What is Nine reverses?
In the standard game here the Ace reverses the direction of play: after it, play goes the other way round the table. With Nine reverses switched on, the Nine takes over that job and the Ace becomes an ordinary card that only follows suit or rank.
A Nine is played like any other card: on a card of the same suit or on another Nine. When it lands, the direction of play changes and the player who played before you is next. With two players there is no other way round the table, so a Nine, like the Ace in the standard game, acts as a skip and you play again.
The other action cards keep their roles: Sevens make the next player draw two, Eights skip and Jacks are wild.
Rule changes
| Rule | Standard Mau Mau | Nine reverses |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse card | Standard Mau MauThe Ace reverses the direction of play. | Nine reversesThe Nine reverses the direction of play. |
| The Ace | Standard Mau MauAn action card: it reverses the direction of play. | Nine reversesAn ordinary card, unless Ace skips is also on: then the Ace skips the next player. |
| With two players | Standard Mau MauThe Ace acts as a skip: you play again. | Nine reversesThe Nine acts as a skip: you play again. |
| Other options | Standard Mau MauThe 32-card deck, Ace skips, penalty points and no Mau penalty can be chosen. | Nine reversesNine reverses works with all of them. With Ace skips as well, the Nine reverses, the Ace skips and the Eight is an ordinary card. |
History
Mau Mau has no official rules, and the action cards are where house rules differ most. Regional variants include a Nine, an Ace or a Ten that reverses the direction of play. Published rule sheets differ too: a German-language sheet from Austria gives the reverse to the Ace, as the standard game here does.
In the Austrian and Bavarian game known as Neuner, the Nine is a wild card instead. That is a different rule and is not what this option does.