How to host a Mafia game night

• Invite at least five players. Seven to twelve is a manageable first group: there are enough different voices without making every discussion long.
• Ask people to bring a charged phone. Check that the room has Wi-Fi or a reliable mobile connection.
• Arrange seats so everyone can see and hear one another. You do not need playing cards or a shared screen.
• Decide whether everyone will play or one person wants to narrate. A human narrator is additional to the player count.

Start with the goal: a hidden Mafia team tries to outlast the town. At night, Mafia choose someone to remove; by day, the group discusses and votes. The town wins by finding all the Mafia. The Mafia win when they equal or outnumber the remaining town players.

Then explain just two special roles: the Doctor can protect someone and the Detective can check someone. Ask players to keep their role private. Save detailed house rules for questions, or share the role guide before the party.

Use the suggested lineup for your first game. Adding extra Mafia can end a small game before the town has much chance to investigate. The player count and role table shows the exact defaults used by Mafia Round.

For a large gathering, consider two smaller circles. Above twenty players the app suggests splitting the group: more people means longer discussion and more waiting for a turn to speak. Each circle can create its own room.

Let everyone speak during the opening day. Ask what someone suspects and why, rather than rewarding whoever talks loudest. Keep accusations about choices in the game, not personal traits. A quiet player should have a chance to answer before the group votes.

Explain that being voted out is part of the game. Once out, players should let the remaining group solve it. After the game, compare the surprising choices and rotate the person hosting if somebody else wants a turn.

Make participation optional and explain the bluffing element in advance. Use names everyone recognizes. The game describes players as being out, and the same rules work for colleagues as for friends. Smaller groups make it easier for new colleagues to join the conversation.

Create your free Mafia room and read out the code. Players join in their browser without an account or an app download. If nobody wants to sit out, follow the guide to playing without a narrator.