Team Malarky
This version allows for more than six players to participate. One team is handed the Concealing Folders and as in regular play, all but one will be holding a bluff card. Each player on this team of "givers" must present a unique answer to the Imponderable question.
It's up to the team of "receivers" to confer and to agree on one choice as a group. If the receivers are correct in identifying the real answer, they earn one point. If the givers fool the receivers, then the givers earn one point. The first team to gain seven points wins.
Mega-malarky
In this version of play, the player holding the card with the real answer may try to Malarky his or her way to additional points by not presenting the real answer but bluffing along
with everyone else. This is called a Mega-Malarky. The stakes are high though (three points), so the bluff had better be good. The player trying to pull Mega-Malarky still votes with the black chip, but simply presents the bluff answer instead of the real answer.
For example: Bob votes with his black chip. Did he present the real answer or is he trying to pull a Mega-Malarky? The player to the left of Bob starts by deciding if they believe Bob's answer.
If they do believe Bob, they say so and do nothing. If they do not believe Bob, they say "Malarky!" and place their black chip on top of their own colored chip in the center of the table. All other players then decide in the same fashion. Bob's Concealing Folder is examined for verification and...
Mega-malarky Scoring
If Bob is caught pulling a Mega-Malarky, all players who challenged him to earn three points while Bob has a total of three points deducted from his score.
If Bob did present the real answer, then all the players who challenged him to lose three points.
If Bob pulls a Mega-Malarky and no one challenges him (his bluff must have been pretty good!), then Bob earns three points plus one point for every vote he receives. Of course, anyone voting for a Mega-Malarky answer gets no points.
Mini-malarky
This version is similar to our tie-breaker play option. The Host reads a question aloud, and then presents either the real answer on the back of the game card, or presents a bluff.
Each player must decide whether they think the Host is bluffing (by voting with the black chip), or presenting the real answer (by voting with the Host's colored chip).
Mini-malarky Scoring
Players earn one point for voting correctly. The Host earns two points for any votes he or she receives when bluffing, but only one point for votes he or she receives when presenting the real answer.
The player with the most points after everyone has Hosted an agreed-upon number of times wins!
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