Cows Can't Dance (But They Like to Be Asked!)
Cows Can't Dance (But They Like to Be Asked!) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Cows Can't Dance contains 54 cards:
- 7 bull cards
- 7 cow cards
- 6 Madame Fifi cards
- 4 lady and 4 gent dancer cards in each suit
- 2 make-your-own dancer cards
Before beginning the game, familiarize yourself with the cards. Set the make-your-own dancer cards aside for now. After you learn the game, review our suggestions for playing the make-your-own dancer cards.
Object
The object of the game is to score the most points. Earn one point for each pair of dancers you match, and two points for each pair of dancing cows and bulls.
The player with the most points wins.
Set-up
Players select a dealer. The dealer decides whether the game will be "cows ask" or "bulls ask" — whether cows get to invite bulls to dance or bulls get to invite cows.
The dealer shuffles and deals six cards to each player. The remainder of the deck is placed face down as the draw pile. Draw the top card and place it face up in the center of the table — the "dance hall." That card must be a dancer (either a lady or a gent). If the top card is a cow, bull, or Madame Fifi, return it to the middle of the deck and draw again.
Game Play
Play begins with the player to the left of the dealer and continues in a clockwise direction.
Each player's turn has the following sequence:
- Draw cards from the draw pile until you have six cards in your hand. (You won't need to do this on your first turn.)
- Pair as many cards as possible. Each time you make a pair, place it on the table in front of you.
You may not make pairs with two cards from your hand or with two cards from the center dance hall. You make pairs the following ways:
- pair two dancers of the same suit (one lady and one gent)
- pair one card from your hand with one card from the center dance hall
- pair Madame Fifi and one dancer (a lady or a gent)
- pair one Madame Fifi card from your hand with one dancer card from the center dance hall
- cut in on any pair of dancers on the table, even your own
- pair one cow and one bull
- pair one card from your hand with one card from another player's hand
- pair one card from your hand with one card from the center dance hall
You always pair dancers or Madame Fifi first, then cows and bulls. Pairing cows and bulls is always the last action before you discard.
- When you can't make any more pairs, discard one card to end your turn. Cards are not discarded into a pile — place them face up in the center dance hall.
Making Pairs of Same Suit Dancers
Match a dancer card from your hand with a dancer card from the center dance hall. Both cards must be from the same suit — one must be a gent and the other a lady.
Making Pairs with Madame Fifi
There are two ways to play the Madame Fifi card:
- Pair Madame Fifi with any dancer — a lady or a gent in any suit, but not a cow or a bull.
Match a Madame Fifi card from your hand with a dancer card from the center dance hall. Or, if a Madame Fifi card has been discarded, match a dancer card from your hand with a Madame Fifi card from the center dance hall.
- Cut in on any pair of dancers on the table, even your own.
When you cut in with Madame Fifi, you break up a dancing pair. Match a Madame Fifi card from your hand with a dancer card from any player's pair. Place the new pair (Madame Fifi and the dancer) on the table in front of you, then discard the remaining dancer card to the center dance hall. You may pair this dancer card with a new partner of the same suit from your hand, now or later, or another player may do it on his turn.
Once they are paired, no one may cut in on Madame and her dance student.
Making Pairs of Cows and Bulls
Cows and bulls may only dance by invitation. You may only pair one cow and one bull on each turn. Each time you make a pair, place it on the table in front of you. Since there are only seven cows and seven bulls in the deck, you won't be able to do this on every turn. Asking a cow or a bull to dance is always the last action before you discard.
If you have a cow or a bull in your hand, you may pair it one of two ways:
- Ask other players if they have a cow or a bull who would like to dance.
If you are holding a bull card in a "bulls ask" game, you may ask each player, starting with the player to your left, if he has a cow who would like to dance. If that player has a cow card in his hand, he must give it to you to pair with your bull. If he does not have a cow card, you may ask the next player, and so on. Whether you get a cow card or not, when you have asked each player, you must discard one card to end your turn.
Likewise, in a "cows ask" game, a player must give his bull card to the cow who asked for the dance.
- Ask a cow or a bull from the center dance hall if he would like to dance.
Sometimes you may choose (or be forced) to discard a cow or a bull to the center dance hall. If you are holding a bull card in a "bulls ask" game, you may invite a cow that has been discarded to dance. Match a bull card from your hand with a cow card from the center dance hall. But if a bull card has been discarded during a "bulls ask" game, it is out of play — the bull may no longer invite a cow to dance, since he is no longer in a player's hand.
In a "cows ask" game, simply reverse the rules.
How the table may look after a few rounds of play: (illustration in the printed rules: Player #1's dancing pairs; the dance hall with the draw pile; Player #2's dancing pairs.)
Ending the Game
The game ends when there are no cards left in the draw pile and all possible pairs have been made. Players continue to make pairs and discard until none of the players can make any more pairs. Set any unmatched cards aside and tally the score.
Scoring
Players score one point for each pair of dancers on the table in front of them (including Madame Fifi and her dance student), and two points for each pair of dancing cows and bulls. There is no penalty for unmatched cards. The player with the most points wins.
You may play a series of games, tallying the score from game to game. The player with the most points at the end of the series wins. If there is a tie, play a final game as the tiebreaker.
For Younger Players
For a simpler game, follow the standard rules of play with either of these modifications:
- Madame Fifi may not cut in.
Pair the Madame Fifi card from your hand with a dancer card from the center dance hall — a lady or a gent in any suit, but not a cow or a bull. Madame Fifi may not cut in on other pairs of dancers.
- Pair any two dancer cards of the same suit.
Match a dancer card from your hand with a dancer card of the same suit from the center dance hall. You may pair ladies with gents, gents with gents, or ladies with ladies.
Make-Your-Own Dancer Cards
To complete the make-your-own dancer cards, you may draw characters or paste photos or pictures on the blank cards. Choose a suit for your pair and add them to the game. If you like, play them as wild cards which can be paired with any dancer card from any suit. Pair them with a lady or a gent, but not a cow or a bull.