Mogelei

Idea of the Game

The Mogolei are a family of cheats. Honesty is not called for - but the biggest lies are rewarded.

3-8 players, from 10 years

Inventor uncredited.
Copyright 1995, 1x1 Spiele GmbH, 28844 Weyne
Translated by Ken Tidwell.

Game Materials

• 24 cards (1-24) in the colors of the Mogelei family:
  • Black: Father Mogelei]
  • Red: Mother Mogelei
  • Yellow: Daughter Mogelei
  • Blue: Son Mogelei
• 12 reward cards

Goal

Collect many reward cards and few cards with fried eggs.

Preparation

Keep paper and pencil handy. Sort out all of the reward cards (with the three brown eggs on them) and stack them face up on the table.

The following cards are used according to the number of players:

                             cards used in the colors       
     number of players      black, red, yellow and blue  
            3                         1- 9                           
            4                         1-12                              
            5                         1-15                              
            6                         1-18                              
            7                         1-21                              
            8                         1-24                              

The remaining cards are put aside and not used. Choose a dealer. The dealer changes with each hand.

Starting a Hand

The dealer shuffles the family member cards and distributes them evenly to all players. Everyone takes their cards in hand and sorts them according to color.

A hand is made up of several game rounds. The hand ends when no one has more cards in their hand. The player to the left of the dealer starts the round.

Start of a Game Round

The starting player names any family member [Ken: their color will do nicely]. It does not matter whether the starting player actually holds a card of this color or not. This is referred to as the called family member.

All players (including the starting player) now must choose a card to play face down in front of themselves according to the following rules:

• If the player has one of the called family members in their hand, they must play it.

• If a player does not hold one of the called family members, they may play any other family member. After all players have a card face down in front of themselves, it is the starting player turn once again.

• If the player has played the family member that was called, he can now turn over his card so that each player can see whether or not he has cheated. Or he can leave his card face down and claim that he has not played the called family member.

• If the player has not played the called family member, then he always leaves his card face down and reports that he has not played the called family member.

• He by no means says which family member he has played.

Now each of the other players should take a turn and follow the same rules. When that is done, we must now determine:

Who's turn is it now?

• If in the end all of the cards are still face down, then the starting player retains control.
• If in the end one or more cards were uncovered then the player that has uncovered the highest card of the demanded family member takes control.

The player in control can do one of three things:

1. Announce a Suspicion

(if in the end at least one card is still face down)

The player accuses one of the players with a face down card of lying. The player under suspicion must turn over his card. In any event the game round is finished. The biggest lie (see Biggest Lie) is then determined.

Who receives all of the played cards in this game round?

• if the player under suspicion has not played the called family, then his accuser must take the cards.
• if the player under suspicion has played the called family, then he must take the cards.

The player that receives the cards places them in a stack before themselves and begins the next game round.

2. Continue the Game Round

(as long as the players still have cards in their hands)

The played cards remain. The player begins the next game round and again calls for the family member from the start of the round.

• In this event, therefore, the start player may not call for just any family member.

The new cards are placed in front of the previous play so that they are both visible.

3. End the Game Round

Determine the biggest lie (see Biggest Lie). The player takes all of the cards played in this round and adds them to a stack in front of themselves. He begins the next round.

Biggest Lie

Each player, that has played a card face down in the end, turns them over. Out of these players, the one that has played the highest card of the called family member takes a reward card.

End of a Hand

Each of the reward cards count as 3 positive points. Each fried egg on the cards taken during the hand count as a minus point. (The fried eggs are shown on both the top and bottom of the card - only count one group of eggs, either top or bottom, but not both.) The plus and minus points are tallied and the total is written down for each player. All reward cards are returned to the stack and the family cards are shuffled and dealt. Begin a new hand.

End of the Overall Game

After five hands, the final bill: the player with the most positive points is declared Winner and King of the Cheats. If no one has a positive score, then the player is with the least negative points is declared Winner and King of the Cheats. It is possible that there will be several Winners and they will cheat one another of the throne...

The Game Cabinet - editor@gamecabinet.com - Ken Tidwell