How to Play Operation

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 2, 2019 References

In the classic board game Operation, you get to perform surgeries on your patient, Cavity Sam, who suffers from a lot of quirky ailments. The aim of the game is to fix as many ailments as possible without touching the sides of his injuries. You'll need to have excellent coordination and patience as you and the other players remove his charlie horse, his broken heart, and the butterflies in his stomach. Once you've fixed poor Cavity Sam up, count up your reward money to determine who is the best doctor in the hospital!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting Up Operation

1
Decide who will be the banker in your Operation game. The banker is in charge of handling and distributing money throughout the game. When a player completes a successful surgery, the banker will give them their monetary reward. Pick a player who is good with numbers to handle this role while you play.^{[1]
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- The banker can also do surgeries just like any other player. Having one person handle the money keeps the game organized
2
Separate and shuffle all of the cards. Each Operation game comes with 2 types of cards: Doctor and Specialist. Make two different piles for each card and shuffle them until they are thoroughly mixed. If you have played with these cards recently, spend extra time shuffling them to make sure they are mixed well.^{[2]
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- There should be 24 cards total—12 Doctor and 12 Specialist cards.
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3
Drop each "Funatomy" plastic piece into its equivalent hole. The "Funatomy" pieces are the different body parts that you will attempt to extract from the patient, Cavity Sam, who doubles as the board. Match each piece to its spot on Cavity Sam and drop it in the hole.^{[3]
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- You would drop the "Charlie Horse" piece, for example, in the hole just above Cavity Sam's right knee.
- The only piece that will not be dropped into a hole is the "Ankle Bone Connected to the Knee Bone." This piece should be looped over both narrow pegs on either end of its corresponding hole.
4
Test the board's batteries. Pick up the board's metal tweezers and touch them to the metal ends of any hole in the board. If the batteries work, the board should vibrate and Cavity Sam's nose should light up. If neither of these things happen, you may need to replace the batteries before you begin.^{[4]
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5
Deal the Specialist cards out evenly to each player. If any extra Specialist cards remain, place them aside—for this round, they will be out of play. Shuffle the Doctor cards a final time and place them face down and within reach of every player.^{[5]
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- Specialist cards do not need to stay face down. Once the game begins, you can look at your Specialist cards.
- Operation is designed to accommodate 1-6 players at a time.^{[6]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Performing Surgeries

1
Take turns "operating" on Cavity Sam. When it's your turn, draw a card from the Doctor pile and try to perform an "operation" on the corresponding body part. Use the metal tweezers to grasp the Funatomy piece and lift it out of Cavity Sam's body without touching the sides of the hole. If you touch the sides, the buzzer will sound and Cavity Sam's nose will light up. This signifies that the operation was unsuccessful and your turn is over.^{[7]
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- Traditionally, the youngest player goes first when playing Operation.^{[8]
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- In the 2008 edition, Cavity Sam will make a specific sound in addition to buzzing for each ailment.^{[9]
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2
Play by yourself as an alternative. Although Operation is usually played between several people, you can play it on your own as well. See how quickly you can remove all of the Funatomy pieces without hitting Cavity Sam's sides.
3
Claim your fee if the operation was successful. If you removed the Funatomy piece without setting off the buzzer, congratulations! Check the Doctor card to find the fee and ask the banker for your reward. Set the Funatomy piece and the Doctor card aside, as both are now out of play.^{[10]
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4
Let the Specialist have a turn if the operation is unsuccessful. If you accidentally trigger the buzzer and Cavity Sam's nose lights up, have all of the players look at their Specialist cards. Whoever was dealt the Specialist card for that body part can now try to perform the operation. If they are successful, they can claim the reward listed on their card. ^{[11]
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- If a player failed to remove a spare rib piece, for example, the player with the spare rib Specialist card has a chance to finish the operation.
- If the Specialist is also unsuccessful, put the Doctor card back into the pile. That piece is now back in play.
5
Set a time limit to add an extra level of challenge to your game. If you and the other players don't think the game is difficult enough, try adding a time limit to your gameplay. Make a rule that players have to get the piece out within 30-60 seconds or else it becomes the Specialist's turn.^{[12]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finishing the Game

1
Finish the game when all of the cards have been completed. Keep taking turns in a circle until you remove every Funatomy piece from Cavity Sam. If your group is having trouble with a particular last piece, try making the time limit a little longer or add money to the reward.^{[13]
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2
Count up all of the players' money to determine a winner. The winner is not necessarily the person who performed the most surgeries, but the one who earned the most throughout the game. If two players have earned the same amount, you can declare a tie, recount, or have a rematch to determine the overall champion.^{[14]
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3
Try to beat your personal record if playing by yourself. When you're playing on your own, you may not be able to determine a winner but you can always improve your personal best. Time yourself while playing the game and see if you can make your fastest time yet. If you finished in 15 minutes your first time, for example, try going for 12 or even 10 minutes next time!
4
Store your game and its pieces when you're finished playing. Anchor the tweezers into the board by pressing down on their front and sliding them into the tweezer compartment. Place all of the Funatomy pieces in the separate compartment underneath the game board.^{[15]
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- If you lose a board game piece and need a replacement, try contacting Hasbro for assistance: https://www.hasbro.com/en-us/customer-service/replacement-parts

Community Q&A

Question

What is the rubber band for in Operation?

Ya Boi

Community Answer

The rubber band is one of the things you have to take out of the guy being "operated" on. It goes in his leg.
Question

Who sells the game Operation?

Community Answer

You can find the game Operation online for $19.99 or in big stores like Walmart or Target for about the same price. You can also find it at toy stores like Toys R Us.
Question

What if you botch the specialist chance, do you keep the card or does it get discarded?

Andy Winder

Community Answer

You keep the card and wait until the doctor card is played again. If the doctor once again fails to remove the piece, then the specialist has a chance again.

Warnings

Take care of your Operation game, and try not to lose any Funatomy pieces. If you lose too many pieces, the game will become unplayable.

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The Operation game comes with many small pieces, which could pose a choking hazard for small children. Be careful when playing Operation around infants or toddlers, and make sure you put all of the pieces back in the box after you're done.

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