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mumon

Instructions For Mumon

Introduction

Mumon is a card game related to Aight of Spaides and Bartog. Basically, the idea is to make up the rules as you go -- the challenge is to come up with rules that make the gameplay fun, and to creatively take advantage of the complex interactions between simple rules. The starting rules are a variation of crazy eights: each person starts with four cards and, in turn, plays a card of the same color or same value as the last card played. If they cannot play, they must draw a card. When a person plays their last card, they make up a new rule, draw four cards, and play continues.

It is initially very easy to play cards, so the fun comes in the odd effects each card may have (like the special cards in Uno). You should always try and balance the game -- if it takes too long to go out, make rules that let you get rid of cards faster. If the game is too predictable, add crazy rules to mix things up. If there are too many rules, get rid of some. Don't think of it as competitive as much as a collaborative effort to have fun.

Game Setup

Each player begins by making up one rule, to get the game off to an interesting start. One or more decks may be used. After shuffling, the dealer distributes four cards to each player. The cards in a player's hand are not to be revealed to other players. Put the remaining cards face down on the table to form the deck. Then take the top card from the deck and place it face up on the table; this is the play pile.

Turns

Turns start with the player to the left of the dealer, proceeding clockwise. The game proceeds much like Uno and Crazy Eights; during a player's turn, they must play a card of either the same value or the same color as the card on the top of the play pile. If they cannot do this, they must draw a single card from the deck (as a penalty) and their turn is over. Unlike in crazy eights, they cannot play this card right away even if it matches. If at any time the deck is empty, then the play pile is reshuffled to form the new deck.

Penalties

The standard penalty for breaking a rule is to draw one card -- it is expected that you won't intentionally break rules. For example, in normal play if you can play a card in turn you do; if not you have essentially broken a rule so that's why you draw one card. If anyone obviously forgets to follow a rule, you may penalize them by handing them a card. Likewise for illegal moves -- the move must be retracted (as if it were never made), and the player gets one card.

Going out

If you play your last card, you go out and get to make up a new rule immediately. Usually this happens before any other effects of the card are considered. After naming and discussing the rule to everyone's satisfaction, draw four cards, and play continues with the next player as normal. A new rule can be almost anything, even a modification of the rules printed here. New rules may not:

• treat players unequally
• try and create what is obviously more than one rule
• apply retroactively
• be vague, incomplete, or paradoxical
• be unanimously vetoed by all other players
• alter these meta-rules or the arbitration rules

In short, use common sense and try to come up with rules that make the game fun for everyone.

Arbitration

Any player may call a timeout if the application of a rule is uncertain. The players should discuss, with the creator of the rule in question having the final say. If two rules conflict, the more recent rule has precedence. Arbitration is "out of game", so speaking rules do not apply.

Winning and Ending

There is no way of winning a game of Mumon. The game ends when everyone decides to do something else.

Suggestions for New Rules

Sources:

• (Ben) Ben's Bartog Page: http://baasil.humbug.org.au/bab/bartog
• (Malcolm) Malcolm Ryan's Bartog Rules: ftp://ftp.cse.unsw.edu.au/pub/users/malcolmr/nomic/other_games/bartog.txt
• Bartog Page at RMIT: http://goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au/~geoff/games/bartok.html

The rules that follow are only intended as guidelines. You are encouraged to be creative and make up your own; that's the point of the game. Or you can tweak the rules suggested here. Or just use them as they are. In any case, consider the following.

Most rules are cause-and-effect-based. That means they mandate a cause for an effect. Some sample causes:

• The play of a specific card. E.g. primes (not including 1), squares, cubes, odds, evens, multiples of x, court cards, "suicide", "violent", and "one-eyed" court cards, etc. In the sample rules, the following notation is used (Malcolm):

  "card(n)" where n is a number from 2 to 13

  Read "any of N different card values".

  "card(1)"

  Any single card, by value, regardless of suit.

  "card(1c)" or "card(1s)"

  Any single card by value and by colour or suit.

• The play pile changes. E.g. the top card has a different suit or color than the previous top card.
• The play pile doesn't change. E.g. two cards of the same value in a row, or relatively prime, or some other mathematical correspondence or sequence.
• Someone draws.
• Someone has a certain number of cards in their hand.
• Someone plays their Nth card (not always the same as having N-1 cards).
• Someone says something.
• etc.

