Operation

1 Overview

Operation is a battery-operated skill game for 2 to 6 players published by Hasbro. Players take turns using metal tweezers to remove plastic "ailment" pieces from a patient named Cavity Sam without touching the metal edges of each cavity opening. Touch the sides and the board buzzes, Sam's nose lights up red, and you lose your turn. The player who earns the most money from successful operations wins.

Operation has been a children's classic since 1965 and remains one of the best pure dexterity games for mixed-age groups. The tension of the buzzer, the increasingly tricky cavities, and the satisfying success of a clean removal make every turn memorable.

2 Components

• Game board with Cavity Sam illustration and 12 cavity openings
• 12 plastic ailment pieces
• Pair of metal tweezers
• Play money (various denominations)
• Specialist cards
• Doctor bag card holder
• Batteries (not included)

3 Setup

1. Install batteries (usually 2 AA or 2 C batteries -- check the edition).
2. Press the ailment pieces into their cavities so they sit snugly.
3. Shuffle the Specialist cards and deal 2 to each player. Place remaining cards in a face-down pile.
4. Give each player $1,000 in play money from the bank.
5. The youngest player goes first.

4 Gameplay

1. On your turn, flip the top Specialist card from the pile to reveal which ailment is needed.
2. Look at your hand. If you hold the matching Specialist card, you may attempt that operation (and collect the higher fee printed on your card).
3. If you don't have the matching card, you may still attempt the operation but collect only the lower fee printed on the board space.
4. Pick up the metal tweezers and carefully extract the ailment piece from the cavity without touching the metal edges.
5. Success: collect the fee from the bank. Draw a new Specialist card to replenish your hand to 2.
6. Failure (buzz): you collect nothing. The ailment goes back in the cavity. The turn passes left.
7. If no player successfully removes an ailment after everyone has tried, the Doctor (a designated player role, not always used) may attempt it for free.

5 Cavity Sam's Ailments

Fees vary by edition. Higher-fee ailments typically have smaller or more awkwardly shaped cavities.

6 Winning

The game ends when all ailment pieces have been successfully removed. The player with the most money wins. In case of a tie, the tied players each attempt one more operation -- whoever succeeds (or who succeeds faster) wins.

7 Tips

• Brace your hand. Rest your wrist or the heel of your hand on the board edge. Free-floating hands shake more.
• Breathe out before extracting. Take a breath, exhale slowly, and move during the exhalation. This reduces micro-tremors.
• Move slowly and in a straight line. Erratic movements catch edges. Plan your exit path before starting the extraction.
• High fee does not always mean hardest. Some high-fee pieces have a large cavity (easy). Check the actual opening size before deciding which ailments to save your Specialist cards for.

8 FAQ