Genius Rules is played with a deck of cards depicting historical thinkers categorized as thinkers, artists and leaders. For each game there is a "secret rule" known only to the moderator. The other players attempt to position the cards in accordance with their best guess of the "secret rule" that governs the pattern of placement. The moderator allows them to continue when correct, but stops play and corrects their moves when incorrect. The objective of the other players is to be the first to correctly guess the Secret Rule. There is also strategy for the moderator in terms of giving out information as incompletely as he/she can.