Liar's Dice
Everyone hides their dice. Bid on what's under all the cups, or call the liar.
2-8 players15-30 min
Overview
The bluffing dice game. Everyone shakes five dice under a cup and looks only at their own. In turn you bid on how many dice of one face lie under all the cups together, say four 5s, and every bid must beat the last. When you think someone is lying, call it. The cups lift and the dice are counted: if the bid holds, the caller loses a die, and if it doesn't, the bidder does. 1s are wild. Lose all your dice and you're out; the last player with dice wins.
How it plays
- Everyone rolls five dice under a cup and looks only at their own.
- In turn, bid on how many dice of a face are under ALL the cups, e.g. four 5s. 1s are wild and count toward every other face.
- Each bid must beat the last: more dice, or the same number of a higher face. Switching to 1s needs only half the quantity (round up); switching back needs double + 1. A round can't open on 1s.
- Instead of raising, call "Liar!" on the last bid. All cups lift: if the bid holds, the caller loses a die; if not, the bidder does.
- Or call "Spot on!" if you think the bid is exactly right. Hit it and you win a die back; miss and you lose one.
- Whoever lost a die opens the next round. Lose your last die and you're out. The last player with dice wins.
- Make it your table's game: choose 3-6 dice each, how 1s work, losing one die or the difference, and switch on spot-on, the Danish trappe (a cup running 1-2-3… counts as one more than its dice, of any face) and palifico rounds.
- Play online with your cup on your own phone (a tablet can show the bids and the big reveal), or hot-seat with a pass-the-device curtain.