Tap the Table!
Tap the Table! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 116 cards in 5 different colours: 24 green, 24 pink, 24 blue, 36 yellow, 8 purple
- 30 tokens
Aim of the Game
In TAP THE TABLE! players take turns to propose aloud a solution that fits the criteria on the cards in the middle of the table. The criteria accumulate until an answer is declared void by the other players… who tap their fists on the table! (Yes, really!) Tokens are given out as penalties, and the player with the least tokens at the end of the game is declared the winner.
Setup
- Make a facedown deck of 32 cards by drawing at random 8 cards of each of the 4 colors (green, pink, blue and yellow).
The purple cards are only used in the Challenge variant (see the Challenge variant section below).
The card colors correspond to different categories (characteristics, size, context…).
- Shuffle the deck and place it facedown on the table. The remaining cards are returned to the box and will not be used for this game.
- The tokens are placed in a general supply within reach of the players.
- Designate the first player randomly. This player takes the deck, holding it facedown.
For the remainder of the rules, the active player is the player who is currently taking their turn and is holding the deck.
The game begins!
Playing a Turn
1. Revealing a New Card
The active player turns over the top card of the deck in their hand and places it in the middle of the table.
Important! You cannot have 2 faceup cards of the same colour in the middle of the table at the same time.
If the active player turns over a card that is the same colour as one already on the table, they place it on top of that card. The covered card is no longer taken into account. However, if the card turned over is a different colour, place it alongside the other cards. The number of criteria in the middle of the table will therefore increase.
This means that you cannot have more than 4 faceup cards in the middle of the table (or 5, if you are playing the Challenge variant: see the Challenge variant section below).
2. Active Player's Solution
The active player must propose one solution aloud that corresponds to the criterion/criteria on the card(s) in the middle of the table.
- The solution may be a single word, or a group of words.
- The solution must refer to something that actually exists and is a plausible answer.
- The solution must relate to each of the criteria shown, represent those criteria, and bring them to mind.
Example: With the criteria "Cold", "Easy to lift" and "On holiday" in the middle of the table, the solution "Ice cream" relates well to each of the three criteria: it's cold, easy to lift and definitely brings to mind holidays on the beach.
You are not allowed to propose a solution that someone has already said at any point during the game (or in any game, if you play several in a row), or any word that is derived from it. If the derived word is conceptually different, you may use it.
Examples from the rulebook (marked ✗ = directly derived from the original suggestion; ✓ = conceptually different from the original):
- Original "a stone": "a mill stone" ✗, "a cornerstone" ✗, "a plum stone" ✓.
- Original "a pen": "a felt-pen" ✗, "a ballpoint pen" ✗, "a pig pen" ✓.
You cannot use the wording on the cards in the middle of the table (or any words directly derived from them) in your solution.
Examples from the rulebook (✗ = not allowed, ✓ = allowed):
- "a yellow truck" ✗, "a truck transporting chicks!" ✓, "aeroplane noise" ✗, "wheeling a suitcase" ✓.
3. Changing the Active Player
The active player now passes the deck to their clockwise neighbor, which indicates that the active player has changed and the game continues.
That's if everything goes smoothly…
But watch out! A few things might happen during the active player's turn:
- The other players might reject the proposed solution by TAPPING THEIR FISTS ON THE TABLE.
- Another player might START A COUNTDOWN of 5 seconds to put pressure on the active player, and then propose their own solution.
Tapping Your Fist on the Table
If another player doesn't consider the active player's solution to be an acceptable solution, that player TAPS THEIR FIST ON THE TABLE once and then leaves their fist on the table in view of all the players.
If the majority of the other players (excluding the active player) also tap their fists on the table, then the active player must justify their proposed solution. Any players that are convinced by the active player's explanation can take their fists off the table.
If the majority of the other players still have their fists on the table, the active player must take 1 token from the general supply as a penalty. The next turn begins.
If not, the game continues as normal.
For 3-player games: In a 3-player game, both of the players voting must tap their fists on the table for the active player's solution to be rejected.
The active player must convince the other players that their solution fits, and can do so by any means. As they say: "The wilder the idea, the better!" If there is a dispute, the majority of players will always determine the outcome.
Example: The active player suggests "A LIPSTICK". Another player taps their fist on the table, because they think that lipstick is not always red. Three other players agree with that player and also tap the table with their fists. The active player defends their solution: "Red is the original color of lipstick." They manage to convince a few players, who then take their fists off the table. The active player does not receive a token and passes the deck of cards to the next player. The round continues.
