Hot Potato (1988)
Hot Potato (1988) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Object
Not to get caught holding the musical potato when the music stops, and not to turn over all three cards spelling out H-O-T.
Equipment
"Chip O'Grattin," the stuffed fabric potato that plays "Pop Goes the Weasel." 12 (4 sets) colored cards that spell out "H-O-T."
Setup
Sit or stand in a circle.
Divide up the cards so that each player has one H, one O and one T card in front of him or her, placed so they spell out "HOT." Now, turn all three cards over, so they're face down.
Game play
Youngest player takes "Chip" the potato and squeezes him until the music starts.
Players toss or pass the potato back and forth from one to the other, either player-to-player around the circle, or back and forth at random.
At some point, the potato music will stop. Whoever is caught holding "Chip" when the music stops must turn over his first card, revealing one of the letters. That player then squeezes "Chip" again to start the music, and begins tossing or passing the potato.
Note: If the potato is in mid-air when the music stops, the last player who had held it must turn over a card.
Play continues in this fashion. Every time a player is caught holding the potato when the music stops, he or she must turn over one card.
When a player has turned over all three cards and has spelled "H-O-T", he or she is OUT of the game. The remaining players continue.
Winning
The winner is the last player left wh[en] all the others have spelled "H-O-T."
Variation
HOT POTATO As A Party Game
When there are more than 4 playe[rs], try playing HOT POTATO with Musical Chairs rules:
Instead of using the H-O-T cards, e[ach] person caught holding the potato [when] the music stops is eliminated from the circle and is out of the game. The w[inner] is the one player left when all the o[thers] have been eliminated.