RULES OF ORDER

INTRODUCTION
Card game for 2+ players. 
Representation of a parliamentary debate. 
Based on Robert’s Rules of Order. 
Players compete to capture the Floor, which enables them to 
Use up (gain) the most Time. 

VICTORY
The player with the most Time Chips at the end of the game wins. 

THE DECK
Players share a common deck. 

TIME CHIPS
There are 100 Time Chips (Use tokens, coins, beads, whatever)

THE FLOOR 
Use a special item (Key, pencil, mallet, whatever) to represent the “Floor”. 
Only one player at a time can have the “Floor”. 
Sometimes no one will have the Floor and the next player able to 
Play a Gain card gets the Floor. 
Only the person with the Floor can play Time cards & gain time chips. 

SETUP
All 100 Time chips are in a pile in the middle of the table. 
Each player is dealt a hand of 5 cards. 
The loudest player has the Floor first (or flip a coin). 

TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
Each turn has 4 Phases:
Proposal Phase
Motions Phase
Oration Phase
Resolution Phase

PROPOSAL PHASE
Draw 1 card. 

MOTIONS PHASE
There are 2 possibilities here: 
1. If no one has the Floor, you may play a “Gain” card to get possession of the Floor.
2. If an opponent has the “Floor” you may play a “Lose” card on that player to make 
them lose the Floor (at this point, no one has the Floor). You may then Play 
a “Gain” card to get possession of the Floor.
An opponent may play a "Negate" card to nix your play of a "Lose" card. 

ORATION PHASE
If you have the Floor, you may play 1 Time card and gain the indicated number of 
Time chips from the center pile. 
When there are no more time chips left in the center pile, the game ends.
If you have the Floor but have no time card to play, you automatically lose the Floor. 

RESOLUTION PHASE
Max hand size is 5 cards. Discard excess cards.

CENSURE RULE
A censured player loses the Floor and skips his next turn. 

CARD LIST NOTATION
T = Time card
G = Gain Floor
L = Lose Floor
N = Negate the play of a Lose Floor card
X = Special
TTG = Time Tokens Gained by playing the Time card

COMMON DECK CARD LIST
Card Name				Type	TTG	Notes
Limit Debate				L		
Majority Vote				L	
Out of Order				L		Opponent discards 1 card
By-Laws					L	
Motion to Adjourn			L		All players discard 1 card
Indecorum				L		Opponent Censured
Question of Order			L
Rescind					L	
Strike Out				L
Withdraw a Motion			L	
Suppress				L		Opponent gains 1 card
Defer					L		Discard 1 card
Objection				L		Draw 1 card
Postpone				L		Look at opponents hand
Take a Recess				L		Look at next 5 cards in deck
Fix the Time				L		All players draw 1 card
Extend Limits				N		
Amend an Amendment			N		
Undebatable				N		
Amend Standing Rules			N		
Main Motion				G		Next Time card played gets +5
Order of Precedence			G		Look at next 5 cards in deck
Raise a Question of Privilege		G		
Seconded				G		All players discard 1 card
Reconsidered				G		
Adopt a Report				G		
Appeal					G		Opponent is Censured
Refer 					G		Opponent gains 1 card
Commit					G		
Division of the Question		G		
Informal Consideration			G		Look at opponents hand
Lay on the Table			G		All players draw 1 card
Suspend the Rules			G		Draw 1 card
Incidental Motion			G		Discard 1 card
Inquiry					G		Opponent discards 1 card
Reconsider				G		
Substitute				G		
Leave to Continue			G		
Make Nominations			G		
Special Order				G		
Oratory					T	15	
Read Papers				T	10	Lose Floor and draw 1 card
Confined Debate				T	5	
Debate					T	20	Opponents may draw 1 card
Rhetoric				T	10	
Drone on and on				T	20	Lose Floor
Point by Point				T	15	
Review					T	15	
Introduction				T	5	Draw 1 card
Fine Points				T	10	
High Points				T	10	
Anecdotes				T	5	Play a second Time card this turn
Monologue				T	10	
Announcements				T	5	
Proposals				T	10	
Inflammatory Rant			T	15	You are Censured
Deliberation				T	20	All players draw 1 card
Resolution				T	10	All players discard 1 card
Argument				T	10	
Discussion				T	15
Lecture					T	20	Discard 1 card
Illustration				T	5	
Instruction				T	10
Outburst				X		Negate Time card; You are censured
Prepared Notes				X		Draw 3 cards
Opposition Disorganized			X		Opponent discards 3 cards


CHAIRMAN & SECRETARY
The winner of the previous game is the Chairman. 
The Chairman gets to go first in the next game. 
The last place loser of the previous game is the Secretary. 
The Secretary goes last and gets to shuffle and deal the cards (and serve drinks)

OPTIONAL CUTTHROAT RULE
During your Motions Phase, if you have control of the Floor, an 
opponent may play a “Lose” card on you to make you lose the Floor. 

LINKS
 Robert’s Rules of Order