Mad Gab Game Rules

To be the first team to land on or pass the FINISH oval. Progress is made by correctly "hearing" the Mad Gabs.

GETTING READY TO PLAY

Unfold the board. Players divide into two teams. Each team select one playing piece and put it on the START oval.

MAD GAB CARDS

Each Mad Gab card has four Mad Gabs on it- two on each side. One side of the card has a green border and the other an orange border. The Mad Gab cards should be played through in the following order:

• Green side with the words Mad Gab the right way up.
• Green side with the words Mad Gab upside down.
• Orange side with the words Mad Gab the right way up.
• Orange side with the words Mad Gab upside down.

The "Green" Mad Gabs are generally easier than the "Orange".

When you read a Mad Gab the answer is at the top of the other side of the card.

READERS & STEALERS

Each turn a team member is nominated "the READER". At the same time one member of the opposing team is nominated "the STEALER". All players must take their turn at being READERS and STEALERS.

TO PLAY MAD GAB

• The team with the youngest player starts.
• The READER takes the first THREE Mad Gab cards from the box. Without looking at the answers to the three Mad Gabs themselves, they show the three answers to everyone in the opposing team, except the STEALER.
• Play begins when the timer is up-ended by the opposing team. The READER then reads out one of the three Mad Gabs to his team. The READER reads out the Mad Gab repeatedly, while his team members try to work out what phrase they are "hearing".
• Team members shout out suggested phrases, demand that the READER read faster or slower, ask for words to be emphasised and so on.
• When a team member shouts out the correct answer the opposing team immediately confirm that it IS correct and the READER moves onto the next Mad Gab card and repeats the process. When the timer runs out the turn is finished. At this point the STEALER has the opportunity to shout out the answer to any Mad Gabs that were read out but not solved. They score one point for each Mad Gab they solve.
• The READER counts the Mad Gabs solved by his team and moves their playing piece anti clockwise round the board by that number. The STEALER then moves his playing piece forward if he has scored any points. The three Mad Gab cards used during that turn are not put back in the box but rather put onto a discard pile.
• The instruction on the oval you land on is carried out on your NEXT turn. The instruction could be one of the following:

You have TWO run-throughs of the timer to solve THREE Mad Gabs. As soon as the sand has run out the opposing team turn over the timer to start the second run through. If the team solves all THREE Mad Gabs before the timer is turned their turn is over.

You get to take TWO normal turns one straight after the other. Add the two scores together for a possible total of 6. Remember to discard your first set of THREE Mad Gab cards and take THREE new ones before you start your second turn.

Whatever your score is at the end of your turn, double it and move that number of spaces.

The READER reads the THREE Mad Gabs to both teams. There is no STEALER and no-one sees the answers. The READER must decide if he thinks an answer being shouted out is right, then look at the answer to find out. If it IS right the READER puts the card in front of the team that won it then quickly reads the next Mad Gab. He continues until the timer runs out.

If the answer is wrong, that card is discarded and the READER reads the next Mad Gab. When the timer runs out each team moves their playing piece round the board by the number of Mad Gabs they have solved.

If one member from each team shouts out the answer to a Mad Gab at the same time the READER awards one point to each team.

During a "TO EVERYONE" turn the READER has the final decision on who solved a Mad Gab first.

Rather than taking THREE Mad Gab cards the READER takes FOUR Mad Gab cards from the pack. The turn is played as normal. The only difference is that the team has the opportunity to solve four Mad Gabs and score 4 points.

Rather than taking THREE Mad Gab cards the READER takes only TWO from the pack. The turn is played as normal. The only difference is that the team can only solve a maximum of two Mad Gabs and score 2 points.

In essence the opposing team gets to take two turns in a row. They have a turn, at the end of which they move their playing piece accordingly. Then, rather than waiting for you to take your turn, they immediately take another THREE Mad Gab cards from the pack (putting the previous three onto the discard pile) and have a second turn. After their second turn play reverts to you as normal. The only exception to this is if the opposing team land on a "Miss A Turn" oval after their first turn. If this happens play reverts to you.

If you land on a blank oval simply play your next turn as normal.

WINNING

The first team to land on or pass the FINISH oval is the winner.