Mafia — Rules of the Game

Overview

Classic Mafia is a team-based intellectual-psychological game. Ten players sit around a table, each dealt a secret role. A single host (the judge) runs the game. Mystery Games plays the classic ruleset only — no exotic or custom roles.

Roles & Teams

Win Conditions

• Red wins when all three black players are eliminated.
• Black wins when the number of black players equals or exceeds the number of red players at the table.

Game Phases

Setup

Players sit at numbered seats 1–10. Masks on, role cards drawn face-down. Phones go into the hat in the center of the table.

Night 1 — Agreement

All mafia members wake together for one minute. No speaking — the Don uses gestures to assign the shooting order. Then the Don and the Sheriff each wake alone for 10–20 seconds.

Day Phase

• Each player gets exactly one minute to speak.
• Day 1 starts with seat #1. Subsequent days the starting seat rotates.
• During your speech you may nominate one candidate: "I nominate player number…"
• The host responds "Accepted."
• End your speech with "Pass" or "Thank you."

Voting

• Voting proceeds in the order candidates were nominated.
• Cast a vote with a fist and raised thumb on the table (~1.5–2 seconds).
• Each player votes once, against one candidate. Silence counts as a vote against the last nominated candidate.
• Day 0 (zero circle): if only one candidate is nominated, no vote is held.
• Majority wins — the condemned player gets a last minute and leaves the game. The role is not revealed.
• Car Crash (tie): each tied player gets 30 extra seconds, then a revote. If still tied, the host asks the table whether all tied players should leave. Majority yes — all tied leave. Otherwise no one leaves.

Night (Round 2+)

1. Shot. Host counts through seats 1–10. Mafia silently point to their target. Unanimous pointing = kill. Disagreement = miss.
2. Don's check. The Don points at a number. The host nods yes or no — is this the Sheriff?
3. Sheriff's check. The Sheriff points at a number. The host signals thumb up (red) or thumb down (black).

Morning

• A killed player gets a last minute to speak.
• A player killed on Night 1 has the right to a "best move" — name three numbers of suspected black players.

Fouls

Fouls are given for:

• Speaking outside your designated minute
• Gesticulating during the night
• Using the word "honestly"
• Touching other players

Escalation:

• 3 fouls — loss of speaking rights for one minute (you may still nominate).
• 4 fouls — immediate removal from the game without a last word.

Instant disqualification:

• Profanity, oaths, insults
• Betting or wagering
• Peeking during the night
• Crying at the table

Forbidden

• Falsely claiming to be the Sheriff when you are not a red player. (This is a black-only tactic — "false sheriff".)
• Showing your role card.
• Using your phone during the game. It is in the hat.