Official Rules of Play

What You Need

• 3 or more players
• One tricorn hat for each player
• Rum for penalties (or a nonalcoholic drink)

The Goal

Be the first player to collect and wear every tricorn in the game.

Every player starts with one tricorn on their head. As the game goes on, players win and lose hats. You might end up wearing several hats, or none at all!

How to Play

1. Start the Game

Everyone sits or stands in a circle, wearing their tricorn.

Choose someone to go first. The player immediately to that person’s right (counterclockwise) gives them the first challenge word.

After that, the player who just finished a turn always gives the next player clockwise a new challenge word. This happens whether the player won or lost their turn, and whether or not they still have a hat.

2. Countdown!

As soon as the challenge word is given, all players except the one answering count aloud together:

“FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!”

Before the countdown ends, the player must say TWO different words that rhyme with the challenge word.

For example:

• Challenge: CAT — Answers: HAT! BAT!
• Challenge: BOAT — Answers: GOAT! FLOAT!
• Challenge: KING — Answers: RING! SING!

Both answers must be correct and spoken before the countdown ends. Giving only one correct answer is a failed challenge.

3. Win or Lose a Hat

If you make both rhymes:

You win the challenge! Choose another player who has at least one tricorn. That player must give you their top hat. Place it on your own head, on top of any hats you already have.

If you cannot make both rhymes:

You lose the challenge! Remove your top tricorn and give it to the next player clockwise. They must add it to their stack.

If you lose and have no hat:

You must take a rum penalty instead!

4. Pass the Turn

After your challenge is settled and any hats have changed hands, you choose a new word for the player immediately to your left (clockwise).

That player must give two rhymes before everyone else finishes counting down from five.

For example, if Anne, Ben, and Cole are seated clockwise in that order:

1. Anne finishes her turn and gives Ben the word FISH.
2. Everyone except Ben counts down from five while Ben tries to give two rhymes.
3. Ben wins or loses his challenge and any required hats change hands.
4. Ben gives Cole a new word.
5. Cole takes his turn, then gives Anne a new word.

The game continues clockwise in this way.

Rules for Rhyming

1. You may use any common English word (it does not have to be about pirates).
2. The challenge word must have at least two commonly accepted rhymes.
3. You must give two different rhyming words.
4. You cannot rhyme a word with itself.
5. You cannot repeat an answer already used in the game.
6. Both answers must be spoken before the countdown ends.
7. If players disagree about a rhyme, the other players decide by majority vote.

Rules for Hats

1. Every player must bring and begin with their own tricorn.
2. Only the top hat in a stack may be taken or given away.
3. Hats must be worn on the head, stacked one above another.
4. You cannot hold your hats in place with your hands after stacking them.
5. Players without hats continue taking turns. They can still win hats by making successful rhymes.
6. No extra hats may be added after the game begins.

Rum Penalties

A player who fails a rhyming challenge must give up a hat. If they have no hat to give, they receive a rum penalty.

For safer play, players may use a small sip, a nonalcoholic drink, or a penalty token instead of a full shot. Agree on the penalty before starting.

How to Win

The first player to collect and successfully wear every tricorn wins the Rum Hat Rumble!

The game ends immediately when one player has all the hats stacked on their head without holding them.

The winning player is declared “Fathead”. Fistfights are optional but are strongly discouraged.

All turns move clockwise. All hats remain in play. No player is ever eliminated.