Mumchance: Silence and Strategy – Rules, Instructions & Playing Tips
Introduction
Mumchance is an interesting game I’ve cracked out at a couple of gatherings. It’s a dice game that’s been around for a while. People say it started in the 16th century. It’s a game of luck and skill, and it’s pretty fun once you get the hang of it.
The name “Mumchance” comes from the fact that players used to play in silence. It’s not as popular as some other games today, but it’s got a cool history and is worth learning.
Quick Tip for Mumchance
Always pay attention to the other players’ moves. It can tell you a lot about what dice they might have.
Rules for playing Mumchance
The rules for Mumchance are simple but need some explaining. Each player gets three dice. You roll your dice in secret, then bid on the total value of all dice on the table. You can bluff or tell the truth. The next player can either call your bluff or bid higher. If someone calls a bluff, all dice are revealed. If the bluff is true, the bluffer loses a point. If not, the caller loses a point. You keep going until someone runs out of points.
Equipment and Setup for Mumchance
You need three dice for each player and something to keep score with. Players sit in a circle and decide who goes first. Then, each player rolls one die to see who starts. The highest roll goes first.
How to Play Mumchance
- Key Game Mechanics: Roll dice, bid, call bluffs, score points.
- Setup: Each player gets three dice and a way to keep score.
- Gameplay: Roll in secret, bid, next player bids or calls.
- End of the Game: Game ends when someone loses all points.
How to Win at Mumchance
To win at Mumchance, you need a mix of luck and strategy. Know when to bluff and when to call others. Keep track of what’s been bid and use that to guess what others might have. It’s also about reading people and taking risks at the right time.
Best Strategies for playing Mumchance game
Good strategies include bluffing wisely, remembering past bids, and watching for patterns. Sometimes, it’s smart to bid low to make others think you have bad dice. Other times, you might want to surprise them with a high bid. It’s all about keeping them guessing.
Variations
There are different ways to play Mumchance. Some people play with more dice or different scoring rules. You can change it up to keep it interesting.
Scenarios
If you’re in a bad spot, like having low dice, you might want to bluff high to scare others. If you’re ahead, you can play it safe and make others take risks. It’s all about using the situation to your advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions about playing Mumchance game
- Q: How many people can play Mumchance? A: Usually 2-6 players.
- Q: How long does a game last? A: It can be quick, like 15-30 minutes.
- Q: Can kids play Mumchance? A: Yes, it’s good for ages 8 and up.
- Q: Do you need a special table to play? A: No, any flat surface works.
- Q: Is Mumchance only about luck? A: No, there’s a lot of strategy too.
Related Subtopics
Other things to know about Mumchance include how to keep score and how to deal with ties. You can use paper and pen for scoring, and if there’s a tie in bids, the last person to bid wins.
External Links
Tudor Times – Parlor Game History, including Mumchance
A digital native around since the early days of online gaming communities around 2001. An early contributor to the cult gaming site ClanTemplates, Adam has spent years giving free gaming resources to the community. With BoardCards, Adam is most experienced and commonly writing the articles on Strategy multi-player games like Settlers of Catan and Avalon. His first introduction to board games was via Mancala, an Egyptian-origin stone game and one of the oldest known games still played worldwide. Contact me via email
