Cheat (Bluff) Card Game Rules

Game Overview

"Cheat" is the name generally used in Britain, while the same game is known as "Bullshit" in the USA and appears in many books as "I Doubt It", with variations existing across the world. The game can be played with 2-10 players and a standard deck of 52 cards.

Objective

The objective of the game is to get rid of all your cards by successfully discarding them in the discard pile, while avoiding being caught in a lie about the cards you are playing.

Setup

Deal all the cards to the players. Some players may have more cards than others, but the difference should not be significant. Select at random who should go first; play then continues clockwise.

How to Play

The discard pile starts empty. On each turn, players discard one or more cards face down on the pile and call out the rank of the cards they are playing. The player going first plays Aces, the second player plays Twos, the next player Threes, and so on, with the sequence continuing through Kings and then back to Aces.

Since the cards are discarded face down, you do not have to play the rank you are calling. If it is your turn to discard Sevens, for example, you may actually discard any card or mixture of cards. If you don't have any Sevens, you will be forced to play some other card or cards.

Any player who suspects that the cards discarded by a player do not match the rank called can challenge the play by calling "Cheat!" or "I doubt it!". The cards played by the challenged player are then exposed, and one of two things happens:

• If they are all of the rank that was called, the challenge is false, and the challenger must pick up the whole discard pile.
• If any of the played cards is different from the called rank, the challenge is correct, and the person who played the cards must pick up the whole discard pile.

After the challenge is resolved, play continues in normal rotation: the player to the left of the one who was challenged plays and calls the next rank in sequence.

The first player to get rid of all their cards and survive any challenge resulting from their final play wins the game. If you play your last remaining card(s), but someone challenges you and the cards you played are not what you called, you pick up the pile and play continues.

Scoring and End of Game

There is no scoring in this game. The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all their cards.

Common Variations

• If there are a lot of players, you may use two or more packs shuffled together.
• For some people, the sequence of ranks that have to be played goes downward rather than upward, beginning A, K, Q, J, 10, ...
• Some people play that you can claim to play either the next rank above or the next rank below the rank announced by the previous player.
• Some allow cards of the same rank as the last card to be played, as well as the next higher or lower rank.
• In the Chinese game known as 吹牛 (chuī niú = bragging) or 说谎 (shuō huăng = lying) played in Fujian province, there is no restriction on the rank of cards to be played except that the cards in each set played must all be (claimed to be) equal.
• Some play that you can try to cheat by playing more cards than you claim to have played.

A Bit of History

The exact origin of "Cheat" or "Bluff" is unclear, but it has been popular in both Britain and the USA for many years. The game has evolved and been adapted in various ways across different regions.

Where to Get the Game

54-card deck on Amazon

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• Underestimating the importance of bluffing: Remember that the objective is to get rid of your cards, so don't be afraid to bluff occasionally.
• Forgetting the final challenge: playing your last cards is not enough to win — you also have to survive any challenge on that final play.
• Challenging too often: Be careful not to challenge too often, as you risk picking up the discard pile if you are wrong.

FAQ

• Can I play a higher or lower rank than the one called by the previous player? - Some variations of the game allow this, but in the standard version, you must play the next rank above the rank called by the previous player.
• Can I challenge a player even if I am not sure about their cards? - Yes, you can challenge a player if you suspect they are lying, but remember that you risk picking up the discard pile if you are wrong.
• Can I play more cards than I claim to have played? - Some variations of the game allow this, but in the standard version, you must not play more cards than you claim to have played.
• Is it okay to call the same rank as the one called by the previous player? - Some variations allow this, but in the standard version you must call the next rank above the one called by the previous player.
• What happens if I run out of cards and someone challenges me? - If you play your last remaining card(s), but someone challenges you and the cards you played are not what you called, you pick up the pile and play continues.

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