I am not very sure how and when this game invaded our hostel. But suddenly one day, I find friends forming groups and playing mafia. With serious fun. For the ones not initiated let me give a detailed introduction about this game, which is based sometimes on logic and sometimes not. (In the beginning applying logic is ridiculous, but as the heat gets on the players are expected to play logically).
The game is played among a group of 10 or more. Using cards, the players are designated as a mafia or a villager. Two of the players are designated as a cop, and as a doctor. There is also a moderator who distributes the cards. The players are expected not to reveal what role they play. In the beginning everyone poses as a villager. The aim of the villagers is to eliminate the mafia, while that of the mafia is to attain supremacy by killing the villagers. The mafia have to pose like a villager so that the other villagers do not take him to trial.
There are two modes in the game – the light mode and the dark mode. These two modes form a round. There can be several rounds during a game. The dark mode is the mode that opens the game. During this mode, all the players are asked to close their eyes by the moderator. The moderator then asks all the players posing as mafia to open their eyes and unanimously point at someone. The mafia do not have any idea of who is the cop, the doctor and who are the villagers and can point at anyone. The one at whom they point is in danger and could be killed at the end of the round if not saved by the doctor. After the mafia has pointed at someone (they have to make sure they don’t make any noise so that their identity is not revealed. All decisions are taken by sign) the moderator asks them to close their eyes and then asks the cop to open his eye and point at someone. Now the cop has the permission to point at someone and hence know from the moderator if the person whom he pointed at is a mafia or a villager (thumbs up for mafia). But the cop can point at only one person during every round. Hence the moderator is expected to know the roles played by each player, at least who are the mafia.
Next after the cop closes his eyes, the doctor is asked to open his eyes and point at someone. The purpose of the doctor is to save a villager whom the mafia might have pointed at during that round. It might look that it is illogical in the beginning of the game. Mostly the doctor saves himself so that he isn’t killed during that round. If the doctor doesn’t point at the same person whom the mafia have pointed at (of course it can be possible by sheer coincidence only in the beginning, but as the game proceeds, the doctor can know who could be the next victim.) then that villager is declared dead when the dark mode completes.
So, after the dark mode, everyone open their eyes and if a man is killed is announced. He now can’t play any role in the game. He is dead and can’t speak anymore but can only watch the game. Now comes the light mode. Here the players speak and make accusations against some player or the other. The aim of the players playing mafia is to mislead the villagers into eliminating other villagers, falsely accusing them as mafia. The cop on the other hand has to identify the mafia during the dark mode and is expected to convince the villagers and eliminate the mafia during the light mode. It is expected to make accusations on the basis of some logic or other. It can be based on body language, silence, actions, eye movements etc.
We found a golden rule. Every new player is bound to be a mafia 
. Well, at least that was what happened during my first game of mafia. As we advance through the rounds the game becomes more gripping and interesting, if every player plays his role good enough.
Try playing the game with your own groups of friends. It’s a fun way to make a good evening great!
