mau mau
my favorite card game and the
only one i really know how to play.
it’s a really easy game to play and understand
and can be entertaining for quite some time.

(en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mau-Mau_(card_game)#)

”This game is typically played with a 32-card pack, either a
French-suited pack from which the Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives and Sixes have been removed or, especially in Europe, with a 32-card German pack. For more than 5 players, 2 packs of cards may be used.”

i actually have never played it like this wikipedia description says, without the twos, threes, fours, fives and sixes. so i have never played the french-suited version.
i can imagine it being fun though.
very fast-paced i’m guessing.
it can also be played with the twos, threes, fours, fives and sixes, that’s how i always played it. they are like empty cards and it stretches the length of the game out, making it more interesting to see who would win in the end.

”The aim is to be first to get rid of all of one's cards. Most of the time, the winner will have to say something at this point, usually "Mau". If they fail to say this, they do not win and instead must take penalty cards. If a player's last card is a Jack, they must reply differently, usually saying
"Mau Mau".

Before the start of the game, a player who is not the dealer cuts the deck 4 times. If they cut 1-3 significant cards, they are allowed to keep them if they want. However, if four cards where the cards are cut are found to be power cards, the deck needs to be reshuffled and the cut is repeated.”

1. The players are each dealt a hand of cards
   (usually 5 - 7)
2. The rest are placed face down as the stock or stack. At the beginning of the game the topmost card is revealed and placed face up on the table then the players take it in turns to play their cards.

“A card can only be played if it corresponds to the suit or value of the face-up card. E.g. if it is the 10 of spades, only another spade or another 10 can be played
(but see below for Jacks).
If a player is not able to do this, they draw one card from the stack; If they can play this card, they may do so, otherwise they keeps the drawn card and passes on their turn. When the drawing stack is empty, the playing stack (except for the topmost card) is shuffled and turned over to serve as new drawing stack.”

The 7, 8, Jack and Ace of all suits are significant “power” cards:

• If a 7 is played, the next player has to draw two cards but may play. (A variant of the game allows the player facing the 7 to play another 7, in which case the player to his left must take 4 cards from the pack, unless he too has a 7, then 6, then 8.)
• Any 8 forces the next player to miss his turn. (A variant of the game allows the player facing the 8 to play another 8, in which case the next player after them must play another 8 or miss a turn, etc.)
• A Jack of any suit is the equivalent of a Joker and can be played on any card. The player who plays it then chooses a card suit. The next player then plays as if the Jack was of the chosen suit.

_______________________________________________

• If an Ace is played, one other card must be played with it. If the player does not have another card, or cannot follow in suit or number, then the player must take a card from the pack. If your final card is an Ace, you cannot win on that turn.

i personally have never seen or played this game with this ace rule, but appearantly it seems to be a thing too according to wikipedia.

_______________________________________________

• When a player has only one card left, he must say “Mau” (even if it is an Ace); if that card is a Jack, he must say “Mau-Mau”. Failure means that the player must take a card.
• If the game is scored, and the winning card is a Jack, then all points against the losers are doubled.

 

Spades

And

Conquian with the Mexican deck
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquian