diff --git a/src/game/mod.rs b/src/game/mod.rs
index 61e02e3..8f7ddd2 100644
--- a/src/game/mod.rs
+++ b/src/game/mod.rs
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 pub mod deck;
+pub mod mode;
 pub mod playerbuilder;
diff --git a/src/game/mode.rs b/src/game/mode.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..204188b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/game/mode.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+use crate::{
+    card::Card,
+    modes::item::{Item, ItemParseError},
+};
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+/// All possible stages of a Round where an Item may be presented by a player,
+/// distinguished by Mode (Single, Pair, Triples, etc).  `Any` represents the
+/// "decision" stage where a single player may play any Item of any of the
+/// available Round Modes to start off the new round.
+pub enum Mode {
+    Any,
+    Single,
+    Pair,
+    Triple,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+/// Types of errors which may occur when validating some set of cards against a
+/// Mode.
+pub enum ModeValidateError {
+    ParseError(ItemParseError),
+    ModeMismatch,
+}
+
+impl Mode {
+    /// Given mode `self`, validate if `cards` creates a valid Item for that
+    /// mode.
+    /// Returns `Ok(Item)` if so, otherwise return `Err(ModeValidateError)`.
+    pub fn validate_cards(
+        &self,
+        cards: &[Card],
+    ) -> Result<Item, ModeValidateError> {
+        let item = Item::parse(cards).map_err(ModeValidateError::ParseError)?;
+        if *self == Mode::Any || *self == item.mode() {
+            Ok(item)
+        } else {
+            Err(ModeValidateError::ModeMismatch)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Item {
+    /// Return the Mode we'd expect this Item to be played in - trivial enum
+    /// conversion.
+    fn mode(&self) -> Mode {
+        match self {
+            Self::Single(_) => Mode::Single,
+            Self::Pair(_) => Mode::Pair,
+            Self::Triple(_) => Mode::Triple,
+        }
+    }
+}