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Official Mustachio Rules
Mustachio is a fun and strategic card game where you and your teammates work together to win tricks and fulfill bidding goals, all while achieving world domination (through trickery, of course!). Here's a breakdown of the rules to help you become a Mustachio master:
Objective
Collect the most mustaches by the end of the game to win!
Setup
1. Team Up: Form teams of 1 or 2 players. Players sitting opposite each other are teammates, and cannot communicate during gameplay (except through card play).
2. Choose Supervillains (Optional): Select a few, all, or none of the Supervillain cards to include in the deck for this round. These cards have unique effects that can influence the game.
3. Shuffle the Deck: Thoroughly shuffle the deck of cards, including Supervillains if chosen.
4. Deal the Cards: Deal a specific number of cards to each player depending on the round number (refer to the rulebook or a chart).
5. Bidding Board: Place the bidding board within reach of all players.
Gameplay
Phase 1: Bidding
Secret Bidding: Players on each team secretly choose a number (usually 1-3) on their hand representing the number of tricks they believe their team can win this round.
Reveal Bids: Simultaneously, everyone reveals their chosen numbers. Teammates add their bids together to form their team's total bid.
Phase 2: Trick Taking
Choose a Lead Player: The player who drew the highest valued card of a pre-determined suit during deck setup becomes the lead player for the first round. In subsequent rounds, the lead player is the winner of the previous trick.
Playing a Trick: The lead player starts the first trick by playing any card from their hand face up on the table.
Following Suit (if possible): Each following player, in turn order, must play a card of the same suit (color) if they have one in their hand.
Supervillain or Trumping: If a player cannot follow suit, they can play a Supervillain card (if included) or a card of a different suit, but it won't win the trick unless it's a higher number than any other card played so far, including Supervillains.
Winning the Trick: The player who played the highest valued card of the leading suit, or the highest Supervillain card played, wins the trick. They take all the played cards and place them face down in front of them as their score pile.
Phase 3: Round Scoring
Compare Bids to Tricks Won: Each team compares the number of tricks they won in that round to their team's secret bid.
Points for Correct Bids: If a team wins exactly the number of tricks they bid on, they score bonus points (refer to the rulebook for point values).
Points for Excess Tricks: If a team wins more tricks than they bid on, they score points for each excess trick.
Penalty for Under-bidding: If a team wins fewer tricks than they bid on, they lose points for each trick they underachieved (refer to the rulebook for penalty values).
Winning the Game
The game continues for a predetermined number of rounds (usually 5). The team with the most points at the end of the final round wins the game and achieves world domination...through trickery, of course!
Notes/Variations
Communication is Key (for Teammates): While you can't talk during gameplay, use clever card play to communicate your intentions and strategy to your teammate.
Supervillain Strategies: Supervillain cards can be powerful tools, but use them wisely. Consider their effects and how they can help you win tricks or disrupt your opponents' plans.
Advanced Rules (Optional): The game includes optional rules like using Investigator sheets with special abilities, adding a health tracker for a more cutthroat experience, or incorporating a hidden traitor mechanic.
So grab your deck of Mustachio cards, gather your teammates, and get ready for a thrilling and strategic battle of wits and trickery! Remember, plan your bids, use your cards wisely, and outsmart your opponents to achieve world domination (through trickery)!