You should also consider how the rule takes effect. Is it:

• one-time event
• triggered event
• toggled event (i.e. one event to activate the rule, another to deactivate it)
• constant

Finally, try and maintain balance. If it is too hard to get rid of cards, add rules to make it easier. If it is too easy, make it harder. If things are too confusing simplify. Too complex... you get the idea. It's considered rude, if legal, to simply do away with old rules; even if you don't think they fit any more, try and adapt them rather than abolishing them. Towards the end of the game, though, it can by useful to abolish or radically change old rules in order to mold a better overall framework. You should always phrase your rules in the most general way, and build off of earlier rules, -- for example, an "add one" rule where anything that specifies a number (like draw 1 card, or on a 7 of hearts) gets one added to it (draw 2 cards, or on an 8 of hearts, etc.).

Some rules are more appropriate for beginners, some less. I'll use the following rating system for sample rules (Malcolm):

 * = beginner
 ** = advanced beginner
 *** = experienced
 **** = experienced difficult
 ***** = masochists only

This does not imply that beginner or advanced beginner rules are not fun for expert players.

Basic stuff

SKIP X * (Malcolm)

On card(3), play skips X (= 1,2...) people.

REVERSE * (Malcolm)

On card(3-6), the direction of play changes.

NEW PACK *

Shuffle a new pack into the draw pile.

DRAW X (cumulative) ** (Malcolm)

On card(1), then next player has to pick up X cards. This constitutes that players turn. If the rule is declared to be cumulative then the next player may play another (legal) draw card as their turn, the next player has to draw 2X, and so forth.

BUCK STOPS HERE ** (Malcolm)

(with DRAW X) Instead of drawing, card(1) may be played, requiring the previous player to draw instead.

REVERSE #2 ** (Malcolm)

Play goes clockwise after a red card and counter-clockwise after a black card.

DANGER CARD *** (Malcolm)

On card(1c) the player has to draw 2-3 cards from the pack.

TAKE THAT * (Malcolm)

When card(1) is played, the next player to play must pick up that card.

DOUBLE PLAY ** (Malcolm)

On card(1) the current player takes another turn.

OPTIONAL PLAY **

A player may opt to draw even if they could legally play. Combine this with MEDIOCRITY at your own risk.

DOUBLE PENALTY **

On card(1), give a card from your hand to another player. This kind of bonus/penalty is can be adapted for all kinds of rules, and makes for exciting "plays to win".

Changing legal play

RUMMY RULES * (Malcolm)

These two rules are useful for getting rid of cards quickly in games with lots of pickups.

• If a player has several cards of the same face value in their hand, and one of them is normally playable, then they may all be played at once. The first such card to be played must be normally playable. Only the last card has effect.

• If a player has a run of successive cards from a particular suit in their hand, the lowest of which is playable, then they may all be played at once, in order from lowest to highest. Only the highest card takes effect.

PARITY ** (Ben)

Odds must be played on evens, evens must be played on odds, unless you are chaning suit. May be generalized to equivalence mod N.

INVISIBLE ** (Ben)

Card(1) is declared invisible; it does not exist, for all intents and purposes. It can be played at any time, by any player, on any card, and does not effect order of play or anything else. This is only interesting when new rules make cards temporarily uninvisible under certain conditions.

Snaps

SNAP ** (Malcolm)

(When more than one pack is being used.) If a player has a card in their hand, identical (same number AND suit) to the card on the top of the pile then they may immediately play that card (regardless of whether it is their turn or not), saying "SNAP" when doing so, and play continues as if it had been that player's turn. When only one pack is being used, a card of the same number and colour may be snapped instead. Multiple snaps are allowed with three or more decks.

CRACKLE ** (Malcolm)

(with SNAP) If a card has just been snapped, as per SNAP, and a player has a card in their hand of the same suit and number one more than the snapped card, they may play it immediately (regardless of turn) and say "CRACKLE" when doing so. Play continues from them. A crackle can be snapped, but not crackled again.

POP **

(with CRACKLE) Players may crackle a crackle (pop it), saying "POP". A pop may be crackled, saying "CRACKLE". So, crackle snaps, pop crackles, crackle pops, or snap anything. Good with multiple decks.

SNAP TO WIN *** (Malcolm)

(with SNAP) If a player can snap on someone else's last card, then they get to make the new rule instead of the other player. If three or more packs are used, then the last player to snap gets to make the new rule. The original player must still draw five cards, but the snapper doesn't have to draw anything.

