How to Play Taboo Game Rules and Instructions Guide

How to play Taboo game rules and instructions guide to get your game started quickly.
Find out about Taboo

Players: 2 to 6 | Game duration from: 60 mins | Game Complexity: EASY How to play Taboo rules in simple steps Taboo rules pdf / rulebook

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What is Taboo Game about?

The objective of Taboo is to score the most points by guessing the most words.

Setting up a Taboo game.

Place Buzzer and Timer within reach of everyone.
Fill card holder with cards
Divide players into 2 teams (Team A and B)

How do you play Taboo Game?

How do you play Taboo? In this game, you have to score the most points by guessing the most words. A clue giver draws a card and provides clues to the word to say. However, the clue giver must make sure their team does not say any taboo words listed on the card.

Team A chooses a ‘Clue Giver’.

Team A chooses one person to be the ‘Clue Giver’.
The cardholder sits in the opposite direction from their team.
The Clue Giver’s teammates are not allowed to see the cards as they will be the ones guessing the word.

Team B controls the buzzer.

Team B sits beside or behind the Clue Giver and controls the buzzer.

The Clue Giver draws top card and gets their team to say the word

The round begins with the Clue Giver placing the top card onto the easel, along with turning the timer. Clue Giver says words or phrases to try and get their team to say the word on the top of the card.

Team A completes the turn.

The turn ends for team A if there is a correct guess or the timer runs out.

Team B now chooses a clue giver and takes their turn

The game alternates to Team B having a Clue Giver, and the game continues until all players have been the Clue Giver.
(If there is an odd amount of players, one person from the team with fewer players will be the Clue Giver twice). All cards that are in the discard pile or on the easel are removed from play.

How do you win a Taboo game?

Points are earned from the number of cards you have guessed
Each correctly guessed card is left on the easel until the end of the time.
The number of cards on the easel is the final total for that Clue Giver.
Points are lost if you get buzzed or you pass the card.
During the round, the clue giver may choose to pass the card. These cards are placed in the discard pile.
Cards placed in the discard pile are added to the opposing team total.
Record points on the scorepad for both teams each round.
If there are no more cards available, reshuffle the deck and use the purple side.
When everyone has had their turn to be the Clue Giver, the scores are added up and a winner is decided. In the case of a tie, both teams choose one person to be the Clue Giver for one more round to determine the victor

Rules for the Clue Giver

  • None of the Taboo words listed underneath the guess word is allowed to be said.
  • No hand gestures or sound effects may be used
  • You cannot say the guess word sounds like or rhymes like with another word.
  • No part of ANY word can be said. e.g/ If the guess word is spaceship, you cannot say space or ship; If a Taboo word is drink, you cannot say drunk.
  • Initials and Abbreviations cannot be used for any word
  • With the opposing team watching the card of the Clue Giver, if any of the rules are broken, the buzzer is sounded by the opposing team explaining why. By doing this the card now becomes dead, placing it in a discard pile and a new card is drawn continuing the game.
  • The Clue Giver’s turn continues until the timer runs out and all cards in the easel and discard pile are placed out of the game.
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