Mau-Mau (card game)

Mau-Mau is a shedding-type card game in which players compete to be the first to discard every card from their hand, placing it in the same family of games as Crazy Eights and Uno. The game surfaced in Germany shortly after the Second World War and went on to gain wide popularity across Europe and beyond, with particular strength today in Germany, Austria, South Tyrol, the United States, Brazil, Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Israel and the Netherlands. It is designed for two or more players and is typically played with a thirty-two card French-suited pack, with the twos through sixes removed, or an equivalent thirty-two card German-suited pack, and for larger groups of more than five players two decks may be combined to keep enough cards in circulation. Mau-Mau is recommended for players aged six and up, and its blend of simple shedding mechanics with tactical card-holding and light social communication between players has helped it endure as a popular family and pub card game across several generations.