To play Mafia with a regular deck of playing cards, pick one card per player and give each role its own card: for example, black aces for the Mafia, the king of hearts for the Doctor, the queen of diamonds for the Detective, and number cards for Civilians. The moderator shuffles only those cards, deals one face down to each player, and everyone peeks at their own card. The rest of the game plays exactly as normal.
Here’s a full card key, how many of each to deal, and how to keep the deal secret.
The standard card key #
| Card | Role | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Ace of spades, ace of clubs (and more aces if needed) | Mafia | Evil |
| King of hearts | Doctor | Town |
| Queen of diamonds | Detective | Town |
| Number cards (2 to 10) | Civilian | Town |
Tell everyone the key before you deal. Players need to know which card means which role, since they’ll only see their own card.
Extended key for more roles #
| Card | Role | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| King of spades | Godfather | Mafia member who reads innocent to the Detective |
| Jack of hearts | Bodyguard | Guards a player and dies in their place if attacked |
| Jack of diamonds | Vigilante | Town member who can shoot at night, with limited bullets |
| Queen of hearts | Witch | One healing potion and one poison |
| King of diamonds | Hunter | Takes someone down when they die |
| Queen of clubs | Miller | Innocent, but reads guilty to the Detective |
| Joker | Jester | Wins by being voted out |
The rule is simple: black cards for evil and red cards for town, with face cards for special roles. That keeps the key easy to remember. For what each role does, see Mafia roles explained.
How many of each card to deal #
Pull exactly one card per player (not counting the moderator). These setups follow the common ratio of one Mafia member per three or four players.
| Players | Black aces (Mafia) | K♥ Doctor | Q♦ Detective | Other specials | Number cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | None | 3 |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | J♥ Bodyguard | 3 |
| 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | J♥ Bodyguard | 5 |
| 12 | 2 or 3 | 1 | 1 | J♥ Bodyguard | 6 or 7 |
| 15 | 3 + K♠ Godfather | 1 | 1 | J♥ Bodyguard, J♦ Vigilante, Q♣ Miller | 6 |
A deck has only two black aces, so for a third Mafia member, use the red aces, or any spare card you announce as Mafia. The full reasoning behind these numbers is in how many Mafia for 10 players.
How to deal so nobody sees a card #
- Build the pile privately. The moderator picks the cards for this game out of sight and puts the rest of the deck away. Players shouldn’t see which cards are in play beyond the roles you announce.
- Shuffle well. Shuffle the small pile several times in front of everyone, so they know you haven’t arranged it.
- Deal face down. One card to each player.
- Peek, don’t look. Players lift a corner, check their card and put it face down on the table, or hold it close.
- Collect the cards (optional). Many moderators take each card back right away and keep them in seating order. That way nobody’s card gets flashed by accident, and dead players can’t be checked.
Card hygiene tips #
- Use a clean deck. Bent corners, stains and scratches let people recognise cards. A fresh deck is best.
- Match the backs. All the cards in play must have identical backs. Don’t mix two decks.
- No face cards in number piles. A civilian holding a face card is easy to spot if the card is visible from across the table.
- Keep your hands still. Players holding a card up can reveal it to neighbours. Face down on the table is safer.
Revealing cards when players die #
Decide before the game whether eliminated players flip their card:
- Reveal on death. The town learns from each elimination, and the game is friendlier for new players.
- Keep it hidden. The moderator collects the card face down. The town learns less, and the Mafia are harder to find.
Either way, flip every card at the end so everyone sees how the game played out.
Playing cards vs role cards vs a phone #
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Playing cards | Cheap, everyone has a deck, works anywhere | Players must remember the key; cards get marked over time |
| Boxed role cards | Illustrated, the role name is on the card | Costs money; limited to the roles in the box |
| Phone deal | No cards to lose or mark; roles tracked automatically | Needs a charged phone passed around the circle |
For a first game, playing cards are hard to beat. For kids or a classroom, the same key works. See the Mafia game for kids.
Using cards together with an app #
If your group likes the feel of cards, keep dealing them. Mafia Helper has a “Start with cards” option for exactly this. The app’s FAQ describes it simply: keep using your cards and enter who got what. Once each player has a role in the app, it shows the moderator each role’s wake line in order at night, records choices with a tap, and works out the night’s deaths and saves. If you’d rather skip cards entirely, the app can deal roles itself by passing the phone around, with a two-step reveal so nobody sees their neighbour’s card.
New to the game? Start with how to play Mafia.
Frequently asked questions #
What cards do you use for Mafia? #
Any regular deck works. A common key is black aces for the Mafia, the king of hearts for the Doctor, the queen of diamonds for the Detective and number cards for Civilians. Tell everyone the key before you deal.
How many cards do you need for Mafia? #
One per player, not counting the moderator. Pull those cards out of the deck, shuffle only them, and deal one to each player face down.
Can you play Mafia with Uno cards? #
Yes. Any deck with identical backs works. Assign a colour or a card (such as a wild card) to the Mafia and another to each special role, and use plain number cards for Civilians.
What do you do with the cards after someone dies? #
It’s a house rule. Either the eliminated player flips their card to reveal their role, or the moderator collects it face down. Everyone flips their card at the end of the game.