How to Play Anomia

Setting Up the Game

Pick a single deck depending on the version of the game you have. Different versions of Anomia have different numbers of cards—the original has 2 decks, but other versions might have 3, 4 or 6. Just select one deck from the box to play with. If you play through your complete deck, you can choose a different one.

Shuffle the deck and split it. You should shuffle the playing deck about five or six times. Split the deck in two as evenly as possible. Place the two decks face-down on the playing table. Draw from either deck during the game. There should be two draw piles so that everyone at the table can reach one from their seat.

Vote on whether or not to follow the "no repeats" rule. An optional rule of Anomia is that the same answer can't be repeated for different face offs. If you give an example for one opponent's card, no players can repeat that same example for the rest of the game. It's important to discuss this option or have a vote between players before the game starts.

Playing the Game

Draw and reveal a card one at a time, starting with the dealer. When it's your turn, pick up a card from the deck at the center of the table. Flip it over face-up quickly as you place it down so everyone can see its face. Don't look at your card before you put it down. The person who shuffled the cards should go first. Put the card face-up in front of you. This is the beginning of your play pile. If you draw a card and the symbol on it doesn't match the symbols on any active cards, it is the next player's turn to draw. Players keep drawing until two players have a symbol match.

Watch for a symbol that matches the one on your card. Going in a clockwise direction around the table, have players draw cards one-at-a-time. Keep a close eye on each card that gets flipped up on the table. Be ready to think fast! If the symbol on your card matches another player's, you now have to "face off" with your opponent.

Face off by quickly shouting out an example from your opponent's card. When you have a symbol match, read the category listed on your opponent's card. Then, give an example of the category that's on their card before they can give an example of what's on yours. For instance, if your opponent's card says "Canadian city", you might yell out "Edmonton!"

Collect your opponent's card if you answer first and correctly. If you blurt out a correct example of the person, place or thing on your opponent's card before they come up with one for yours, you win the "face off." Collect your opponent's card and place it face down in a "winning" pile next to your play pile.

Start a cascade if the loser's next play card has a matching symbol. A cascade or reveal match occurs if the loser's next card now matches another player's symbol. A new face off immediately occurs. The cascade ends when there are no more matching symbols on the table. After all face-offs and cascades are over, resume normal game play by having the next player draw in sequence.

Place wild cards between the two play piles. Each Anomia deck has wild cards as well as category cards. Each wild card has two symbols on it, and these two symbols can also cause a face off. If you draw a wild card, place it face-up between the two draw piles. It will remain in the center of the table and will cause a face off whenever both symbols appear on the top of two player's play piles. If you draw a wild card, you're allowed to pick up another card after any face off rounds are done. Once a wild card is drawn, it stays in play until another wild card comes up to replace it. As game play continues, any two players with cards that match the wild card's symbols must face off with each other.

Do a tie-breaker if two players tie during a face off. In the event of a tie between you and another player, a third player should draw a card and flip it up onto the table. You and your opponent must both try to give an answer for that card. Whoever wins this tie breaker gets the loser's original card, and the tie breaker card gets shuffled back into a play deck.

Count the cards in your "winning" pile once the draw piles are empty. Play Anomia until the two draw piles are empty. At this point, count the cards in your "winning" pile. Whoever has the most cards wins.