Malarky Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• What You Need to Know and What You Don't
• Contents
• In a Nutshell
• Object
• Set-Up
• Play
• Voting
• Scoring
• Winning
• Tiebreaker
• Team Malarky (for more than 6 players)

What You Need to Know and What You Don't

Malarky is filled with life's little mysteries that we sometimes think about but rarely solve. Our authority is David Feldman, author of the Imponderables book series. He has been compiling, researching, and writing about these mysteries for more than 20 years. If you can guess the answers, that's great. But if you can make up your own believable answers, that's even better! Remember, you don't need to know the answers to do well at Malarky. You just need to make people believe that you do!

Contents

For 3 to 6 Players or Teams. Ages 10 to Adult.

885 Imponderables questions on 295 Malarky cards, 5 Bluff Cards, 42 Voting Chips, 6 Concealing Folders, and a Die.

In a Nutshell

A question is read aloud to all players. One player is given the correct answer, but no one knows who has it. The other players think of possible answers and present them as convincingly as possible. Then all players vote for the answer they think is correct.

Object

To convince other players that your answer is correct and to see through all the bluffs and vote for the correct answer.

Set-Up

1. Write the name of each player on a piece of paper to keep score.
2. Give each player a black chip, which is used to signify the player who presents the real answer from a Malarky card.
3. Each player takes a set of Voting Chips, all of the same color. Put one in front of you, so all players can see which color represents each player. Then give one of your chips to each player to be used for voting. Put aside any remaining chips.
4. Take the Bluff Cards, numbered 296–300, from the end of the card box. Insert a Bluff Card in each Concealing Folder with the question side up, but leave one folder blank. The number of folders used depends on how many people are playing. If 4 people are playing, you'll use 4 folders and 3 Bluff Cards. Set the rest aside.
5. Determine how many rounds will be played. With 3 players, we suggest that each player host 3 rounds. If more are playing, 2 hosting rounds for each player might be better.

Play

1. Players take turns hosting rounds in a clockwise direction. The Host for the first round is the player who everyone thinks is full of Malarky.
2. When you're the Host:
   • Pick a card from the draw end of the box and insert it into the empty Concealing Folder from the Question side. (Illustration caption: "Card being inserted into Concealing Folder.")
   • Roll the Die to determine which Imponderables question to read.
   • Read the question aloud. It's a good idea to read the question a second time so everyone understands the question.
   • Shuffle the Concealing Folder containing the real question and answer together with the bluff folders, making sure there is a folder for each player.
3. All players now should begin thinking of possible answers to the question. Duplicate answers are not allowed, so you may want to think of more than 1 answer.
4. Each player picks a Concealing Folder from the Host and opens it from the Answer side. Look at the answer that corresponds with the earlier Die roll. One player has the real answer, and the other players have instructions telling them that they need to think of a believable bluff answer.
5. If you have the real answer:
   • Think about how you will present the answer.
   • There's no need to memorize the card. Put the answer in your own words, but make it as accurate as possible.
   • Think about possible bluff answers in case another player offers the real answer before it's your turn. If that happens, you are forced into a Malarky and must present a bluff answer.
6. If your card tells you to bluff:
   • Think about a believable answer to the question.
   • Make your answer stand out from the others by including weird "facts," names, and places.
   • Don't stare into space thinking of an answer. Instead, pretend to be reading and putting the answer into your own words.

Voting

1. After all answers are presented, players secretly vote for the player they think presented the real answer.
2. During the voting process, remember to have your color chip in front of you. The other color chips and the black chip should be out of other players' sight, so they cannot see who is getting your vote.
3. Players cannot vote for themselves. If you are holding a Bluff Card but are positive that you know the right answer, you can vote with an empty hand.
4. If you have the Malarky card with the correct answer, you must vote with a black chip.
5. If you were holding the real answer but were forced into a Malarky, vote with the color chip of the player who presented the correct answer before your turn came. When votes are revealed, no one will be holding a black chip. At this point, you can tell that you were forced into a Malarky.
6. Players vote by taking the color chip that represents the player they are voting for and putting it in their closed fist toward the center of the table. When all players' fists are on the table, the Host starts the count of 1-2-3. On the count of 3, all players open their hands to reveal their votes.

Scoring

Players earn:

• 1 point if they vote for the person who presented the real answer.
• 1 point for every vote their answer receives, regardless of whether it was a real answer or a bluff answer.
• 2 points for every vote their answer receives if they held a Bluff Card but presented the real answer. In this case, they would have voted with an empty hand.
• 2 points for every vote their answer receives if they were forced into a Malarky (held the card with the real answer but had to bluff because an earlier player presented the real answer).

Winning

The player with the highest point total after the agreed-upon number of rounds wins.

Tiebreaker

If any players are tied at the end, one more Imponderables is asked to determine the winner. Only the tied players compete. Each player rolls the die, and the highest number chooses whether to give or receive the Imponderables question. The giving player reads the question that corresponds with the highest number rolled and then looks at the correct answer on the back of the card. The player has a minute to present either the real answer or a bluff. The receiver must decide if the giver's answer is correct. If the receiver is right, that player wins. If wrong, the giving player wins.

Team Malarky (for more than 6 players)

One team is handed the Concealing Folders, and as in regular play all but one will be holding a Bluff Card. Each player presents a unique answer to the question. The other team confers and as a group decides which answer is the correct one. If the guessing team picks the correct answer, it scores 1 point. If the guessing team picks a bluff answer, the other team scores 1 point. The first team to get 7 points wins.