Mau-Mau is a German shedding card game for two to six players where the goal is to get rid of all your cards first. You may lay a card when it matches the suit or rank of the top card of the discard pile; Jacks are wild. If you cannot or will not play, you draw a card from the stock. The first player to play their last card calls "Mau-Mau!" and wins the round — everyone else totals the penalty points left in their hand.
Play now — it's freeTraditional Mau-Mau uses a 32-card German Skat deck; this online version plays the full 52-card deck (2 through Ace in spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) so that up to six players with six cards each still leave a usable stock.
Each player is dealt six cards face down. The top card of the stock is placed face up beside it and starts the discard pile.
Whoever sheds their last card first and calls "Mau-Mau!" wins the round. The other players then count the values of their remaining cards as penalty points, which accumulate across rounds. Whoever reaches 100 penalty points first is the "Mau-Mau" — the loser of the match.
A card may be played when it shares its suit or its rank with the top card of the discard pile. On the 10 of spades you may play any other spade or any other 10.
Holding a playable card does not force you to play it — you may draw instead. But you can never simply pass: you either play or draw.
| Situation | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Same suit as the open card | Yes |
| Same rank as the open card | Yes |
| Jack on any card | Yes — except on another Jack |
| Jack on Jack ("Bube auf Bube stinkt") | No |
| Different suit and different rank | No |
Playing a 7 forces the next player to draw two cards. If they hold a 7 themselves, they may lay it immediately — raising the penalty to four for the next player, then six, eight and so on.
A Jack cannot dodge the obligation: while a 7 lies on top, only another 7 may be played. Taking the penalty means drawing the full accumulated amount in one go, after which the next player moves.
An 8 skips the next player. In a two-player game that means you play again. Several eights in a row skip that many players.
The Jack is a wild card: it may be played on anything except another Jack. The player who lays it names the suit that must be matched next.
If the Jack is the winner's last card, all loser points count double — the classic tournament twist.
If you cannot or will not play, you draw one card from the stock. If the drawn card fits you may play it immediately; otherwise your turn ends.
When the stock runs out, the discard pile — except for the topmost visible card — is shuffled and turned over as the new stock, so a round can continue until someone goes out.
With one card left you must call "Mau!", and the last card is played with "Mau-Mau!". Forget it at a real table and you draw penalty cards. Online the system announces automatically, so no one gets caught out.
At the end of a round the losers count their remaining cards: Ace 11, Ten 10, King 4, Queen 3, Jack 2, number cards face value — the German tournament convention.
If the winner's last card was a Jack, all loser points are doubled. Points add up across rounds; the first player to reach 100 loses the match.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Ace | 11 |
| 10 | 10 |
| King | 4 |
| Queen | 3 |
| Jack | 2 |
| 2 to 9 | Face value (2–9) |
Shed your expensive cards early — Aces and Tens are the costliest penalties at the end.
Keep Jacks as jokers: they rescue you when a suit is missing and double the losers' points as your last card.
Wish the suit you still hold most of, so the play comes back to you.
Facing a 7, stack your own 7 if you can: two cards are cheaper than four.
Traditionally 32 (the Skat deck); this online version uses all 52 cards (2 to Ace) so up to six players can hold six cards each and the stock lasts.
Two to six at one table. Quick matches seat four; empty seats are filled by AI.
The next player draws two cards. Playing another 7 raises the penalty to 4, then 6, 8 ... cards for the following player. No other card cancels it.
The 8 skips the next player — in a two-player game you simply play again.
No — "Bube auf Bube stinkt". A Jack may be played on any other card, and the player names the next suit.
With one card left you call "Mau!", and "Mau-Mau!" when playing the last card. Online the system announces automatically.
Ace 11, Ten 10, King 4, Queen 3, Jack 2, numbers face value; a Jack as the winning card doubles everything. First to 100 penalty points loses the match.
Yes — play free at maumau.yeeqia.com directly in your browser, no download or sign-up required.
Yes, the site is mobile-first and runs in any modern Android or iOS browser, in German and English.