| Players | 2-10 (one deck supports up to four) |
| Age | 8+ |
| Setup | Under one minute |
| Duration | ~10-30 minutes |
| Complexity | Easy / Medium |
| Strategy | Important |
| Chance | Medium / High |
| Skills | Strategic thinking, reading opponents |
Macau, also spelled Makaua or Macaua, is a shedding-type card game from Hungary, with similar rules to Crazy Eights or Uno, using a standard 52-card deck. The object of the game is to be the first player to remove all cards from one's hand. Macau involves tactical play where players manage their cards to maximise efficiency and strategically respond to opponents' moves. Bluffing is a core element, as players may choose to withhold playable cards to preserve them for later use.
The game belongs to the broader Crazy Eights family, which first appeared in the 1930s and shares fundamental shedding mechanics with games such as Mau-Mau (Germany), Pesten (Netherlands), and Switch (United Kingdom). The name Macau is distinct from the unrelated 18th-century banking card game Macao, a forerunner of baccarat.
When playing the game, the player who has one last card cannot end the game with a 2 or 3 while playing in two. If a player has 2 cards which are the same (e.g. 2♠ and 2♥), they call double Macau. However, if the other player holds a 2♦, the first player has to pick up 6 cards. If played in a group, the player can end the game with a 2 and a 3.
Two or more players (up to 10) are dealt 5 cards each. For larger groups, additional decks may be added at the players' discretion, a single 52-card deck is generally sufficient for two to four players. The deck is then cut and the cut card becomes the first card in the discard pile; if the revealed card is an action card, it is returned to the deck and the next card is revealed in its place. Play starts to the dealer's right.
The next card played must be of the same suit or the same value as the card on the top of the discard pile. For example, if a 7♠ was on top, the player can play a 9♠ or a 7♣. Alternatively, an Ace or Joker can be played as they are wild. If the player cannot play a card, they must draw from the deck. If a drawn card matches the top of the discard pile, it may be played immediately (the "first card saves" rule).
Cards can be played in runs. Cards of consecutive values in the same suit may be played in the same turn. These runs may be continued into different suits if cards of the same value are included. For example: 5♠, 6♠, 7♠, 7♥, 8♥, 8♣, 7♣ would be valid.
If the draw pile is exhausted, the discard pile (except for the top card) is shuffled and turned face-down to form a new draw pile.
When an action card is played, the player next in the sequence must complete the action or add to it to pass it on. When down to a single card, a player must say "Macau!" If an opponent calls "Macau!" first, the player must draw 5 cards. The winner is the first player to have no cards. In instances of more than 2 players, gameplay continues until only one player is left, so players finish in ranked order.
Non-action cards are: fives, sixes, sevens, eights, nines, tens, K♣, and K♦.
Multiple action cards can be played at once. For example, three 2s forcing the next player to pick up 6 cards unless they have another 2.
In Romania, the game is called Macao (or Macaua) and has regional variations. The most common rules are:
In restricted versions, players cannot use a 3 on a 2 that does not match colour or suit. In less restricted versions, draw cards can be stacked regardless of colour or suit.
A less common variation which typically does not use wild cards or jokers. Aces change the suit and 4s do not block. If there are 3 players, two 8s are sometimes removed and the other two become wild cards (7s).
2 players are dealt 7 cards each; 3 or more players are dealt 5 cards each. The top card of the deck becomes the first card in the discard pile.
Point system for series play (played to 500, points are bad):
| Cards | Points |
|---|---|
| 4 through 9 | 5 points |
| 10s and face cards | 10 points |
| 2s | 20 points |
| 3s | 30 points |
| Aces | 50 points |
| King of Hearts | 150 points |
Players can agree on extra rules before starting to adjust difficulty:
In Poland, the game is widely known as Makao and is recognised as a national variant of Crazy Eights, remaining a staple of informal play. It is frequently played with a full 52-card deck, though house rules often add complexity to the action cards.
In some Polish regions, the rule "a five on anything, anything on a five" replaces the standard Queen rule. In others, the J♠ has a special ability to ignore an outstanding demand, provided it has already been fulfilled by a previous player.
Prší is a version of Macau that arose in the second half of the 20th century. It is typically played by two to five players using a 32-card deck (sevens through aces) of the German pattern, or alternatively a standard French deck. The game ends immediately when one player sheds all cards.
Each player receives 4 to 6 cards; the top card of the remaining deck is turned face-up as the starter. Play proceeds clockwise from the dealer's left. On each turn a player places exactly one card, matching rank or suit. If no playable card is held, the player draws one card.
Action cards in Prší:
When a player goes out, they announce "Prší!" Remaining players score penalty points: Ace = 11, King = 4, Queen/Ober = 3, Jack/Unter = 2, numbered cards = face value.
Mau-Mau may be played with either a 32-card or full 52-card deck. Rules are similar to Prší with a broader set of action cards. In addition, the eight reverses the direction of play, meaning the next player to act is the one sitting to the right instead of the left. An eight may only be countered by another eight.
The game ends immediately when one player sheds all cards and declares "Mau-Mau!"
| Cards | Points |
|---|---|
| Numbered cards | Face value |
| King and Jack | 10 points each |
| Ace | 11 points |
| Queen | 50 points |
101 is the Russian version of Macau, played with a 36-card deck (sixes through aces) or optionally a full deck. The aim is to shed all cards; the player who accumulates 101 or more penalty points loses.
Each player receives five cards. The first game is begun by a randomly chosen player; subsequent games are started by the previous winner. Special cards:
Penalty points: Ace = 11, King = 4, Queen = 3 (with bonuses if the winning card was a Queen), Jack = 2, Ten = 0, all others = face value. The player to reach 101 or more loses.