UFF-DA and Ay Caramba! Games Rules

The UFF-DA and Ay Caramba! Games

Both UFF-DA and Ay Caramba! are a Dominoes/UNO like number sequence matching game, for ages 7 and up. These Family Games are designed to promote personal game playing interactions with:

"Friendly Face to Face Family Fun”

These games are played using the characteristic verbal expressions of “UFF-DA!” for the Scandinavia version and “!Ay Caramba!” for the Hispanic version of the game.

The penalties are well defined in the game rules, but they can be ignored, for the benefit of less experienced players, if all players agree not to enforce the penalties. A detailed game description and the score sheets are available online at the UFFDA.CARDS website under the Game Play tab.

The object of the game is to have the lowest point score total at the end of the 10th and final round. Bonus points are awarded and subtracted from the winning player’s score at the end of each round. The bonus points are progressive, i.e. they increase by 5 for each round. The 1st round winner is awards -5 bonus points, the 2nd round -10 etc… the 10th -50 bonus points.

 UFF-DA! and Ay Caramba! Game Rules:  

  1. Each player draws a card from the deck, and the player with the lowest card total, deals and plays first.
  2. Place the 00 start card in the center with a coin for each player’s branch and one coin for the Free branch.
  3. Deal out 7 cards for 2 to 4 players, 6 cards for 5 players, 5 cards for 6 players and 4 cards for 7 or 8 players.
  4. Place the remaining draw cards face down on the table, branches with coins are open to all players.
  5. Match your branch to remove your coin and protect your branch, or draw a card, then say Next or Próximo.
  6. A coin/moeda  removal is not required, but a coin/moeda cannot be removed after saying Next or Próximo when your turn is over.
  7. Players don’t have to play a card but must draw a card if they don’t play a card, then say Next or Próximo.
  8. The Free branch can be started only after all player’s branches have been started.
  9. A coin/moeda must be placed on your branch after drawing a card and not playing a card on any branch.
  10. Say “Coin or Moeda '' to catch the coin penalty and force a coin/moeda placement, a tie goes to the Catcher closest to the Catchee in the clockwise direction.
  11. Penalties must be caught before the next player's turn is over, and the Catcher gives the Catchee one penalty card.
  12. Say UFF-DA or Ay Caramba out loud when your next-to-last card is played or risk a penalty.
  13. Say UFF-DA or Ay Caramba to catch this penalty, a tie goes to the Catcher closest to the Catchee.
  14. A double card splits a branch and is laid across a branch, it is a two-card play, or draw a card.
  15. Both sides of a double-card must be filled before normal play can resume, a forced double-card draw gets no coin.
  16. If a double-card is your last-card-played, you must draw an additional card and say UFF-DA or Ay Caramba for the drawn card.
  17. If no draw cards are available on a last-card-double, the round is over, and the bonus points are awarded.
  18. The first player out of cards wins the bonus points -5 pts 1st, -10 pts 2nd, -15 pts 3rd, etc... -50 pts for the 10th round.
  19. If all the draw cards are taken, and no cards can be played on the table, the bonus points are terminated.
  20. The player with the least points in a terminated round deals the next round, i.e. next card 1/1, 2/2, 3/3...9/9.
  21. Total the player’s points after each round, the player with the lowest score after 10 rounds wins the game.

 

UFF-DA and Ay Caramba game penalty descriptions:

The UFF-DA/Ay Caramba games use the out loud declarations of Coin/Moeda and UFF-DA/Ay Caramba to identify two penalty conditions. The game starts with one coin/moeda placed on the 0/0 start card for each player’s branch. A coin/moeda can be removed only by playing a card on your own branch. A coin/moeda removal is optional and must be performed before saying “Next/Próximo”, i.e. while it is still your turn. A coin/moeda cannot be removed from your branch after saying “Next/Próximo”! A coin/moeda can only be placed on your branch when no card is played on any branch.

Each player must say "Next/Próximo“ out loud to identify when their turn is over. You are at risk of receiving a Coin/Moeda penalty card, and a forced coin placement, if you have not played a card on any branch, and you say “Next/Próximo” without placing your coin on your branch! The “Coin/Moeda” penalty must be caught before the next player's turn is over. Hence, the importance of saying “Next/Próximo”!

Each player must say “UFF-DA/Ay Caramba'' when playing their second-to-last-card, or risk receiving a penalty card from another player. The forgetful player is caught when another player says “UFF-DA/Ay Caramba” outloud to them while they are holding only one card. The penalty must be caught before the next player's turn is over. The UFF-DA penalty cannot be enforced after the next player says “Next/Próximo”. Hence, the importance of saying next indicating that one’s turn is over! A penalty catching ties go to the Catcher closest to the Catchee in the clockwise direction.

 Community/Free Branch

The Community/Free branch has a permanent coin and is open to all players. It can be started after all player’s branches are started. 

 UFF-DA/Ay Caramba strategies:

Pay attention, don’t forget to place your coin/moeda on your branch when you cannot play a card.  Don’t forget to say UFF-DA/Ay Caramba at the placement of your next-to-last card. Be the first player to detect and catch another player’s penalty and your card count will be reduced. 

The upper left corner of each card displays the two numbers that are on the card. Arrange your cards in their sequential playable order. Keep your card sequences intact. Try not to break a sequence by playing a card from the middle of a sequence. 

Early in a round, play a double on your branch as soon as possible, even if it means having to draw a card. It gives you a strategic advantage, especially when your coin has been removed. Never expand another player’s branch with a double card, unless you can go out on a two card play, as it gives them a strategic advantage. Towards the end of a round, when other players are close to their last card, save a double card to play on your protected branch just in case another player declares UFF-DA/Ay Caramba and you need to do a double card UFF-DA/Ay Caramba block.

When playing on your own branch, do not remove your coin if you can not play a card on your branch. When faced with multiple card plays, always play a card on a branch with a coin first, the coin may soon be removed or covered with another player’s card! 

 

The Hilarious “Double UFF-DA / Ay Caramba”

In a “Double UFF-DA/Ay Caramba '' The Catcher becomes the Catchee. When two or more players have only 2 cards left in their hands, and a penalty is caught resulting in a penalty card exchange. The Catcher is at risk of becoming the Catchee from a “Double UFF-DA/Ay Caramba” play. The Catcher must be sure to declare UFF-DA prior to releasing a penalty card from his hand to the Catchee’s hand and then having only a single card. This may result in a “Double UFF-DA/Ay Caramba” and the same penalty card being exchanged twice between the same two players. Watch for it, it is hilarious!