What the Rule?!

About this board game

What the Rule?! is a secret-rule card game for 2–10 players that plays in about 15 minutes. Each round, one player becomes the game master and creates a hidden rule, while the other players take turns playing cards from their hands.

The challenge is to discover what links the cards that match the rule. When a matching card is played, that player may attempt to guess the secret rule. A correct answer earns points and brings the round to an end, after which a new game master creates a new rule.

Every card is defined by four characteristics, creating many possible ways to build a rule:

• Shape: circle, triangle, or square
• Number of shapes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6
• Filling: filled or unfilled
• Color: white or black

The 144-card game includes two copies of every card. Rules can be straightforward, such as alternating black and white cards, or use another combination of the cards’ visible features. Players must pay attention to what has been played and use their cards cleverly while trying to identify the pattern.

In What the Rule?!, the game master changes from round to round, giving every player the opportunity to create a secret rule. The game ends after each player has been the game master once, and the player with the highest score wins.