Learn the rules to the Parlor game 4 on a Couch quickly and concisely - This visually rich video has no distractions, just the rules.
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RULES:
The objective of the game is to get 4 members from your team on the couch. Teams are usually divided by gender, guys vs. girls, but can be divided any other way if the gender ratio is unequal, but should divide equally into two teams. Teams should consist of no less than 5 players each and no more than 9.
Arrange everyone in a circle alternating team members; in most cases, guy girl, guy girl, and so on. Make sure that every seat on the couch is occupied with 2 members from each team, alternating every seat. Leave the immediate seat left of the couch unoccupied. In other words, if you are sitting on the couch, the chair on your left should be vacant. The empty seat determines whose turn it is.
Write every player’s name on a small piece of paper and place each piece into a bowl. Mix up all the pieces and divvy out one piece to each player. The name each player receives becomes their “identity” which they are not allowed to tell or show anyone.
The player who has the empty seat on their right-hand side goes first. They call out the name of one of the players in the circle, for example: “Billy.” The player who has Billy’s identity, that is, the piece of paper that says “Billy,” responds by getting up and moving to the empty seat. The player whose real name is Billy does nothing unless he holds the piece of paper that says “Billy,” which is possible and acceptable.
Once the player who moved sits down in the empty seat, leaving behind their seat to become the new empty seat, they trade pieces of paper with the person who called out their identity. Therefore, the player who called out “Billy” will be the person who responds the next time someone calls “Billy.” However, the same name can’t be called twice in a row, and players cannot call out their own identity. Players can call out their own name, as long as it is not also their identity.
Play continues with the person with the empty seat on their right hand side. People move around and names keep switching until one team is able to occupy all 4 seats on the couch.
To make it easier, or if you have a lot of new players, you can play a warm up round where players never switch identities, but remain the same identity the entire game.