Gameplay Instructions

The MDT47 deck is the ultimate intersection of history and gaming through its unique approach, designed to engage and educate players about the 2025 Trump administration and the design of Washington, D.C.

For all games, players can decide on an agreed upon time limit per “turn”

Gameplay:

The dealer shuffles the cards (set aside the Sacred Geometry card—it is out of gameplay) and then, one at a time, holds the cards before the citizen player(s) while hiding the name and title beneath a finger. The player must name the person (or monument) on the card. If they are successful, they win that card.

• Challenge Levels: Base: Name person/monument. Medium: Add title (e.g., “Elon Musk, Special Govt Employee”). Advanced: Name a seal/symbol (e.g., “DOGE seal with dollar sign”).

Winner: The player with the most cards

For 1 player, it’s self-study (time yourself or track accuracy).

Signs And Seals

(Ages 8+)

A 2-4 player set-collection game (like Rummy/Go Fish) matching symbols from seals on card backs. Simple rules, intuitive after a few plays. All symbols on the cards (including those primarily for other games) can be used for matching in this game without interference-players simply name any “hidden” symbol on the back of the card to attempt a match.

Gameplay:

• Deal all cards evenly (extras to dealer)

• Player with Great Seal starts (most symbols); else, youngest starts.

• Play a card face up, name a “hidden” symbol from the back of the card(e.g., “eagle”).

• Clockwise, others play a card sharing that symbol to a “collection pile.” No match? Pass.

•Round starter collects pile if they played most matches. In ties (including when multiple players have 1 match), the player with the highest 2-digit number on their played card wins the pile.

• Special: Great Seal is wild, matches any symbol.

• Winner: Most collected cards (mastery of seals).

Sacred Geometry (Jefferson Vs L’Enfant)

(Ages 10+)

A battle to restore balance and harmony to DC!

Pierre L’Enfant positioned the Capitol as the axis mundi (center of the world) in his 1791 D.C. design to serve as the unifying focal point and symbolic heart of the nation, aligned with the north-south meridian passing through the Capitol (along Capitol Street), with radiating avenues resembling rays of the sun, indicating its role as the centerpoint of the city and standing for enlightenment, democratic ideals, and the primacy of self-governing legislative power. The design sought to utilize sacred geometry to create a physical environment that would resonate balance, peace and harmony amidst the seat of the US government.

The design featured a right triangle with vertices at the Capitol (eastern), White House (northern), and Washington Monument (southwestern right-angle), aiming to create geometric harmony, and balance governmental powers (legislative and executive)

But, alas, after construction of the Washington Monument had begun, the soil was determined to not be stable enough to support the weight of the monument and it was moved 391 feet east/southeast to a more stable area. Did this necessary move disturb the balance and harmony of Washington DC?

In 1804, then President Thomas Jefferson sought to move this North-South Meridian from Capitol Street to 16th Street, passing directly through the White House (and shifting the symbolism to executive power). The intended location of the Washington Monument is integral to BOTH (Jefferson’s and L’Enfant’s) designs. As such, both men (the 2 players in this game) must move the Washington Monument back to it’s intended location in order for their respective designs to resonate the balance and harmony that manifests through the implementation of sacred geometry.

Luckily, Elon Musk has agreed to use his rocket technology to briefly turn the Washington Monument into a rocket in order to move it to an awaiting foundation, 391 feet away, at it’s original location at the Western right-angle vertex of the perfect right triangle between it, the Capitol, and the White House.

First however, the players must determine the engineering costs of such a feat, and then battle to be the person responsible for the monument’s move.

Will L’Enfant win and maintain the meridian on the symbol of self-governance and legislative power? Or will Thomas Jefferson succeed in shifting the Meridian to 16th Street, passing through the White House, symbolizing Executive Power?

Setup: Shuffle the entire deck. Remove the Washington Monument card and place it face up in the center of the table as the “contested monument.” One player takes the role of Jefferson (advocating for the White House-centered meridian), the other L’Enfant (advocating for the Capitol-centered meridian). Deal 10 cards to each player. (redraw the entire hand if one player has significantly more monuments than the other for balance; aim for roughly equal distribution of monument/geometry cards). The undealt cards form a central draw pile. Place the Jefferson and L’Enfant cards face up next to their respective players as “leader cards” (they are not drawn but used for specials).

