Game Play

The UFF-DA Game

General Description

UFF-DA is a Dominoes/UNO like number sequence matching game, for ages 7 and up. All of the UFF-DA family-of-games promote personal interactions with "Friendly Face to Face Family Fun” using the characteristic verbal expressions “UFF-DA!” and “Next”.

The objective of the game is to match all the card numbers from your hand to the playable branches on the table, without breaking the game rules and receiving penalty cards. The player with the lowest point total after 10 rounds wins the game.

UFF-DA is a highly competitive strategic numbers card game that uses the out-loud Scandinavian expression “UFF-DA!” as a warning to all players that an opponent is at their last card and about to win the round, the UFF-DA bonus points and possibly the game. The “NEXT” out-loud expression declares that a player’s turn is over and the next player’s turn begins, it identifies the boundaries for the rules and penalties of the game.

This unique UFF-DA game with penalty cards, progressive bonus point and terminating rounds is the most competitive and strategically challenging card game on the market today.

Game Strategy

The goal is to lay all of your cards on the playable branches to win the round, the UFF-DA bonus points and eventually the game. Avoiding penalties, catching other player's penalties, and blocking an “UFF-DA!” declared player from winning a round, increases your chances of winning the game.

Table Setup

The game of 10 rounds begins by placing the 0/0 card in the middle of the table along with a coin representing each player’s branch and one Community/Free branch. Deal one card up to each player. The player with the lowest card deals the first round and is the first to play in the opening round.

Shuffle the deck and 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. Place the remaining draw cards face down in 2 piles on the table.

Game Play

Players must match a card number from their hand to any playable branch on the table, or draw a card. Branches with a coin are open, and playable, to all players. A coin can be removed only after a player places a card on their branch, while it is still their turn. The coin must be removed before saying “NEXT”. The coin must remain on the branch if it is not removed before saying NEXT. Removing the coin prevents other players from placing a card on your branch.

COIN Placement

If a player cannot play a card, after drawing a card, they must place a coin on their branch before saying NEXT to avoid a “COIN” penalty. A player that does not play a card on any branch and fails to put a coin on their branch before saying “NEXT”, is at risk of receiving a penalty card from another player. The coin penalty must be caught before the next player’s turn is over. A forgotten coin cannot be forced on to a branch and the penalty card is not enforced after the next player’s turn is over.

Catching a COIN Penalty

The first player to say “COIN” out-loud to the forgetful coin placement player catches the penalty, and gives the player a penalty card from their hand. A coin penalty tie goes to the Catcher closest to Catchee in the clockwise direction from the Catchers.

Community/Free Branch

The Community/Free branch can be started after all players’ branches have been started. The community branch has a permanent coin and is open to all players.

Double Cards

A double card splits a branch into two branches; it is laid across the branch and is a two card play. The double card player must place an additional matching card on the double card, or draw a card, a drawn card is playable.

The double card is the only two card play. Normal play can not resume until both sides of the double card branch are filled. The double card expands the branch with more playable options for the player’s branch. It gives that player a strategic advantage.

The UFF-DA Declaration

The out-loud “UFF-DA!” expression alerts all of the players that an opponent is at their last card and about to win the round. The player that forgets to say UFF-DA! when playing their second-to-last card, is at risk of being penalized by a player that catches their UFF-DA! penalty.

Catching the UFF-DA Penalty

The Catcher must say “UFF-DA!” out-loud to the Catchee, before the Catchee says “UFF-DA!”, at their last card. The Catcher then gives the Catchee one of their cards. The UFF-DA mistake must be caught before the next player’s turn is over to be enforced. Again, a Catchers’ tie goes to the Catcher closest to Catchee clockwise from the Catchers.

UFF-DA Blocking Double Cards

Players do not have to play a card, but they must draw a card if they do not play a card. Double cards can be used as a blocking card against a declared UFF-DA player. It forces a player to lay a card on the double, or draw a card. Normal play resumes, when the double card is filled.

A player can choose to draw a card and not play on a double, even if they have a card for the double. This strategy repeated from player to player will propagate the required double card draw to the declared UFF-DA player and force a drawn card. A double card can block them from winning the round and the bonus points.

Terminated Round

A round is terminated when no cards can be played on the branches and all of the draw cards are gone. An unfilled double card branch can force a terminated round. This is a significant end of round strategy that can result in the termination of a large number of bonus points. The lowest point player may win by terminating a round with a double card and blocking the progressive UFF-DA bonus points from being awarded to other players.

Progressive UFF-DA Bonus Points

The winner of each round receives the progressive UFF-DA bonus point reduction, i.e. round 1 receives a 5 point reduction, round 2 a 10 point reduction, round 3 a 15 point reduction... round 10 a 50 point reduction.

This progressive scoring keeps the competition intense to the end of the game as the round numbers and UFF-DA bonus point’s increase. A player must lay down all of their cards to be awarded the bonus points, i.e. the points are not awarded in a terminated round.

Next Round

The winner of a round, or the player with the least points in a terminated round, deals and starts the next round. Place the next higher double card in the middle of the table with a coin for each player and continue with the game.

Game Scoring

At the end of each round, the player’s cumulative points are totaled. The player with the leased points after 10 rounds wins the game (see the score card below).

The Double UFF-DA!

The UFF-DA penalty card exchange, involving a player with two cards, can trigger a hilarious DOUBLE UFF-DA! When a player has only two cards in their hand and catches an UFF-DA or COIN penalty, they give one card to the Catchee. If they do not remember to say UFF-DA before releasing the second-to-the last card from their hand, they can receive an UFF-DA penalty.

This is a hilarious turn of events when the Catcher becomes the Catchee and penalty cards are exchanged twice. Revenge is sweet, when these offsetting penalties happen back-to-back.