The Future-Telling Game: MASH

The Future-Telling Game: MASH

MASH, an acronym for: Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House, is a popular⁣ pen-and-paper ‌multiplayer game. Mash is usually played with 2 people, as only one player’s fortune can be told at each game.

Players come up with categories and options to fill in and take turns drawing spirals to determine their "magic number”, which they use to cross out options.

Players predict their future by crossing out options in different categories until one option is left in each category. Players continue crossing out options using their magic number until only one option remains in each category.

For e.g. You live in a shack with the king. You will be movie star, with a pet gorilla. You will live on the Moon.

How to Play:

Write "MASH" at the top of the page.
Choose your categories.
List 4 options for every category.
Find your magic number.
Strike out options until you're left with 1 result for each category.
Read out your results. 

Let's Go!

Write MASH at the top of a piece of paper.1. Decide what you want the game to predict and list them as categories on your paper. For e.g. housing, car, spouse, job, pet(s), salary, first child’s name. Make sure to leave enough room under each category to write 4 selections.

The Future-Telling Game: MASH

The Future-Telling Game: MASH

2. Each player writes down their 4 answers for each category. There will be 2 things they want and 2 things they don't want. Write them in a column under the category title.

3. Player 2 then begins to draw a swirl on a separate piece of paper. Player 1 will say "Stop" at a time they choose after at least 3 seconds, and player 2 stops and draws a line through the swirl from the endpoint to the starting point. They then count how many times the swirl intercepts the line drawn. This is the magic number you’ll use in the next step to reduce your options.

 Count how many times the swirl intercepts the line drawn. This is the magic number (Alternatively, player 2 will make tally marks instead of drawing a swirl. When player 1 says "Stop", player 2 stops drawing marks and counts them.

4. Start crossing off options using your magic number. Player 1 or 2 counts each item down the page (starting with the MASH), and crosses off the answer that they land on.

For instance, if four lines were counted in the swirl, every fourth answer is crossed off the list. This continues until there is only one item in each category. Each letter in the title is considered an answer and should be crossed off accordingly.

5. Keep counting, and every time you get to that magic number, cross out the option you landed on. When you get to the end of the categories, go back to the beginning.

When only one option is left in a category, this is Player 1's future. Repeat.

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