can be enabled or disabled.
  • Forward skips: Off, Same skip rank only, Any enabled skip rank.
  • Reversal acts as a skip with two players: Can be enabled or disabled.
  • Playing a wild jack: Regardless of suit or rank, Only matching the active suit.
  • Allow jack-on-jack: Can be enabled or disabled.
  • Final jack doubles the score: Can be enabled or disabled.
  • Multiple discards: Off, Equal ranks, Same-suit king–queen pair.
  • Effect of grouped action cards: Only the final card acts, Every card acts.
  • Follow-up rank as final card: Allowed; round ends immediately, Forbidden.
  • Ordinary drawing: Exactly one card, Until a playable card, Up to three cards.
  • Play after drawing: Not allowed; turn ends, May play a matching card, Must play a matching card.
  • Which card afterwards: Only a newly drawn card, Any matching hand card.
  • Cards for missing Mau: 0, 1, 2.
  • Finishing cards: Any card; settle final draw penalty, No action card may finish, No jack may finish, Resolve final seven chain first.
  • Scoring: Accumulate round wins, One penalty per remaining card, Remaining-card values.
  • Target or penalty threshold: 1, 5, 20, 50, 100.
  • Show timer: Can be enabled or disabled.
  • Reduce motion: Can be enabled or disabled.

Display and sound

Sound can be switched on or off independently. A volume slider is also available.

32 cards only. Confirmed rule changes start a new match. An abandoned round is not automatically resumed.

Game guides: Mau-Mau

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