The Goal of MUS: The objective is to be the first to reach 40 points with your partner!
Player Count: There should be 4 players in total, divided into 2 partnerships.
Deck Size: You’ll need a deck of 40 Spanish cards.
Card Rankings: The highest ranked cards are R and 3, followed by C, S, 10, 7, 6, 5, 4, and A (which is the lowest, valued at 1).
Type of Game: MUS is a vying game, where players compete against each other.
Age Recommendation: This game is suitable for adults.
Contents
An Introduction to MUS
Mus is a card game that originated in the Basque region, which includes Spain and Southern France. It’s a popular game in these countries, known for its exciting gameplay. The objective of Mus is similar to Poker – you draw cards and bet on the best hand, but it’s not typically played for money. The game has a long history, with the earliest record of it dating back to 1795 in a dictionary by Manuel Larramendi.
THE PLAYERS & CARDS
Mus is played with four players who form fixed partnerships. The partners sit opposite each other, and the game is played in a counter-clockwise direction.
The Spanish deck used in Mus consists of 40 cards.
The deck is divided into four suits: Swords, Batons, Cups, and Coins. However, the suits themselves have no significance in Mus.
Hey there! Let’s dive into the exciting world of playing cards and explore the fascinating game of Mus. Trust me, you’re in for a wild ride!
So, Mus is played with a special deck of cards. Inside this deck, each suit has its own unique characters. For example, in the Rey suit, you have the card with the number 12 (R), in the Caballo suit, you have the card with the number 11 (C), and in the Sota suit, you have the card with the number 10 (S). And of course, there are also the cards numbered 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and A, which you can find in every suit. The card ranking can be found above, so you always know which cards are the real deal.
Now, let’s talk about the points. Each card has a different value, so pay attention! A Rey (R) or 3 is worth a whopping 10 points. A Caballo (C) is also worth 10 points. And guess what? The Sota (S) is worth 10 points as well. The number 7, 6, 5, and 4 are respectively worth 7, 6, 5, and 4 points. And finally, the ace (A) and number 2 are both worth 1 point. It’s like a treasure hunt where every card holds its own secret value!
Now, let’s talk about the exciting objective of Mus:
Winning a game in our team means scoring 40 points, which usually requires multiple rounds. Generally, we play for the best 2 out of 3 games. To keep track of points, we use Piedras, which are small stones. The objective is to have the best hand in each of the categories: Grande (high), Chica (low), Juego (game), and Pares (pairs). You can increase your points by betting on a specific category. However, the order in which you bet on these categories is strictly followed, and only after all four rounds is the showdown held. At showdown, all the hands are revealed, and the points are determined.
In the game, there are different parts known as rounds, hands, games, and matches. Each round is a betting round for one of the four categories. A hand, on the other hand, is the entire play from the deal to the showdown and scoring, including the four betting rounds. A game refers to the number of hands needed to reach the 40 point threshold. Lastly, a match is a series of two or three games, where you need to win at least two games to win the match.
The Deal & Mus
Let’s talk about the deal and the concept called Mus. First, the dealer shuffles the cards, and then the player to their left cuts the deck. After that, the dealer starts handing out the cards one by one to each player until everyone has four cards. It’s important to note that the dealer deals the cards either in a counter-clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. Lastly, the player to the right of the dealer is called the “mano,” which means they have a special role in the game.
When we play a card game called Mus, we have a chance to improve our hands by discarding some cards and getting new ones. But, here’s the catch – we can only do this if all players agree. It’s a decision we make together.
We start by taking turns declaring our intentions, beginning with the player known as the mano. The others can join in by saying, “Mus,” or they can disagree by saying, “No hay Mus.” If just one person disagrees, we can’t discard any cards, and the game moves on to the first round of betting.
Assuming everyone agrees to mus, we get to discard between 1 and 4 cards from our hand, placing them face-down. Then, we are dealt the same number of new cards as what we discarded. The discarded cards are collected, and we continue playing with our new hands. And guess what? We can mus again and again until we’re happy with our cards.
Just one more thing – if the dealer runs out of cards, they can gather the discarded cards, shuffle them, and continue the game. So don’t worry, the game goes on!
Comparing Our Hands
Grande (High)
When playing Grande, the player with the highest-ranking cards is the winner. We determine the winner by comparing the ranks of the cards in descending order. If there is a tie, we move on to comparing the second highest card, and so on. If disputes arise, it’s important to refer to the card rankings.
Chica (Low)
In the game of Chica, the player with the lowest-ranking hand emerges as the winner. The cards should be arranged in ascending order, with the lowest first card taking the victory. If there is a tie, we apply the same mechanism mentioned under Grande to determine the winner.