Example: The active player suggests "AN AIR MATTRESS". One of the other players taps their fist on the table, because they don't think that an air mattress can be described as solid. All the other players also put their fists on the table. The active player tries to defend their proposed solution, but can't change the other players' minds. The active player receives a token, and the next turn begins.
Watch out if you decide to manipulate the outcome, because it will come back around… just like the role of active player!
Starting a Countdown
If a player wishes to propose a solution while the active player is still thinking, that player can START A COUNTDOWN aloud, tapping their fist on the table for 5 (complete) seconds to put pressure on the active player.
Editor's note: the printed text reads "5 (complete) seconds" here; it is transcribed as printed.
Important:
- A player cannot stop their countdown once they have started it. The countdown must be completed and that player must propose a solution (unless they are interrupted by the active player: see the next section).
- Once a countdown has been started, no one else can start a new countdown. However, the other players can join in with the countdown that is underway, by tapping their fists to the same rhythm!
- If two players start to count down at the same time, priority is given to the player with the most tokens in front of them. If this does not resolve the situation, then priority is given to the player who is closest to the active player, following the turn order.
Example: An opponent starts a countdown. The active player decides to interrupt the countdown and propose "SURFBOARD". The round continues as normal, with the active player passing the deck to the next player.
Example: An opponent starts a countdown. The active player decides to interrupt the countdown and propose "REFRIGERATOR". The majority of the players tap their fists on the table, because they think a refrigerator can smell. The active player receives 1 token from the player that started the countdown (if they have any) or, if not, from the general supply.
Interrupting a Countdown
The active player can propose a solution and interrupt the countdown. The other players can also tap their fists on the table if they think the proposed solution is not valid. The majority rule applies.
- If the solution is valid: The round continues as normal, with the active player passing the deck to the next player.
- If the solution is NOT valid: The active player receives 1 token from the player who started the countdown (if they have any) or, if not, from the general supply. The next turn begins.
Completing a Countdown
Once the countdown is complete, the player who started it must immediately propose their solution. The other players (excluding the active player) can also tap their fists on the table if they think the proposed solution is not valid. The majority rule applies.
- If the solution is valid: The player who started the countdown gives 1 of their tokens (if they have any) to the active player. If they don't have any, a token is taken from the general supply. The next turn begins.
- If the solution is NOT valid: The player who started the countdown is penalized for interrupting the game and must take 2 tokens from the general supply. The active player doesn't take a token. The next turn begins.
Example: The active player can't come up with a solution. Another player starts a countdown, which is completed. That player proposes "A SNOOKER BALL". The solution is valid, so the player who started the countdown gives the active player a token from their personal pile, or from the general supply if they don't have any. The next turn begins.
Example: The active player can't come up with a solution. Another player starts a countdown, which is completed. That player proposes "A BRICK". The majority of the players tap their fists on the table: "You can't fit a brick in your pocket." The player who started the countdown gets 2 tokens from the supply. The active player doesn't receive any tokens. The next turn begins.
Dance of the Fists
If the active player cannot come up with a solution in around thirty seconds and no one starts a countdown, the other players can start a Dance of the Fists to act as a timer, to end the turn and start a new one: each player gently taps their fist on the table, without stopping.
If the majority of the players join in the Dance of the Fists, the active player's turn ends: the active player receives 1 token from the general supply. The next turn begins.
New Turn
Each time a player receives a token, the cards in the middle of the table are permanently discarded. The active player passes the deck of cards to their clockwise neighbor, and a new turn begins.
Tip: It is a good idea to sort the discarded cards by colour, to facilitate the setup of your future games.
End of the Game
The game ends when all the cards in the deck have been played. Each player then counts up the number of tokens they have received, to find out where they placed. The player who has the fewest number of tokens wins the game. If there is a tie, the players share the victory, except in the Final Countdown variant.
You can also add up the points over several games.
Final Countdown Variant
If there is a tie at the end of the game, the victory is not shared, but is instead decided by playing a final round. Recreate the starting deck by shuffling the discarded cards.
Only the tied players can be active players, so only they can propose solutions and start a countdown. The other players will only be able to tap their fists on the table.
The player who has the smallest fist starts. If someone makes a mistake, the players do not take a token but are instead eliminated. The game continues until only one player is left. That player is declared the overall winner!
Challenge Variant
After playing several games, the players can decide to add extra challenge to the game by including the 8 purple cards in the deck when they set up the game. This will mean that the maximum number of criteria for this variant is 5. The rest of the rules remain unchanged.
The Spirit of the Rules
If there is any disagreement over the rules, you can resolve it by tapping your fists on the table. State the problem aloud and propose a clear solution. If the majority tap their fists, your solution is rejected; if not, your solution is accepted.