FOURNIER Mus Cards Game Tin Set
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€65.00
€65.00
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Beautiful Tin with Spanish playing cards deck and Mus amarracos, including rules of the game.
Mus is a popular Spanish game, of Basque origin. It is unusual in that although its mechanics - drawing cards and then betting on who has the best hand - are reminscent of gambling games like Poker, Mus is a partnership game which does not need to be (and usually is not) played for money. Mus is actually quite quick and straightforward to play, with a lot of scope for bluff and jokes. Rules of Mus
FOURNIER was founded in 1868. Since then, and after several prizes at Universal Exhibitions, they have become the worldwide reference in playing cards. They continue being the manufacturers of that deck of playing cards you have at home. Each detail was created by artist and experts in printing methods. Even nowadays it continues being like that. In fact, almost everyone has one deck at home and 95% of those are Fournier in Spain.
WORLDWIDE SHIPPING INCLUDED
Mus is most certainly the most popular Spanish card game there is, thanks to its unique appeal and special characteristics that make each match an exciting game.
Aim of the gameTo win eight Amarrakos (40 stones) in one or several partial games. It can also be played to six Amarrakos (30 stones).
Deck of cardsA 40 card Spanish deck is used.
Number of players: It can be played individually by two or more players up to a maximum of six, or between four or six, forming two opposing teams of two and three players respectively. The most interesting and most played match is the four player version, played in pairs, the rules of which are explained here.
Order and value of the cards: The order of the cards, from highest to lowest, is: king or three, knight, jack, seven, six, five, four and deuce or ace. There are no trumps or differences between the suits.
The value of the cards, in any of the four suits, is as follows: each king, three, knight or jack is worth 10 points; the other cards, their natural value represented by the pips, except the deuces, which, like the aces, are worth one point. The kings have the same value as the threes, and the deuces are equal to the aces, which is equivalent to playing with 8 kings and 8 aces. However, it can also be played using only 4 kings and 4 aces, in which case the threes and deuces retain their natural value.
Dealing the cards. Each player draws one card. The players with the highest cards play against those with the lower cards. Whoever drew the highest card is the “hand”, with their partner sitting opposite them and the opposing player who drew their highest card sitting on their right.
The player on the hand’s left, after shuffling the deck, offers it to the player on their left to cut, who when cutting has to lift more than 3 cards and cannot leave less than 3. Next, four cards are dealt to each player, one at a time, starting with the “hand”. The direction for dealing the cards, as well as play, is from left to right.
After the four cards have been dealt, each player studies the possibilities of their hand. The “hand” starts the game by choosing whether to play with their four initial cards, in which case they say “No mus” or to improve their hand by discarding, saying “Mus”
Each player in turn states whether or not they want to continue or discard in the same way. But as soon as a player, when their turn arrives, cuts the Mus by saying: “No Mus”, no one can discard and the “hand” starts play in the way described later.
In the first hand of each game, instead of saying “Mus”, each player who wants Mus can take the deck of cards and place it on their right. If none of the players cuts the Mus, the player who was “hand”, becomes the new dealer, giving each player the number of discarded cards. Finally, the player who cuts the Mus becomes the “hand” for that first hand.
If the dealer, when initially dealing out each partial game, accidentally reveals a card, there is forced “Seen Mus”, in which case the players can keep their cards if they wish, without discarding
Each partial game ends when all of the melds have been played. At the end of this hand, all players must show their cards so that there are no doubts about the pairs and disallowed cards, in order to settle the bets. A full game when, after playing the necessary number of hands, one of the teams reaches or exceeds a total of 40 stones or 8 Amarrakos. A full game also ends, without totting up scores, when a player accepts an “Ordago” (special bet), showing all the players their cards to see who wins
.
Note: If a very strong bet is made, even when it is much higher than the game’s 40 stones or 8 Amarrakos, and a player accepts it, the game is not yet won or lost and must continue to be played until the end. A Mus match is made up of 3 full games, with the first team to win 3 full hands of 8 Amarrakos winning the match.
DISCARD If everyone has said “Mus”, each player in turn discards the cards they do not want and the dealer gives them an equal number of new cards, which can be up to a total 4 cards. The “hand” starts, placing the cards face down on the table so they can not be seen. This discard can be repeated as many times as the four players wish.
