Hypothetically Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Goal
• Components
• Setup
• Gameplay
  • 1. Draw & Choose
  • 2. Give Clarification (Optional)
  • 3. Write a Number in Secret (Simultaneous)
  • 4. Reveal
  • 5. Score
  • 6. Pass the Turn
• Winning the Game
  • Ties
• Example Turn
• Clarifications & Extra Notes

Overview

In each round of Hypothetically one player answers a specific prompt about themselves like, "How many chickens have you seen in your lifetime?". Everyone else secretly writes the number they think that player will answer. When everyone is ready, reveal and score based on who gets closest to the player's revealed answer.

Goal

Collect the most points at the end of 2 (or more) rounds.

Components

• 190 Scenario Cards (+10 Game Night cards)
• 6 Whiteboards
• 6 Markers
• 25 Point Tokens

Setup

1. Give each player a whiteboard and marker. If you have more players than whiteboards, a calculator app works well!
2. Shuffle the Scenario Cards into a face-down deck.
3. Choose a starting player by any method, or by the most recent person to have seen a chicken (hypothetically speaking).

Gameplay

On your turn, you are the Subject. The other players are the Guessers.

1. Draw & Choose

Draw the top card. Read both scenarios silently, pick one, then read it aloud. For Example: "How many chickens have you seen in your life?"

Don't like either prompt? Draw another card! It's not that serious.

2. Give Clarification (Optional)

The Subject may give reasonable context and Guessers may ask brief clarifying questions about the scenario. You may also specify the units you are using (ie… meters, miles, feet, years, etc…)

• Example clarification questions:
  • Are these unique chickens?
  • Are you only counting alive chickens?
  • Do eggs count?

3. Write a Number in Secret (Simultaneous)

If you're the Subject, secretly write your honest best guess at the answer. If you're a Guesser, secretly write the number you think the Subject will write. (Not how many chickens you have seen, how many chickens they think they have seen).

4. Reveal

Guessers reveal their numbers first. The Subject reveals their answer last.

5. Score

The Guesser with the closest answer is awarded 1 point. If one or more guesses exactly match the Subject's answer, each exact match takes 3 points instead. No other Guessers receive points this turn. The Subject also receives 3 points. This is the only way a Subject can score points.

• At 6+ players: The two closest answers are awarded 1 point each.
• At 10+ players: The three closest answers are awarded 1 point each.

If players are tied for closest, each tied player is awarded a point. Friendly ties!

6. Pass the Turn

The player to the Subject's left becomes the new Subject. Repeat from Step 1.

Winning the Game

Play until all players have had two turns. The player with the most points wins.

Ties

If players are tied, share the victory! If that's not acceptable to your group, remember… it's not that serious. But if you insist… play one more turn, choosing a player who is not tied to be the Subject. Whichever tied player is closest to the Subject's answer is the winner. If tied again, share the victory (hypothetically speaking).

Example Turn

1. Prompt: "How many chickens have you seen in your life?"

2. Subject Writes Answer Secretly: Subject (Ari) thinks for a second, remembers a farm visit, a county fair, and a handful of road-trip sightings, and secretly writes 18.

3. Questions and Guesses: After clarification questions for Ari, the group writes their answers down.

   • Ben: 12, Casey: 19, Dani: 14, Eli: 7

4. Reveal: Subject (Ari) reveals his answer 18.

5. Scoring: Casey's guess is the closest so they are awarded 1 point. The others score nothing this round.

Clarifications & Extra Notes

• Zeros & Negatives: Using zero is fine, but negative answers usually aren't unless the prompt makes it sensible.
• Big Numbers: Use whole numbers by default. You may specify if you are rounding, or using decimals if you wish. (ie… I'm rounding to the nearest 10)
• Running Out of Tokens: If you run out of point tokens, use tally marks on your board or keep track another way.
• Rounding & Units: Some prompts provide units or rounding suggestions. Feel free to use these, or clarify your own units or rounding rules.
• Table Etiquette (and Fun)
  • Play honestly. You're guessing their self-reported answer, not objective truth.
  • Talk it out. Light banter and quick questions are part of the fun.
  • Keep it moving. If the guessing or clarification questioning drags, a Subject may count down from 10 seconds. You may consider playing with a 30 second timer.