If no players place bets on Chica, the team with the best Chica hand claims a single stone as the reward.
Pares (Pairs)
Pares refers to a collection of 2 or more cards with the same rank. There are three types of Pares, and they are mentioned below in ascending order:
Let me break it down for you. There are different ways to win at the game of Pares. Each way involves having a specific combination of cards. Here are the different combinations and how they work:
1. Simple Pair: This is when you have 2 cards of the same rank and 2 cards of different ranks. The pair with the highest ranking cards wins. If the pairs are equal, the player who played it first wins. The cards that are not part of the pair don’t matter.
2. Medias: This is when you have 3 cards of the same rank and 1 card of a different rank. The set of three cards with the higher rank wins.
3. Duples: This is when you have two pairs of cards. For example, R-R-4-4. Note that if you have four cards of the same rank (a four of a kind), it only counts as two pairs of equal rank.
If players are not betting on pairs, they score their hands differently:
– Simple Pair: 1 point
– Medias: 2 points
– Duples: 3 points
Only the winner gets points for their pairs. The opponent doesn’t get any points for their pairs.
That’s how the game of Pares works!
Hey there, let’s talk about Juego! You know, this card game where you score points based on the cards you have. It’s pretty cool!
You might be wondering, how do I score points in Juego? Well, let me break it down for you. Each card has a specific point value. Here are the values:
R or 3: 10 points
C: 10 points
S: 10 points
7: 7 points
6: 6 points
5: 5 points
4: 4 points
A or 2: 1 point
Now, to achieve Juego, your cards in hand need to add up to at least 31 points. That’s the best Juego hand! The second best is 32 points. After that, the ranks go in descending order: 40, 37, 36, 35, 34, and 33 (which is the lowest Juego). It’s pretty fascinating, right?
But here’s the catch: you can’t have a Juego if your cards add up to 39 or 38 points. It’s just not possible. And if you have less than 30 points, sorry, no Juego for you! It’s a bummer, I know.
Oh, and by the way, if you happen to have a true 31 point Juego, you’re basically unbeatable according to the general rules. How awesome is that?
If we don’t bet on Juego, the side with the higher score wins: 3 stones for a 31-point Juego and 2 stones for any other Juego. The opponents don’t get any points in this case.
But if neither side has a Juego, we compete for the best Punto. A Punto is a hand with a total of 30 points or less. If we don’t bet on it, the player with the best Punto gets 1 stone, and the other side gets nothing.
Now, let’s talk about the betting. We have a round of betting for each category we just talked about. The betting starts with the “mano” and goes to the right. If all players pass, there is no bet on that category.
When it comes to Grande & Chica betting, we follow a strict routine.
The game begins with me, the “Mano.” I have two options – I can either pass (paso) or bet (envido). If I choose to pass, the player to my right can also pass or bet. If everyone passes, then the next category starts with me.
Bets in the game involve putting stones on the line, with a minimum of two. If a player simply says, “I bet,” it’s assumed that they are betting 2 stones. Once someone makes a bet, the opponents have three choices:
– They can fold (No Quiero). This means they give up on that category and lose 1 stone.
– They can see (Quiero). This means they bet the same amount and agree that the player with the best hand will win the stones.
– They can raise (Reenvido). This means they increase the stakes.
So, there you have it! That’s how the game starts and the options available to you when it’s your turn to bet.
In a disagreement, partners can engage in discussions and decide on their next move. To indicate surrender, a partner can simply say, “we fold” or “we see,” among other phrases.
If one team decides to fold, the other team automatically wins 1 stone. However, if the bet is seen, the scoring is postponed until the showdown. To increase the bet, a team can raise it by at least 2 stones. Once a team raises, the opposing team must choose to fold, see, or raise the bet even further.
The betting round continues until one side folds or decides to see the final raise. If a partnership chooses to fold, the opposing team gains the number of stones that were initially staked in the first raise.
Betting in Pares & Juego
The process of betting in the final two rounds, known as Pares & Juego, is slightly different from what was described above.
Before we start betting on Pares, let’s make sure everyone is on the same page. Each player needs to speak up and let us know if they have Pares or not by saying either “yes” or “no.” If at least one player from each team says yes, then we can proceed with a round of betting. The betting process will be the same as what we did for Grande and Chica.
Now, if only one team has Pares, there’s no need for betting. We will score them at the end, so no worries.