When the deck runs out of cards without having been able to complete the deal, the discarded cards are collected up and shuffled, except when only one player needs cards, in which case their discard is left to one side and their cards are completed using the discards of the other players.
ANNOUNCING BETS Mus is not a trick winning game, in Mus each player must make the opposing players think that they hold the best cards, using the 4 cards that they hold and which are not shown until the end of each partial game. However, there are cases where a player will do the opposite in order to surprise their opponents and outplay them.
The “hand” is the first to announce whether they wish to pass, bet (two stones) or make a bigger bet, and each of the other players in turn must state if they pass, accept the bet or increase it.
The “hand” must announce the bets in the order already established: High, Low, Pairs, Game or No Game. In the Pairs bet, when a player’s turn arrives they say whether or not they have pairs, initiating the bets that, at least, one of the players in each team has Pairs. Game (Juego) is initiated in the same way, with each player in turning saying Game “Yes” or “No”. If no one has Game, bets are made between the players that wish to bet on the best No Game (No Juego).
A player can pass, without being eliminated, as long as no player before them has bet, being able to enter the game when it is their second time to speak, accepting or increasing the previous bets; however, if a player passes after a previous player has made a bet then they are definitely eliminated from that game.
WORDS USED DURING THE GAME
SIGNALS Players are not allowed to tell or show their partner what cards they hold. Nevertheless, since players have to hide the cards they are holding from their opponents, partners can pass information by means of signals and help each other during the game. The most commonly permitted signals are:
Scoring in the gamey
As each pair of players plays together, the score is common to both members, which is why the two of them usually both keep score, one scoring the stones and the partner the Amarrakos.
When the game begins, a saucer is placed in the centre of the table, which contains the stones necessary to play the match. The amount bet during each game is remembered and recorded at the end of each partial game. The “Dejes” are noted down as and when they occur.
At the end of each partial game, the players tot up their scores by announcing how many stones they have won and why. They then take as many stones as points that they got during that game, placing them in front of themself or their partner so it is clear to see who has what at all times.
When the player who counts the stones has five in front of them, they say: “One Amarrako” and their partner takes one stone, leaving the other four in the centre.
When, at the end of a partial game, a team has reached or surpassed 35 stones, one of them must say: “Adentro” (Inside) and then all of the Amarrakos are put back into the centre of the table. This is done to warn the opposing players that they are about to win the full game.
The value of the bets, in the order to be claimed, is as follows:
When a team needs very few stones to finish a complete game, they have to be especially careful with the bets or Órdago, and remember that the first thing claimed is the “No” or “Deje”, collecting stones from each player in the indicated order, with the first team to reach 8 Amarrakos or 40 stones winning the game.
Collection of the bets is governed by the following rules:
Value of the plays
Deje (bet not accepted)1 Stone
High during pass1 Stone
Low during pass1 Stone
Pair/strong1 Stone
Trios2 Stones
Double pairs3 Stones
Game2 Stones
Game of 313 Stones
No Game or Point1 Stone.
Aim of the gameTo win eight Amarrakos (40 stones) in one or several partial games. It can also be played to six Amarrakos (30 stones).
Deck of cardsA 40 card Spanish deck is used.
Number of players: It can be played individually by two or more players up to a maximum of six, or between four or six, forming two opposing teams of two and three players respectively. The most interesting and most played match is the four player version, played in pairs, the rules of which are explained here.
Order and value of the cards: The order of the cards, from highest to lowest, is: king or three, knight, jack, seven, six, five, four and deuce or ace. There are no trumps or differences between the suits.
The value of the cards, in any of the four suits, is as follows: each king, three, knight or jack is worth 10 points; the other cards, their natural value represented by the pips, except the deuces, which, like the aces, are worth one point. The kings have the same value as the threes, and the deuces are equal to the aces, which is equivalent to playing with 8 kings and 8 aces. However, it can also be played using only 4 kings and 4 aces, in which case the threes and deuces retain their natural value.
Dealing the cards. Each player draws one card. The players with the highest cards play against those with the lower cards. Whoever drew the highest card is the “hand”, with their partner sitting opposite them and the opposing player who drew their highest card sitting on their right.
