Editorial Policy

One wrong rule can throw off an entire game night. That’s why we take the details seriously at The Play Manual.

Our guides should be easy to follow, but above all, they have to be right. Here’s how we put our guides together, where our information comes from, how we check the facts, and what we do when something needs fixing.

Where Our Rules Come From

Official rules are always our starting point. We follow a fixed order of sources:

1. The official rulebook or the website of the game’s publisher.
2. National and international governing bodies, where they exist, such as those for chess, bridge, or Skat.
3. Long-established rules references for traditional games that don’t have a publisher.

We check every rule against at least one second, independent source. If two sources disagree, we keep researching until it’s clear which version applies. If it can’t be settled, we say so openly.

We never rely on search results, short snippets, or memory. Every detail is checked against a source we have actually opened and read.

Everything we publish is written in our own words. We don’t copy content from other websites.

We Don’t Make Things Up

Player counts, card values, points, ages, playing time: every number on our site has to be backed by a source. We never invent facts, statistics, quotes, or sources.

If we can’t reliably confirm something, we phrase it more carefully or leave it out entirely. One detail fewer is better than one detail wrong.

How We Fact-Check Every Guide

Before a guide goes live, it goes through a fixed fact check:

1. List every claim. We go through the guide section by section and note every detail you rely on at the table: how many people can play, how many cards each player gets, who goes first, what each card is worth, which special rules apply, how scoring works, and when the game ends.
2. Check each claim against a source. If the source agrees, the claim is confirmed. If it disagrees, we fix the guide and record what we changed. If there’s no reliable source, the claim is flagged and reviewed separately before publication.
3. Check for contradictions. A number has to be the same everywhere: in the summary, the 60-second rules, the individual steps, the scoring table, and the answer to the most common question.
4. Check the examples. Every card example has to be legal under the rule it illustrates.
5. A second pair of eyes. Wherever possible, someone who didn’t write the guide checks the claims again independently.

The sources and the results of this check are documented for every guide, so we can always trace where a detail came from.

Nothing Is Published Without Human Review

Every new guide and every change starts as a draft. It is only published once an editor has reviewed and approved it, starting with any details that couldn’t be clearly confirmed during the fact check. Nothing goes live automatically.

Clear Explanations Without Skipping the Details

Nobody wants to read ten paragraphs just to find out who goes first. You’re often reading our guides in the middle of a game, so the answer has to be easy to find.

That’s why we write plainly and directly: short sentences, no filler, and the words people actually use at the table.

Every rules guide follows the same structure, so you always know where to look:

• At a glance: number of players, playing time, minimum age, difficulty, and what you need to play.
• Summary: one sentence on what kind of game it is and how you win.
• The rules in 60 seconds: the whole game in 60 words or fewer. It’s great for a quick refresher, but it doesn’t replace the full rules.
• Step by step: the rules in the order you need them while playing: the goal, setup, card values or moves, a turn, special rules, and finally scoring and winning.
• Examples: card examples and diagrams that make tricky rules easy to see.
• Who gets what: a clear scoring table for games with points.
• Tips: two to four strategy tips you can use right away.
• The most common question: the question people ask most about the game, with a direct answer.

Background and history, if we include them at all, come at the end. They shouldn’t get in your way when all you need are the rules.

You can explore our guides in Rules A–Z.

Diagrams, Printables, and Score Sheets

We use diagrams only where position or layout matters and words alone aren’t enough, such as the deal, the table layout, a starting position, or a move. Our diagrams share one consistent style, show the game from above, and never contain logos or brand marks. Whatever a diagram shows is always explained in the text as well.

Every rules guide comes with a printable PDF. For games where you keep score over several rounds, we also offer a printable score sheet. Both are built directly from the checked guide and update automatically whenever we change it.

Official Rules vs. House Rules

Play the same game with two different groups, and you might discover that everyone has their own idea of how it works.

That’s why we make a clear distinction between official rules, established variations, and popular house rules. The main text describes the most widely played standard version. Regional and edition differences, as well as well-known house rules, appear in a clearly marked note right next to the rule they affect.

Traditional card and dice games in particular often have no single rulebook, so we never present one version as the only correct way to play. If you’re playing a specific edition of a published game, the rulebook in your box has the final say.

Translations

The Play Manual is available in English and German. We don’t translate guides word for word. We adapt them to how players actually talk in each country, including examples and currencies. After every translation, we check that all numbers and rules match the original. Anything we change specifically for one country is checked against its own source.

Casino Section (18+)

Our casino section is for adults only and follows stricter rules:

• Sources: Details about operators, such as licence, regulator, bonus terms, wagering requirements, minimum deposit, and withdrawal times, come only from the operator’s own terms and conditions and from the regulator’s public register, for example the UK Gambling Commission’s register or the GGL whitelist in Germany. We don’t use comparison or review sites as sources.
• No guesswork: Licence numbers, offers, and terms are given exactly as published. Anything we can’t confirm is left out.
• Ratings: The score in a review is set by our editors. Pros and cons are specific, never vague. Every review also covers the safer-play tools the operator offers.
• Markets: We only feature operators in countries where they hold a licence. If an operator isn’t licensed in a country, we don’t publish a version of the review for it.
• Responsibility: We never encourage gambling, promise wins, or present gambling as a way to make money.

Learn more about gambling risks on our Responsible Gambling page.

Reviewing and Updating Our Guides

When rules change, new editions come out, or we learn about a mistake, we review the affected content using the same process. Every changed detail is checked against a source again and approved by an editor before it’s published. Printables and score sheets update automatically to match the corrected guide.

Offers and terms change especially often in the casino section.

Spotted a Mistake? Let Us Know!

Even with careful research, something can slip through. Maybe we’ve missed a special rule, an example isn’t clear, or there’s a variation we haven’t covered yet.

If you notice anything, drop us a message at [email protected]. To help us look into it quickly, please tell us:

• the game and, if you know it, the edition,
• the rule or section that seems wrong,
• your source, such as the rulebook or the publisher’s website.

We check every report against the original sources and correct the guide if it holds up.

The goal is simple: less time arguing over the rules, more time enjoying the game.