Macao: how to play and Moldovan variants

Macao is the card game with the most variants in Moldova, also known as „Macaua“ or „Crazy Eights“ in other countries. The objective is simple: be the first to get rid of all the cards in your hand. But how a 2, a 4 or an attacking King works, and what Moldovan variants there are, differs from group to group.

What Macao is and why it’s so popular

Macao belongs to a wide family of card games popular all over Europe: Mau-Mau in Germany, Pesten in the Netherlands, Switch in the United Kingdom. They all share the same central idea: get rid of the cards in your hand before your opponents. In Moldova and Romania, the local version is called „Macao“ or „Macaua“ and over time has taken on its own rules, slightly different from the other versions.

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How the game is set up

A standard deck of 52 cards is enough for 2 to 4 players. With 5 or more, a 2nd deck is added, shuffled together with the first. The setup takes no more than 1 minute:

1. Each player gets 5 cards.
2. The rest of the deck stays face down in the centre of the table.
3. The first card is turned face up, forming the pile where the cards are placed.
4. If the first card turned over is special (2, 3, Ace, attacking King), it’s put back and another is turned over.
5. The order of play is counterclockwise, starting from the right of the one who dealt.

How a turn is played

On each turn, you place on the pile a card that matches the one on top by value or by suit. If there’s a 9 of clubs on top, you can play any other 9 or any other club. If you have nothing suitable, you draw a card. If it matches, you can play it right away. If not, your turn passes.

The goal is simple: the first one left with no cards wins. But there’s a rule everyone forgets at least once: when you’re left with a single card in your hand, you have to say „Macao!“ before an opponent notices. If someone calls it out for you first, you draw 5 penalty cards. That’s exactly why many games are won or lost in the last few seconds.

The special cards and what each one does

Each card has a clear rule, but the combinations between them can turn a game around in a few seconds. Here’s how each one works in the standard Moldovan variant:

• 2 - The next player draws 2 cards, unless they also have a 2 with which to pass the penalty on. The penalties add up: if 3 twos are played in a row, the player who can’t respond draws 6 cards at once.
• 3 - Works the same as the 2, but with 3 penalty cards per card played. If the group plays with mixed stacking, a 3 played on top of a 2 increases the total penalty. If they play with strict accumulation, a 3 can’t be played on a 2. Clarify this from the start.
• 4 - Blocks an active penalty of 2 or 3. If an opponent played a 2 on you, you respond with a 4 and the next player escapes. Note: the 4 doesn’t skip your own turn, you play normally.
• Ace - The next player loses their turn. Simple and effective, especially when the opponent has 1-2 cards in hand.
• 7 - Changes the active suit. The one who plays a 7 chooses which suit comes next, regardless of what was on the pile. The next player has to respond with that suit or with another 7.
• Black Joker - An absolute wildcard, plus 5 penalty cards for the targeted player.
• Red Joker - An absolute wildcard, plus 10 penalty cards.

Moldovan variants of the game Macao

Macao has no official rulebook written down anywhere, which means each group has developed its own version over time. A few of the most common in our region:

Without jokers is probably the most widespread simplified variant. The jokers are removed from the deck from the very start, the risk of 10-card penalties disappears, and the game becomes calmer and faster. A good choice when someone is playing for the first time or when you want a shorter game.

With strict accumulation means that a 2 can only be countered with another 2, and a 3 only with another 3. You can’t play a 3 on a 2 to increase the penalty. The standard, more permissive variant allows mixing. If you don’t set this rule from the start, arguments will be guaranteed at the first big penalty.

With a points system turns the game from a single winning round into a match over several hands. The cards left in hand at the end of each round add points to the eliminated player, and the one who first reaches a preset limit (usually 100 or 200) loses. Suitable for the evenings when you want more than a single quick round.

What makes the difference in Macao

Macao involves both luck and thinking. A few principles that matter in practice: the special cards are kept for the moments of pressure, not thrown out on the first turns. A J called at the right moment or an attacking King used when the opponent has 2 cards in hand can decide the game.

Keep count of how many 2s and 3s have already come out on the pile. When you know the penalties are used up, you can play more relaxed. And don’t forget the „Macao!“ - there are many good players who lose games precisely because of this rule.

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Frequently asked questions

1. How many players can play Macao with a single deck?

Ideally 2-4 players. With 5 or more, it’s recommended to add a second deck shuffled together with the first, so you don’t run out of the stock too early.

2. Can a 3 be played on a 2?

It depends on the agreed variant. In the relaxed variant (mixed stacking), yes, the penalty adds up. In the strict variant, a 2 blocks only a 2 and a 3 blocks only a 3.

3. What happens if the stock runs out?

The pile of discarded cards, except the top card, is shuffled and becomes the new stock. The game continues normally.

4. Can you end the game with a 2 or a 3?

In the classic version with 2 players, no. The last cards played can’t be penalty cards in a direct duel. In group play, the rule varies.

5. If I draw a card from the stock and it doesn’t match, can I draw again?

No, you draw only one card. If it doesn’t match, your turn passes.

6. Can the joker block an attacking King?

Yes, in the variant with active jokers. The joker can replace any special card, including an attacking King, cancelling or transferring the penalty.