Makao – rules

Makao is a card game for four players: you and three computer players. Everyone gets 5 cards. You take turns laying cards on the pile, and the first to get rid of all cards wins.

How to play, step by step

Step 1

The table

You sit at the bottom, with the three computer players on your left, across and on your right. Everyone gets 5 cards. In the middle lies the face-down stock, and next to it the pile with one card face up. That first card is never a special card.

Your cards Computer players Stock Pile

1. 1 Your cards
2. 2 Computer players
3. 3 Stock
4. 4 Pile

Step 2

Lay a card of the same suit or value

On your turn, lay one card of the same suit or the same value as the top card of the pile. On the 8♣ any club and any eight fits. A queen always fits, and when a queen is on top, any card fits on it (step 9). The cards you may lay are bright, the others dimmed. Tap a card and it flies to the pile.

On top Same suit Same value

1. 1 On top
2. 2 Same suit
3. 3 Same value

Step 3

Several cards at once

Do you have more cards of the same value? Lay them in one turn, one after another, in any order. When you are done, press “End turn”. The suit of the last card laid decides what fits next.

You may add End turn

1. 1 You may add
2. 2 End turn

Step 4

Drawing

No card fits, or you would rather not lay one? Tap the stock or the “Draw” button. If the card you drew fits, you may lay it at once or keep it. When the stock runs out, the pile (all but its top card) is shuffled into a new stock.

The drawn card fits Keep it

1. 1 The drawn card fits
2. 2 Keep it

Step 5

Fighting cards: 2, 3, K♥ and K♠

A two makes the next player draw 2 cards, a three 3 cards, and the king of hearts 5 cards. The king of spades makes the previous player draw 5 cards. You can defend with a fighting card of the same suit or the same value: the penalties add up and pass on. Whoever cannot pass it on draws them all.

To draw: 5 Pass it on with 2♥ Or draw 5

1. 1 To draw: 5
2. 2 Pass it on with 2♥
3. 3 Or draw 5

Step 7

The jack asks for a value

When you lay a jack, choose a value from 5 to 10, or “Nothing”. For one whole round, you included at the end, every player must lay a card of that value in any suit, or another jack. A player who has none draws a card.

Choose a value

1. 1 Choose a value

Step 8

The ace changes the suit

When you lay an ace, choose a suit. The next players must lay cards of that suit or an ace, until someone lays the chosen suit. Another ace changes the suit again.

Choose a suit

1. 1 Choose a suit

The rules in this game

• Makao is played a little differently in every home. Here the rules above apply.
• There are no jokers and no runs (cards in a row, such as 5, 6, 7).
• A queen does not defend against a penalty.
• There is no penalty for a forgotten “Makao”: the game says it for you.
• The deal ends when the first player gets rid of all cards.

Scoring

You score only when you win. The win and its time go to your statistics and the Ranking.

Tips

• Keep a queen for later: it fits on anything when you have no other card.
• When a rival has 1 or 2 cards left, attack with a two, a three or a king.
• Use an ace to change the suit to the one you hold most of.
• A jack asking for a value you hold several times helps you get rid of cards fast.

Rules of the other games

• Klondike – rules
• Double klondike – rules
• Spider – rules
• Forty Thieves – rules
• FreeCell – rules
• Pyramid – rules
• Mahjong – rules
• Hearts – rules