How to play

The game of politics can be played in different ways and situations, as seen all over the world. Spin Machine is the same and has as many different ways of playing as you can think of. Here is the default in brief:

House of Commons

1. Take off any armour you’re wearing, and sit two sword-lengths apart if possible. 

2. Each round, one player (the Speaker of the House) reads a problem, and the others respond using a solution card within the time limit. 

3. The best earns the card and a point, and the Speaker of the House rotates.

4. The player with the most points at the end becomes the new Prime Minister and wins.

Here is the House of Commons mode in a bit more detail:

1. Each round, one player is the Speaker of the House and turns over & reads out a problem card. Decide on the first Speaker of the House however you wish

2. Going around the circle, a player draws two solution cards and chooses one of them to act on, showing the other players. 

3. The player then imagines themselves in the House of Commons and improvises a response to the speech using their selected card. They begin by addressing the Speaker of the House (“Mr Speaker/ Madam Speaker/ etc.”), at which point the Speaker of the House starts a 30-second timer.

4. Everyone shows their support with loud and impassioned babbling when time is up. 

5. Then the next player takes their turn until everyone has had their chance. 

6. In the end, the Speaker of the House judges whose speech was the ‘best’, awarding that player the problem card, which doubles as a point. 

7. The Speakership of the House rotates around the circle, and the next round begins. 

8. Continue as long as you’d like, or until a player reaches a majority of the problem cards.

 Note

All of these are suggestions, but you make the rules. Feel free to change anything so that you enjoy the game more (or less, if you want to…).

If you’ve adapted the rules and you think others should enjoy it, post it below. If we like it, we’ll post it on the website, and credit you where possible, so that others can try the same.

Suggested add-on rules & other ways of playing

Rebuttal

Each player can offer a rebuttal to another player within a given round. Once a player's time is up, others have the chance to ask a question on the active player. The active player then has 30 seconds to reply and counter their argument. This can be done initially by arguing against what was said, but you can also draw cards to inspire rebuttals.

House of Lords

There is no Speaker of the House. Instead, players turn over the problem as a group and vote for the ‘best’ solution given at the end. If there is a tie, the players further speak on the same issue by drawing another two solution cards and taking another turn. Continue until there is a winner.

Political Party HQ

Players are based in a small room in political party headquarters (the “Spin Room”) and are tasked with burying problems that might hurt their party. Problems and solutions are effectively switched, so a solution card is turned over, and players draw two problem cards and have 30 seconds to give their speech ask why their chosen problem should be buried using this solution.

Filibuster Speeches

30 seconds is nice, but why save time by succinctly making a point when you can speak for even longer? Extend the speech time to 1 minute or longer;  be sure to agree on a time point before the end to say “Order!” to help players mark time.

Note: it can be challenging to improvise a speech for a long time. Best to play Spin Machine using the 30 second time limit before building up to greater speech lengths.

Mega Mind

Instead of drawing two solution cards & selecting the best one, start the game with a hand of 4 (or any desired number) solution cards, and draw one into your hand at the start of your turn. Then choose which from your hand to play, and continue your game as usual.

Note: it can be challenging to decide on which card to play when you’ve got a lot in your hand. This psychological phenomenon is known as Overchoice. Best to play Spin Machine with fewer cards to choose from first before building up to keeping a greater number of cards in your hand.

Sharing is caring

Place some solution cards on the table (5 or so will do), which everyone can access. Each turn, after drawing a single solution card, use either this card or one of the solution cards in the pool. If choosing a card from the pool, replace it once the turn is over.

Note: as with Mega Mind, this can result in Overchoice. Best to play Spin Machine with fewer cards to choose from first before building up to keeping a greater number of cards.

Teamwork Dreamwork

Play in teams of two (or more, if you’d like). Each member of each team draws two solutions. They decide which order to go in and then play as normal.

Frankin-play

Chop and change these and the main rules, and any others, to make the game as unique, fun, and/or challenging as you’d like!