The player on the hand’s left, after shuffling the deck, offers it to the player on their left to cut, who when cutting has to lift more than 3 cards and cannot leave less than 3. Next, four cards are dealt to each player, one at a time, starting with the “hand”. The direction for dealing the cards, as well as play, is from left to right.
After the four cards have been dealt, each player studies the possibilities of their hand. The “hand” starts the game by choosing whether to play with their four initial cards, in which case they say “No mus” or to improve their hand by discarding, saying “Mus”
Each player in turn states whether or not they want to continue or discard in the same way. But as soon as a player, when their turn arrives, cuts the Mus by saying: “No Mus”, no one can discard and the “hand” starts play in the way described later.
In the first hand of each game, instead of saying “Mus”, each player who wants Mus can take the deck of cards and place it on their right. If none of the players cuts the Mus, the player who was “hand”, becomes the new dealer, giving each player the number of discarded cards. Finally, the player who cuts the Mus becomes the “hand” for that first hand.
If the dealer, when initially dealing out each partial game, accidentally reveals a card, there is forced “Seen Mus”, in which case the players can keep their cards if they wish, without discarding
Each partial game ends when all of the melds have been played. At the end of this hand, all players must show their cards so that there are no doubts about the pairs and disallowed cards, in order to settle the bets. A full game when, after playing the necessary number of hands, one of the teams reaches or exceeds a total of 40 stones or 8 Amarrakos. A full game also ends, without totting up scores, when a player accepts an “Ordago” (special bet), showing all the players their cards to see who wins
.
Note: If a very strong bet is made, even when it is much higher than the game’s 40 stones or 8 Amarrakos, and a player accepts it, the game is not yet won or lost and must continue to be played until the end. A Mus match is made up of 3 full games, with the first team to win 3 full hands of 8 Amarrakos winning the match.
- BETTING IN MUS Each player, with their 4 cards, can make the following bets:
- High (Grande): Consisting in having the highest cards possible, according to their rank.
- Low (Chica): The opposite to the one above, consisting in having the lowest cards possible.
- Pairs (Pares): Having two or more equal cards.
- Pair (Par): when only 2 cards are equal.
- Trio (Medias): when 3 cards are equal.
- Double pair (Duples): Having 2 pairs.
- Game (Juego): A player has Game when the sum of the value of the four cards in their hand is 31 or more, the best Game being 31, followed by 32 and from here it jumps to 40, descending to 37, 36, 35, 34 and 33, which is the worst. The player with the best Game wins. If no player has Game, i.e., if the sum of the value of the cards in each players hand is less than 31, then the bet is to see who has the best Point (punto). The best Point is 30, dropping down to 4, which is the worst.
DISCARD If everyone has said “Mus”, each player in turn discards the cards they do not want and the dealer gives them an equal number of new cards, which can be up to a total 4 cards. The “hand” starts, placing the cards face down on the table so they can not be seen. This discard can be repeated as many times as the four players wish.
When the deck runs out of cards without having been able to complete the deal, the discarded cards are collected up and shuffled, except when only one player needs cards, in which case their discard is left to one side and their cards are completed using the discards of the other players.
ANNOUNCING BETS Mus is not a trick winning game, in Mus each player must make the opposing players think that they hold the best cards, using the 4 cards that they hold and which are not shown until the end of each partial game. However, there are cases where a player will do the opposite in order to surprise their opponents and outplay them.
The “hand” is the first to announce whether they wish to pass, bet (two stones) or make a bigger bet, and each of the other players in turn must state if they pass, accept the bet or increase it.
The “hand” must announce the bets in the order already established: High, Low, Pairs, Game or No Game. In the Pairs bet, when a player’s turn arrives they say whether or not they have pairs, initiating the bets that, at least, one of the players in each team has Pairs. Game (Juego) is initiated in the same way, with each player in turning saying Game “Yes” or “No”. If no one has Game, bets are made between the players that wish to bet on the best No Game (No Juego).
A player can pass, without being eliminated, as long as no player before them has bet, being able to enter the game when it is their second time to speak, accepting or increasing the previous bets; however, if a player passes after a previous player has made a bet then they are definitely eliminated from that game.
WORDS USED DURING THE GAME
- Mus. When a player says Mus it means that they wish to discard some or all of their cards.
