Ubuntu Wiki

This game is an Ubuntu tradition. It is a critical part of the social infrastructure of Ubuntu and Canonical. You should join us whenever we play the game in order to help understand and cement the social links within the community.

Transcript of an example game

This hypothetical game involves five players. They are Daniel, Colin, Rob, James and Steve. Daniel and Colin are seasoned players of Mao; Steve has played once before. Rob and James are what we affectionately refer to as 'Mao Virgins'.

We join in the fun when the players are sat around a table. going clockwise we have Daniel, Rob, Colin, Steve, James. The players have just finished confirming that everyone knows the names of the cards in a standard deck. Daniel and Colin are each shuffling what looks to be a deck of cards. They periodically exchange chunks of their decks and keep going until we can surmise that the decks are well mixed. The cards are placed face down in a pile in the centre of the table. Smiling as only Daniel can, he carefully counts out five cards from the pile of cards to a small pile face down in front of him. He then sits back and waits. Colin does similar and after a few seconds of hesitation so does Steve. Eventually Rob asks "Do we have to take five cards then?" and colin patiently replies "Well, I have, Steve has and Daniel has". Rob and James quickly take five cards each also. Daniel then takes the top card from the pile and places it face up next to the pile; making sure that everyone can see it easily.

Daniel looks around, Colin nods at him almost imperceptably and Daniel says clearly and to everyone at the table at once: "The name of the game is 'Cambridge Standard Five Card Mao'. The only things I am allowed to tell you are this, and that any card not found in a standard fifty-two card deck is a spare nine of diamonds." Daniel then points at Steve and says "Play will start there" and then motions in a clockwise direction with his hand and says "and proceed in this direction". Everyone picks up their cards.

TODO: continue the writeup