About FIIM Rules
Author: Vitaly - mr. Koteo (Brisbane Mafia Club)
What FIIM Is
FIIM (The Federation of Intellectual Games “Mafia”) is the international governing body that standardises the rules, procedures, and competitive system of the Sport Mafia.
If you think of chess having FIDE, tennis having ITF, and boxing having WBA/WBC — Mafia has FIIM.
Their responsibilities include:
publishing the official rulebook
defining judging standards
regulating tournaments
resolving disputes
maintaining fairness and consistency across clubs
If a tournament anywhere in the world claims to follow “official Mafia rules,” they mean FIIM rules.
The rules you see in this book follow the July 2025 FIIM edition , translated and adapted for English-speaking players.
Why FIIM Rules Matter
Mafia works only when everyone agrees on how the game is played.
FIIM rules exist to:
remove ambiguity (“What happens if two players tie?” “Can Don check on Night 1?”)
ensure fairness
make games replayable and judgeable
standardise tournaments across dozens of countries
protect players from misunderstandings
define the exact sequence of actions
If you change small details, the game becomes something else entirely. For example:
The order of speaking matters.
The specific gesture system matters.
The meaning of “leaving the table” matters.
The difference between a misfire and no kill matters.
What happens when voting ties twice matters.
Without universal rules, two clubs can play completely different games under the same name.
Where to Find the Rules
FIIM publishes and updates the rules on their official platforms. Updates may include:
clarifications
new penalties
reworded definitions
changes to procedures
additional comments from the FIIM Rules Committee
The rulebook often includes commentaries (“СК ФИИМ comments”), which explain how to interpret tricky moments. Those commentaries are considered official guidance even though they are not part of the base text.
This book includes:
A clean, reader-friendly explanation (Official game framework)
Practical gameplay guidance (Mafia game in details, Role Fundamentals, Strategy Foundations)
The official unmodified Russian rules in Appendix A (for reference)
You do not need to know Russian — everything relevant is translated and adapted.
How to Read and Interpret FIIM Rules
FIIM rules are written legally, not pedagogically. They assume the reader already understands the game.
Here are some key principles for interpreting them:
1. Words like “moment,” “phase,” and “order” are extremely literal
For example:
“The moment a player leaves the table is the moment of result announcement.” This affects speech rights, penalties, and Don/Sheriff actions.
2. “Night” and “Day” are procedural, not narrative
For example:
Night 1 is not a “real night.” Roles are assigned during Night 1. Dark players meet only once. Sheriff does not check until Night 2.
(Exactly as described in the official rules, §4.1–4.2)
3. Gesture rules are strict
Gestures must follow official FIIM standards (§9). Improvisation is not permitted.
4. Judge decisions follow a fixed algorithm
Judges do not “freestyle.” They follow required steps:
order of speeches
confirmation of nominations
tie-breaking rules
the exact sequence of night actions
what happens if someone is disqualified
5. “Last word” is a guaranteed right
A player eliminated by voting or by night kill always receives a one-minute last word, except in certain disqualification cases.
6. Comments from FIIM (СК) resolve ambiguity
If a phrase feels unclear, check the commentary — FIIM has already explained nearly all edge cases.
Common Misunderstandings
Even experienced players routinely get confused by certain FIIM rules. Here are the most common misconceptions — and their correct interpretation.
Misunderstanding #1 — “Night 1 is a full night.”
Incorrect: People think Night 1 includes checks. Correct: Night 1 is ONLY:
role assignment
dark team introduction
Don declaring order of future shots
Sheriff confirming identity (no check)
(§4.1–4.2)
No checks happen on Night 1.
Misunderstanding #2 — “Judge calls Don separately on Night 1.”
This was common in older rules.
Correct (2025 rules): Don wakes only with Mafia on Night 1, identifies themselves, and does not get a solo check on Night 1.
Solo checks start Night 2.
Misunderstanding #3 — “Voting ties → remove both players.”
Sometimes players assume that a tie automatically removes everyone tied.
Correct: Tie → extra speeches → second vote → If tied again, nobody leaves, and night begins.
(Except specific tournament variations affecting 4-handed or 3-handed situations.)
Misunderstanding #4 — “If someone leaves by disqualification, voting continues.”
Correct: If a player gets a 4th warning or a disqualifying foul, and they were not the one being voted on:
Voting is cancelled
Day ends
Night begins
(§7.1–7.2)
Misunderstanding #5 — “Shots must be pointed at a specific player.”
Incorrect: pointing fingers Correct: FIIM requires the pistol trigger motion:
hand upwards
wrist motion
no pointing at players
(§4.5.3)
Misunderstanding #6 — “If Mafia aim differently, judge decides which kill counts.”
Correct: If shots differ or a mafia member makes no shot → misfire → no one dies that night. No exceptions.
(§4.5.5)
Misunderstanding #7 — The “Three-Player Raise” at Nine Players
This is the rule players misunderstand more than almost any other.
The misconception sounds like this:
“At 9 players, we can vote to remove all 3 tied players.”
FIIM explicitly forbids this.
At 9 players:
You cannot vote to remove all tied players.
You cannot conduct a “raise three” vote.
If a triple tie happens at 9:
repeat speeches
repeat vote
if still tied → everyone stays, and night begins
(§4.4.12.3–4 and §7.8)
There is no scenario in FIIM where three players leave at 9-handed.
Misunderstanding #8 — “Players can speak during free seating.”
Correct: During free seating (“свободная посадка”), players must maintain night behaviour:
masks stay on
no speaking
hands above the table
(§4.2.4)
Misunderstanding #9 — “Voting gesture doesn’t matter.”
The only legal vote is:
vertical fist
placed on the table
immediately after the judge calls the candidate
held until “Stop” or “Thank you”
Any deviation can be a warning.
(§4.4.5–9)
Misunderstanding #10 — “Sheriff checks show color verbally.”
Correct: Checks are shown strictly via FIIM gestures:
Red check → head turn + thumbs up
Black check → nod + thumbs down
(§9.2–9.3)
No words are used.
Preparing for the Next Chapter
Now that you understand:
who creates the rules
where they come from
how to read them
what players misunderstand
what not to rely on at the table
…it’s time for the chapter most players wish they had on Day 1:
Next Chapter — FIIM Rules Simplified
In that chapter, we take the entire FIIM rulebook — dozens of paragraphs, procedures, exceptions, and technicalities — and condense it into:
what you must know
what you can learn later
a simple glossary
a beginner-safe checklist for not breaking rules
Think of FIIM Rules Simplified Chapter as the “driver’s license theory test” version of Mafia rules.
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