Games - Spoof

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	Games - Spoof

The game of Spoof is a game designed to pick someone for an unpopular task, such as buying the next round of drinks.

Any number of players can play, although it can get hard with more than ten (and the penalty for losing may be excessive). Each player needs three small objects, typically small coins.

The players stand or sit in a rough circle so that everyone can see everyone else's face. Each player holds his or her hands concealed from the other players and places zero, one, two, or all three of his or her small objects in one hand, closing the fingers round the objects to hide them and to make a fist. As each player does this they hold out the fist that hides their chosen number of objects, and take it in turns to guess the total number of objects concealed in the outstretched hands.

No player is allowed to guess the same total as anyone else, so it may be an advantage to go first. On the other hand, hearing previous calls can give you a clue to the correct total. The first call should rotate round the circle on each turn.

When everyone has called a number, all the players reveal their objects. If any player has called the correct total then they drop out, and the rest of the players continue to another round. The last player remaining in the game is the one required to do the unpopular task.

The call of "Spoof!" is sometimes used to mean "zero".

The minimum possible total is zero on each round, and maximum possible total is three times the number of players in the round. If a player calls an impossible total, either accidentally or deliberately, he or she is required to call a possible number.

It is vital that no one gives any visible signals at Spoof, and that objects do not clink in your hand as you hold them as this reveals that you are holding at least two objects.

This game is unrelated to that invented by the music hall and pantomime actor Arthur Roberts.

Spoof is also played in an tournament situation. In such a tournament, participants are divided into 'schools' of a number so that there are an even number of players in a school. The school then plays seven rounds of spoof. The first winner gets points as to how many players there are. For example, if there were 4 participants in the school, in the first round, the player first out gets 4 points, the second player out gets 3 points, and then the third gets 2 and loser gets 0. This goes on through seven rounds and at the end the person with the highest number of points wins. Depending on the number of participants there will then be quarter finals, semi finals and a final. The winners of the semi final play off in the final and the losers play off for third.

Some International Spoofing Rules

1. The names of all those participating are randomly drawn and schools of requisite size(s) formed.

2. The School will from in the order the names were drawn, each spoofer standing to the left of the spoofer drawn immediately beforehand. The school will form in an approximate circle, the spoofer whose name was drawn last standing to the right of the spoofer whose name was drawn first in that school. A table may be placed in the middle of the school, if desired, for the placement of refreshments, etc.

3. The first name drawn in each school will bring the school to order and spin a dead match to determine who should start or nominate

4. Spoofers must use 3 coins only for the purposes of spoofing, the value or country of origin of the coins is irrelevant, however etiquette decrees that the coins be of equal size.

5. The dead match will be spun as described above, the spoofer to whom the dead match points (or most nearly points) may choose to either commence spoofing or nominate another in the school to commence. After the opening call, spoofing continues in a clockwise direction until all spoofers in the school have called.

6. No spoofer may select in any one spoof, a call previously chosen by another member of that school

7. No spoofer may call an “Impossible Call” i.e. a call that is impossible taking into account the number of spoofers in the school, the calls already made and the number of coins in his hand. In the event of an “Impossible Call” being called, the spoofer responsible shall provide a bottle of port for the consumption of all those attending the Championship.

8. Any spoofer accusing another spoofer of making an impossible call and the accusation subsequently proving to be incorrect shall himself forfeit a pottle of port. 9. In the event of a spoofer being unable to call a valid total taking into account the number of spoofers in the school, the calls already made and the number of coins in his hand he must call “The Cawood Pass” failure to do so will result in a fine of a bottle of port.

10. When all the spoofers in the school have called, the hands are displayed and the total counted in a clockwise direction, starting with the opening call. The spoofer who has correctly calculated the total number of coins held in all the hands drops out and keeps the score for the remained of that round. New Zealand tradition dictates that the second man out attends to the drinks for the school. In the even of no spoofer calling the correct total, the school will re-spoof, but the spoofer standing immediately to the left of the spoofer who previously opened the calling will make the first call. 11. Points are scored as follows, the first spoofer out scores points equal to the number of spoofers in the school, the second spoofer out scores points equal to the number of spoofers in the school less one, and so n except the loser always scores zero.

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Games - Spoof

Some International Spoofing Rules

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