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About Mafia de Cuba
In Mafia de Cuba the Godfather passes his cigar box round the table. Each player secretly takes something from it: some diamonds or a role token such as a loyal henchman, a driver or an undercover agent, and late players may find the box picked clean. Then the Godfather interrogates everyone and has to recover his diamonds without accusing the wrong people. It is fast, theatrical and very funny with a confident Godfather, and it suits groups of eight or more who like to talk.
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Is Mafia de Cuba Right for You?
Best for
Mafia de Cuba is for groups of six to twelve who love theatre and quick interrogations. It is best at eight or more, where the box has passed through enough hands to make the Godfather's job hard. A confident Godfather turns it into something like a mob film acted out at the table.
Maybe skip it if…
Most players spend the game answering questions while the Godfather does the work, so quiet players can feel like spectators. Small groups should look elsewhere, since it needs six people to start.
How to Play Mafia de Cuba
Setup
One player is the Godfather. Put the 15 diamonds and the character tokens for your player count into the box, and give the Godfather his jokers.
On Your Turn
- The box is passed to each player in turn. In secret, they take some diamonds or one character token, then pass it on.
- When the box returns, the Godfather sees what is left and starts questioning the table.
- The Godfather accuses players one at a time with "Empty your pockets!". A thief hands back their diamonds; an innocent character costs the Godfather a joker.
How to Win
The Godfather wins if he recovers every diamond before running out of jokers. Otherwise, the thief holding the most diamonds wins. Accusing an Agent is a disaster for the Godfather.
💡 Strategy Tips
Godfathers: start with the players who passed the box quickest. Thieves rarely hesitate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Taking too many diamonds early. A huge theft is easy to spot from what is left in the box.
- Godfathers accusing too fast. Ask questions first and use what the box looked like when it came back.
- Agents hiding too well. An Agent needs the Godfather to accuse them, so they want to look a little guilty.
- Forgetting what you took. Saying something inconsistent later is the easiest way to get caught.
Advanced Strategy
- As the Godfather, count what came back. Missing diamonds and missing tokens tell you roughly how many thieves and characters you are hunting.
- As the Godfather, ask everyone what they saw in the box when it reached them. Thieves struggle to keep the story straight.
- As a loyal henchman, share what you saw honestly. You win with the Godfather.
- As a thief, back up a loyal henchman's story. Looking helpful is good cover.
Variants & House Rules
Mafia de Cuba: Revolución
An expansion that adds new characters and a fake diamond the Godfather can use to bluff. It requires the base game.
Adjusting jokers
The rules suggest changing how many jokers the Godfather gets to make his job easier or harder, for example with children or experienced groups.
Video Guides
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Our Verdict
Mafia de Cuba is a quick, characterful party game with a brilliant prop at its centre. It depends heavily on who plays the Godfather, and its BGG rating is modest. With a big group and a hammy Godfather, it is one of the most memorable fillers we know.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players does it need?
Six to twelve. Eight to ten is the sweet spot, with plenty of suspects for the Godfather.
How long does it take?
A round is ten to twenty minutes, so groups usually play a few with different Godfathers.
Can children play?
The box says 10+. The theme is mob crime, but there is nothing graphic, and it plays well with families who enjoy role-play.