Revaluation

REVALUATION *** (Malcolm)

Card(1) is considered to be have some other value with respect to eligibility, effect and future play.

MASS REVALUATION ***** (Malcolm)

Multiple cards have value one more than their face. For example, all cards, all red cards, all odd cards.

DYNAMIC REVALUATION ***** (Ben)

Multiple cards have value one more than their face, triggered by card(1). For example, "If a seven is played, all cards of that suit increase in value." (Note that dynamic reassignment may effect its own trigger card, of course.)

EQUIVALENCE *** (Ben)

Multiple cards are equal. For example, all court cards are equivalent.

Rounds

ROUNDS **

When someone goes out, everyone recieves a new hand, rather than continuing the play with existing hands. The player going out is considered the "winner" of the last round.

TOURNAMENT RULES *** (Malcolm)

(with ROUNDS) The winner of the round is dealt one less card in future rounds. If ever a player is to be dealt zero cards, then they are declared the winner of the tournament, and the tournament ends.

ANTI-TOURNAMENT RULES *** (Malcolm)

(with ROUNDS) The player with most cards at the end of round gets an extra card in future rounds.

DEALER'S PEROGATIVE * (Malcolm)

(with ROUNDS) The dealer (usually the winner from the previous round) gets to decide how many cards will be dealt in the round. A round in which everybody gets only 1 card can be over very quickly.

Swaps

SWAP (LOCAL) ** (Malcolm)

On card(1-3), the current player swaps hands with a certain player. (On their left/right/opposite/in dirn of play/by choice etc.)

SWAP (GLOBAL) ** (Malcolm)

On card(1-2), all players give their hands to another certain player. (On their left/right/opposite/in dirn of play etc.)

MUSICAL CHAIRS * (Malcolm)

On card(1) player changes position with a certain other player. (as per swapping) Players may have to take their hands with them, or leave them behind.

VIRTUAL SWAP *** (Ben)

Players swap play order as in MUSICAL CHAIRS, without actually moving. You might add that on card(1s), everyone must run to their correct positions in the circle.

IDENTITY SWAP ** (Malcolm)

Players swap names when they swap hands or places. Calling a player by the wrong name counts as a false assertion.

STICKY HANDS/PLACES *** (Malcolm)

The effect of rules which apply to a single player may be transferred when the player swaps hands or places with another player. If you apply this to rules, some meta-rules could get very hairy.

Silly

WRONG HAND ONLY * (Malcolm)

Players must play cards using their non-writing hands.

IT'S RUDE TO POINT * (Malcolm)

Pointing is taboo. If a player points at something or someone they have to pick up a card. Open hand gestures (in which all the fingers are extended) may optionally be permitted.

DRINKING GAME ** (Ben)

On card(1), player must drink a shot / glass of water / can of beer / etc. before their next turn.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT ** (Ben)

(Requires a Trivial Pursuit set.) On card(1), player must read questions from Trivial Pursuit cards. Anyone can answer. Each wrong answer gets a penalty; the first right answer resumes play with the right-answering player.

MARATHON MAN * (Malcolm)

On card(1), player must run to a certain landmark and back before their next turn.

JANKEN * (Malcolm)

When card(1) is played, the player must choose a victim with whom to play Rock-Paper-Scissors. The winner gets to give one card from their hand to the loser.

DUCK-DUCK GOOSE ***

For large groups. On card(1), player must perform Duck-Duck Goose on the circle. If they are caught, then both players return to their places and the Goose chooses a card to give to them. Otherwise they trades hands (and places) with the Goose. Sticky rules apply.

TELEPHONE ***

On card(1), the player must initiate a game of Telephone in the direction of play. If the message does not get garbled, they draw a card. Otherwise they gets another turn.

HOT POTATO **

(Requires a bean bag or ball or something.) On card(1), a game of hot potato is begun. The player who played the card closes their eyes and sings (they do not participate); the other players throw the "potato" around, and when the singing stops, the player who has the potato must draw a card. Play continues with the player after the one with the potato.

Speaking

BEEP/QUACK * (Malcolm)

On card(1-6) player must say "BEEP" or "QUACK" etc... (Multiples of these rules can be fun)

TABOO *** (Malcolm)

Certain words or classes of words may not be spoken. Examples: "I", "You", "and", pronouns, be-verbs...