- Pass. Means that the player does not wish to bet or that they are waiting to see what the other players will do.
- I Bid. Means that a player bets 2 stones.
- And me (bet).(envido). Es la réplica al “envido” apostando otras 2 piedras más.
- I Bid More (re-bet). This is the reply to “Bet”, in which the bet is doubled.
- OK. Indicates that the bet offered by another or other players is accepted.
- Not OK. Indicates that the bet offered by another or other players is not accepted.
- Órdago. Means that all of the stones or Amarrakos are bet at once, by which a full game of 8 Amarrakos is won or lost.
- Deje o no. The name of the stone that a player takes if no other player accepts their bet.
- Stone. The name of anything used to keep score of points; these are usually beans, chickpeas, small stones, coins …
- Amarrako. This represents the value of 5 stones.
SIGNALS Players are not allowed to tell or show their partner what cards they hold. Nevertheless, since players have to hide the cards they are holding from their opponents, partners can pass information by means of signals and help each other during the game. The most commonly permitted signals are:
- Bite your bottom lip. To indicate a player has 2 kings in order to play for a High To indicate 3 kings, one side of the bottom lip is bitten
- Show the tip of your tongue. To indicate a player has 2 aces in order to play for a Low. To indicate 3 aces, the tip is shown on one side.
- Twist your lips to one side . To indicate a Trio.
- Raise your eyebrows. To indicate a Double pair.
- Wink your eye. To indicate a player has Game (Juego) of 31 or the best No Game (No Juego), i.e., 30.
Scoring in the gamey
As each pair of players plays together, the score is common to both members, which is why the two of them usually both keep score, one scoring the stones and the partner the Amarrakos.
When the game begins, a saucer is placed in the centre of the table, which contains the stones necessary to play the match. The amount bet during each game is remembered and recorded at the end of each partial game. The “Dejes” are noted down as and when they occur.
At the end of each partial game, the players tot up their scores by announcing how many stones they have won and why. They then take as many stones as points that they got during that game, placing them in front of themself or their partner so it is clear to see who has what at all times.
When the player who counts the stones has five in front of them, they say: “One Amarrako” and their partner takes one stone, leaving the other four in the centre.
When, at the end of a partial game, a team has reached or surpassed 35 stones, one of them must say: “Adentro” (Inside) and then all of the Amarrakos are put back into the centre of the table. This is done to warn the opposing players that they are about to win the full game.
The value of the bets, in the order to be claimed, is as follows:
When a team needs very few stones to finish a complete game, they have to be especially careful with the bets or Órdago, and remember that the first thing claimed is the “No” or “Deje”, collecting stones from each player in the indicated order, with the first team to reach 8 Amarrakos or 40 stones winning the game.
Collection of the bets is governed by the following rules:
- High and Low If, at the end of the partial game, all the players pass without anyone betting, the player with the best High (Grande) takes one stone, and the player with the best Low (Chica) takes another stone. However, if a player bets and nobody accepts their bet, this player takes one stone by way of “Deje” (not accepting the bet), which immediately counts towards the score of the game.
- Pairs and Game. If, at the end of the partial game, all the players pass without anybody betting, the player with the best hand takes its corresponding value, adding these stones to any that may correspond to their partner. If a player bets and no one accepts their bet, a “Deje” stone is immediately taken, and at the end of the partial game the value of their hand is also taken, plus the value of their partner’s, even if their cards were worse than those of any other opponent.
- No Game. If everyone passes and there is no bet, the one with the best Point (Punto) takes a stone. If a player bets Point (Punto) and nobody accepts, a “Deje” stone is immediately taken and another can be taken for the Point at the end of the game, even if this was inferior to another player’s Point.
- • Any player who renounces a bet by not accepting it, loses all right to collect the bet, even when at the end of the partial game and after showing the cards it can seen that their cards were better. In any of the bets, the partner who has best cards wins, even if the one who made the bet or announced Órdago has worse cards than the opponent who accepted.
Value of the plays
Deje (bet not accepted)1 Stone
High during pass1 Stone
Low during pass1 Stone
Pair/strong1 Stone
Trios2 Stones
Double pairs3 Stones
Game2 Stones
Game of 313 Stones
No Game or Point1 Stone.
