Official Mau Mau Rules

Last Updated on April 9, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Mau Mau is a German card game similar to Crazy Eights, UNO, or Shithead, where players race to discard all the cards in their hand. The game uses a deck of 32 cards, which keeps the action fast-paced. Special cards like the 7 force the next player to draw two cards, while Jacks act as wild cards.

What sets Mau Mau apart from other hand-shedding games is its smaller deck, making each round quicker and more intense. In every round, the first player to empty their hand earns points based on the cards left in their opponents’ hands. The game continues until a player reaches 150 points or more, securing their victory.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see our disclosures here.

How to Play Mau Mau

---

The Cards & The Deal

Mau Mau uses a 32-card deck, consisting of cards ranging from 7 to Ace. To begin, choose a dealer who will shuffle the deck thoroughly and deal five cards to each player. The remaining cards are placed face down as the stockpile, and the top card is flipped over to start the discard pile.

The Play

The player to the left of the dealer goes first. On each turn, a player must play a card from their hand to the discard pile. The card played must match either the suit or the rank of the top card on the discard pile.

If a player cannot play a card (or chooses not to), they must draw one card from the stockpile. If this drawn card is playable, the player may choose to play it. If not, or if they do not want to play it, their turn ends.

Power Cards

Certain cards have special effects that influence the game:

• 7: When a 7 is played, the next player must draw two cards from the stock and skip their turn. They cannot play any cards on the discard pile. 7s can be stacked; if the player who is required to draw two cards has a 7, they can play it, forcing the next player to draw four cards. This can continue if the following players also have 7s.
• 8: When an 8 is played, the next player is skipped and their turn is skipped.
• 9: Playing a 9 reverses the direction of play.
• Jack: Jacks are wild and can be played on any card. The player who plays the Jack also gets to choose the suit for the next card to be played.

One Card Remains

When a player has only one card left, they must say “Mau” to signal that they are about to win. If they forget and another player says “Mau” first, the player who did not say it must draw two cards as a penalty. After drawing, they cannot play any cards.

If a player’s last card is a Jack, they must say “Mau Mau.” If they play their Jack and only say “Mau,” and another player catches them, they must draw two cards as a penalty. The game continues.

Ending the Round

The round concludes when a player plays their final card. After the round ends, points are tallied, and another round begins. The game continues until one player accumulates 150 points or more.

Scoring

Points are awarded based on the remaining cards in opponents’ hands:

• Cards 7-10 are worth their face value.
• Queens, Kings, and Aces are worth 10 points each.
• Jacks are worth 20 points each.

Winning

The first player to reach 150 points or more wins the game.