How to Play Mau-Mau
Description
Match the suit or the rank, dodge the sevens, and say the word before your last card hits the table. The German original that half the shedding games you know descend from.
Also known as: Mau Mau
Objective
Be the first to play out every card in your hand.
Setup
Deal five cards to each player from a standard deck.
Turn one card face up to start the discard pile; the rest is the stock.
Rules
On your turn, play a card matching the top of the discard pile by suit or by rank. If you cannot, draw one card from the stock.
Sevens make the next player draw two — unless they play a seven themselves, which passes it on and adds to it.
Eights skip the next player entirely.
Jacks are wild: play one on any card and name the suit that must follow. A Jack cannot be played on a Jack.
Winning
Say "Mau" as you play your second-to-last card, and "Mau-Mau" as you play your last. Forget either and you draw a penalty card.
The first player with an empty hand wins the round.