• Phase 1: Establish Cost: Players alternate selecting 3 cards from their hand (not the deck; choose strategically). Sum the 2-digit numbers on those cards to determine the “engineering cost” (representing the cost to shift the monument). The player with the higher sum sets the total game cost needed to win. These 3 cards then go back into each player’s 10-card hand. If sums tie (e.g., both 116), break with a quick War-style comparison: each selects one additional card from their hand; higher number wins the tie (their sum sets the cost). The loser of the phase (lower sum or tiebreaker loser) discards 2 cards from their hand (any 2 they choose) to the bottom of the draw pile -this represents a resource setback. Discarded cards go face up to a central discard pile and are not used again.

• Phase 2: Battle for Alignment: Players take turns playing one card from their hand face up (search hand to choose). Compare the 2-digit numbers: higher wins the round, adding the loser’s card number to their “waste fund” (running score tracked on paper, representing the “government waste money” you have uncovered and re-directed toward paying for the engineering cost), and takes both played cards, placing them face down (to enable easier symbol-matching) in their personal play area (space in front of you for accumulated cards, just under your leader card (Jefferson or L’Enfant), used for specials like sets). If a player’s hand is empty before the game ends, they draw 2 cards from the central draw pile at the start of their turn to continue.

• Specials (apply when the card is played; check before resolving the round):

• Monuments: It the winning card is a monument (e.g., Lincoln Memorial), double the addition to your waste fund (add twice the loser’s number). This represents the historical weight of monuments boosting your alignment efforts.

• Elon Musk: When played, regardless of win/loss, add 50 to your waste fund (rocket tech metaphor for innovative boost). Apply after the round resolution.

• Jefferson/L’Enfant Leader Cards: These are not played but referenced. If your played card shares a symbol with your leader card, add a bonus of 10 to your waste fund (for each matched symbol) if you win the round (Jefferson bonuses for phi, square, 5-pointed star, Eye of Providence, Meridian Line, quill ; L’Enfant for upright 5-pointed star, square, circle, Eye of Providence, Meridian Line, compass).

• Sacred Geometry/Great Seal: Wild-when played, choose one symbol on opponent’s card and “change” it to one on your played card (announce, e.g., “Change your triangle to my phi”). This can trigger bonuses if the new symbol matches your leader (e.g., if Jefferson, changing to phi gives your leader bonus on win; if the original also matched, gain double bonus of 20 for two instances. Apply before number comparison.

•Right triangle set: If your played card shares a triangle symbol (right or regular) with White House and/or Capitol (which have right triangle; if you hold or have played one/both in your personal play area–the space in front of you where you place won or special cards), announce the set to steal 20 from opponent. “Completing” means declaring your played card connects them symbolically (e.g., play a monument with triangle while holding White House and Capitol-reveal hand cards temporarily for verification, then return to hand). Players play only one card per turn, so declaration uses the played card +revealed hand cards or play area cards. Steal happens immediately after play, before resolution; represents geometric harmony giving advantage.

• Continue until a player reaches/exceeds the cost–they win.

Optional Rule: • Incorporating Symbols for Variation: Add this rule: After comparing numbers, if winner’s card shares a geometric symbol with loser’s, add bonus 10 to waste fund (e.g., both have circle). This brings symbols into every round without complexity.

Gameplay Examples

Example 1(Phase 1 Tie and Discard):

• Player A (Jefferson) selects 3 cards summing 150; Player B (L’Enfant) sums 150-tie. • Tiebreaker: A selects card with 76; B with 5 5 – A wins (76 > 55).

•A’s 150 sets cost. B discards 2 cards to bottom of draw pile.

Example 2 (Phase 2 Basic Round):

• A plays Hegseth (54); B plays Gabbard (87).

•87 >54-B wins, adds 54 to fund, takes both cards and places them in Player B’s play area.

Example 3 (Phase 2 with Special):

• A (Jefferson) plays Sacred Geometry (65, wild)-changes B’s symbol to phi.

•B plays Ratcliffe (31)-Player A triggers bonus (phi on Jefferson), adds 10 if winning ; Player A wins 31 + 10 special bonus.

Example 4 (Phase 2 with Symbol Bonus Variant):

• A plays Rollins (25, wheat, shield); B plays Turner (92, shield) 25 + bonus 10 (shared shield) = +35, takes won cards to play area.