Moving on to Juego, we need everyone to declare if they have a Juego. Again, if at least one player from each team says yes, we will proceed with a round of betting, using the same procedure as before. But if only one team has a Juego, there’s no need for betting. We will score it at the end.
If everyone says no to Juego, then we won’t score it, and we’ll move on to the competition for Punto. The betting procedure for Punto will be the same as before, so you know what to do.
Now, let’s talk about Órdago.
An órdago is a unique kind of bet – an instant proposal for a showdown. It’s like putting all your chips on the table and betting on one category. This can happen at any point during the game, in any of the four betting rounds. The other players can either fold and lose the category, or they can agree to a showdown that will determine the winner of the game. The word “órdago” comes from the Basque language, where it means “here it is.”
Now, let’s talk about the showdown and how the scoring works. Once the final round of betting is over, all four players reveal their hands, and the scoring begins. This is done in the same order as the betting rounds.
If any player folds during the betting round, their hand is not scored any further. They lose whatever stones they had bet during that round. But if all the players stay in the game, their hands are compared to see who has the best hand in the chosen category. The player with the best hand wins the number of stones that were bet during the órdago.
So, in a nutshell, an órdago is a high-risk, high-reward move where you bet everything on one category. It can turn the tide of the game, but it’s a gamble. If you have a strong hand and you’re feeling confident, an órdago might be just what you need to come out on top. Will you take the risk?
Scoring – Pares
When one team decides to fold during the betting, the other side emerges victorious, regardless of the strength of their hand. They also earn points based on the value of their pares, as outlined in the point system mentioned earlier.
If the betting rounds come to an end with a seen bet, the players compare their hands, and the team with the best pares wins the agreed stake PLUS the value of the pares.
In the case where there is no betting, hands are compared, and points are awarded using the same scoring method mentioned earlier: Par Simple: 1 stone, Medias: 2 stones, Duples: 3 stones.
Scoring – Juego or Punto
Imagine a game where the outcome is determined by the folding of one side. That’s similar to how scoring works in this game. When one side folds, the other side emerges victorious and claims the stones. It’s like a strategic dance where each move matters.
Now, let’s talk about betting. If there’s betting involved and one side folds, both players on the winning team get their fair share of stones. How many stones, you might ask? Well, for a 31-point Juego, it’s three stones. For any other Juego, it’s two stones.
But what happens when the betting round comes to an end and a bet has been seen by all players? It’s time to score! If there’s a Juego involved, the team with the Juego not only takes the stake, but also gets the value of both Juegos in their hands. However, when it’s Puntos being scored, the winner takes the stake plus one stone.
Now, let’s Keep Score!
If you wanna keep score, you’ll need 22 small stones or any little things you can find. Just put them in a bowl or saucer in the center of the table. Those stones are gonna be used for scoring. Now, we gotta decide who’s gonna score the ones, which are also called “piedras,” and who’s gonna handle the fives, also known as “ammarroacos.”
Here’s a little trick for you: when the player with the fives has 7 stones, or 35 singles, they gotta give a heads up to the other players by saying “dentro.” That means they’re only 5 points away from winning. It’s like a warning, you know?
THE SECRET SIGNS
You wanna know some secret signs? Partners can actually use these signs to let each other know what they have in their hand when the opponents aren’t paying attention. It’s like a sneaky little trick. Here are the most common signs, but they might be different depending on who you’re playing with.
If you close both your eyes, that’s a sign that you got some bad cards. Not good, right? But hey, that’s part of the game.
Now, if you bite your lower lip, that means you got 2 Kings. If you do it twice, that means you got 4 Kings. Secrets, secrets! Only you’ll know what it means.
Hey, let me share some cool body language tips with you. You know, body language can sometimes be like a secret code. It’s fascinating how our gestures and expressions can say so much without us even uttering a word. I find it truly intriguing!
So, here are a few interesting body language signals and what they might mean:
1. If I show you the tip of my tongue and say “2 Aces, twice for 4 Aces,” it means I have a clever trick up my sleeve. Something impressive is about to happen, so keep your eyes peeled!
2. Watch out if I distort my mouth to one side and say “you have medias.” That means I have something sneaky planned. I’m up to no good, and you better be on your guard!
3. Now, if I raise my eyebrows and tell you “you have duples,” it means you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Something unexpected and exciting is about to come your way!
4. And finally, if I give you a playful wink and say “31 point Juego,” it means you’ve hit the jackpot! You’ve done something extraordinary, and it’s time to celebrate!
Isn’t it amazing how our bodies can communicate so much? Next time you encounter these signals, remember their hidden meanings. They might just add a little mystery and excitement to your day!