UNIVERSAL TRANSLATOR ***

For the purposes of a game, two words or phrases swap meanings. If a player uses a word or phrase incorrectly, this counts as a false statement. If a word or phrase was previously "special" -- i.e. taboo or required in certain situations -- then its counterpart is now special instead. For example, "card" could become "foo", and players would have to say "last foo" on last card.

THREE WORD RULE *** (Malcolm)

On card(1), player must speak in sets of three words at a time (no more, no fewer) with reasonable pauses in between, until such time as another player plays that card.

NO MORE RHYMES NOW, I MEAN IT *****

On card(1), player must speak in rhyming couplets, until another player plays that card.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE **** (Malcolm)

On card(1) player is "under the influence" and may only speak in false-hoods. The player is exempt from any penalties for saying false statements, but can be penalised for saying (provably) true statements. A player stays "under the influence" until another player plays that card.

JEOPARDY **

Asking questions during play is allowed, but the player asking the question must phrase it in the form of a statement, and the answer must be phrased in the form of a question. Breaking either of these may be penalized. The player who asked the "question" is thenceforth to be known as "Alex", until someone else asks a question.

IS THIS THE QUESTION RULE? *** (Ben)

Toggled by card(1), everyone must speak only in questions during play. "Last card", for example, is not a question; you should say something like "Is this my last card?"

COMPLETE SENTENCES ** (Ben)

Toggled by card(1), everyone must speak only in complete sentences during play. "Last card", for example, is not a sentence; you should say something like "This is my last card."

Advanced

SKIP ALONG MERRILY ****

The last card played determines who plays next. Take the value of the card and count in the direction of play, starting after the last player and ending on the next player. For this rule, face cards and aces are 1, all other cards are their values.

DOUBLE HANDS *** (Malcolm)

Each player is dealt a second hand called "top". The original hands are called "bottom". Players may only ever look at their current "top" hands. On card(1), players swap their top and bottom hands. The first player to play the last card in their TOP hand "goes out".

BOTTOM HAND SWAP ** (Malcolm)

Assorted swap rules (global/local) may be applied to players' bottom hands, top hands, or both.

HAUNTED **** (modified Malcolm)

One player is chosen to becomes the "master" for a ghost named "Joe", who sits opposite them and is controlled by the player. Joe's hand starts with eight cards and is always face-up for all to see. Each time Joe incurs a penalty, his master must also draw a card. In cases where Joe should speak (for example, "last card"), the master is allowed to speak for him. If Joe goes out, then he disappears, his master chooses a new person as the master, and a new Joe is created, but no new rules are made.

OPEN BOOK ***

Everyone plays with their hands face up to be seen by everyone else.

MEDIOCRITY ***

When someone plays their last card, the player with the next-fewest cards gets to make the new rule. The original player still draws five cards. This effectively cancels rules like SNAP TO WIN.

PARALLEL GAMES **** (Malcolm)

If numbers permit, two or more separate games may be run, each with its own set of players and rules. Each game acts as per usual for a single game, with one extra rule: On card(1c) player must swap places with a player of choice, in another game.

MULTIPLE UNIVERSES ****

If a player has two cards which would both be valid plays, then e may play one on the main pile and start a new pile with the second. There are now two simultaneous games which everyone is playing. If a player can ever play the same card on more than one pile, then they may merge the two piles by shuffling and play their card. Games may be split and joined multiple times. All cards always take effect, and all games are considered simultaneous. Note that "skip" cards will throw the turn sequences of games out of synch; in this case it may be useful to use tokens to keep track of whose turn it is in each game. New rules apply to all games; if someone repeals this rule, then they choose which game to preserve and all others are destroyed.

Meta-rules

AMNESIA ***

On card(1s) the rules are reset to the initial set, or some reduced set. For use in very long games only.

HERESY ****

On card(1s), player chooses another player whose rules are instantly declared void and no longer in effect.

TRANSIENCE **

New rules last only until the next person goes out. Alternately, the maker of the new rule chooses one earlier rule to repeal.

SHOGUN ****

Each player's rules are in effect starting when they go out and ending when someone else goes out. The one exception is the rule to repeal this one.

VETO POWER **

If a player holds card(1s), they have the option to "veto" another player's new rule when it is announced (and before it takes effect). Then they get to create their own new rule and place the card on the bottom of the deck. Multiple vetos may be allowed.

DEMOCRACY ****

Any player may propose a new rule at the end of their turn. The game is paused to take a vote; if the majority votes "Yea," then the new rule is in effect.