Example 5 (Right Triangle Set Special):

• A holds White House (right triangle), has Capitol in play area.• A plays Jefferson Pier, (triangle) -announces the set (Pier triangle + revealed White House + play area Capitol), steals 20 from B.

• Then resolve: Pier (22) vs B’s card (50)- B wins, adds 22, takes to B’s area (set steal applied)

Geometry Alignment Quest

(2-4 Players; Ages 10+)

A cooperative/competitive game to “decode” DC’s layout by building geometric shapes.

Setup: Split deck: “people” pile to one player; “monuments/geometry” pile to the other. Each draws 5 cards from their pile (searchable hand). Set up “meridian line” on table (north-south divider). People player influences shift; monuments/geometry player defends layout. People player starts.

Turn Structure: Play one card from hand to your side of meridian line (face up initially, to show front; symbols/numbers on back hidden). Announce if you claim a match with opponent’s card on their side (based on known symbols from previous reveals or memory; no pre-flip). If claimed, place your card back up (symbols up), flip opponent’s targeted card to back up (verify symbols/numbers). If match (shared meridian/reflection), “shift” (capture) to your side: calculate shift amount (your number minus theirs-if positive, capture matched +up to that many more; choose which, prioritizing monuments; cap at available). If no match/negative/zero, your card stays on your side (back up). Draw one from the top of your pile (if empty, skip). At turn end, turn all involved cards (yours and shifted) face up (hide symbols/numbers again)-adds memory element, as players recall symbols for future claims. Turns alternate.

Non-Relevant Cards: Cards without meridian/reflection (most people cards) play normally but can’t match/capture – use strategically to build your side (potential future targets) and as “support” (place without shifting, potential for end count if variants added).

Specials:

•Sacred Geometry: Wild-substitute for meridian/reflection to enable match.

•Great Seal: Boosts shift amount (+20 to your number for calculation).

Winning: Most controlled monuments (Washington Monument, Lincoln/Jefferson Memorials, Capitol, White House, Jefferson Pier) when hands/piles empty or no plays.

To Break Ties: higher total numbers on controlled cards.

It’s recommended to first try the game without the “memory” component, (aka keep all cards “back-up” so all symbols are visible), until players establish more familiarity with which symbols are on which cards.

Gameplay Examples

Example 1 (Basic Non-Match Turn):

• A (people) plays Trump (99, no relevant symbol, face up)—no match to B’s empty side, turn end: no flips, stays face up, draws.
• B (monuments) plays Washington Monument (88, reflection, face up)—no match, stays face up, draws.

Example 2 (Match and Shift):

• B’s side: Capitol (55, face up). A plays Jefferson (76, face up initially)—announces meridian match with Capitol.
• Place Jefferson back up, flip Capitol back up (verify meridian, numbers). Match—76-55=21 (positive)—captures Capitol (move to A’s side). Turn end: turn Jefferson and Capitol face up (hide again).

Example 3 (Multi-Shift with High Difference):

• B’s side: Pier (22), White House (33), Monument (88)—all face up. A plays L’Enfant (40, face up)—announces meridian match with Pier.
• Place L’Enfant back up, flip Pier back up (match)—40-22=18—captures Pier + 17 more: flip/choose White House, Monument (takes all 3 to A’s side). Turn end: turn all shifted and L’Enfant face up.

Example 4 (Special with Wild):

• B’s side: Memorial (35, face up). A plays Sacred Geometry (65, face up)—announces substitutes as reflection, match with Memorial.
• Place Sacred Geometry back up, flip Memorial back up (match)—65-35=30—captures Memorial. Turn end: turn both face up.

Civil Discourse

(2 + Players; Adults)

A discussion-based game that fosters respectful dialogue on the Trump Administration’s key figures and policies. Drawing from the tradition of civil discourse among America’s forefathers—like the spirited yet principled debates of Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison—this game revives the art of reasoned exchange in an era of heated divides. It’s a “free speech zone” inviting you to play with family, friends, and even those neighbors whose yard signs make you chuckle (or cringe). No winners or losers—just open minds and lively conversation.

Gameplay

• Shuffle the deck and place one card face up in the center.
• Players take turns sharing support, opposition, or a thoughtful comment on the person, role, or a policy they represent.
• Keep turns to 1 minute each, with no interruptions—respect is key!
• Flip the next card and continue until the deck runs out or the group decides to stop.
• No scoring or winners; the goal is civil engagement and understanding.

With whom dare you play?!