- Players
- 3 to 6
- Cards
- One 52-card deck
- Goal
- Be first to empty your hand
- Skill
- Bluffing and reading people
Bluff rules
The aim
Be the first player to get rid of all your cards, by putting them down face down and claiming what they are. Your claims can be true or false.
Dealing
Deal the whole deck out, one card at a time, so every player has roughly the same number of cards.
Making a claim
The first player puts 1 to 4 cards face down in the middle and names a rank, for example “three sevens”. The cards don’t have to be sevens. That’s the bluff.
Following a round
Going around the table, each player either puts down 1 to 4 more cards claiming the same rank, passes, or calls bluff on the last play. Everyone in a round has to claim the rank the round started with.
Calling bluff
When someone calls bluff, the last cards played are turned face up. If any of them aren’t the claimed rank, the player who lied picks up the whole pile. If they were all true, the caller picks it up instead. The winner of the challenge starts a new round with any rank.
When everyone passes
If every other player passes, the pile is set aside and the last player who put cards down starts a new round.
Winning
Empty your hand to win, but your last cards have to survive. If the next player calls bluff and you lied, you pick up the pile. If the next player plays or passes instead, you win.
Play Bluff online
Start a table with family and friends, or practise against the computer. Free in your browser.
Play Bluff nowTips to win at Bluff
- Bluff early while the pile is small. Getting caught early costs little.
- Count the cards. Only four of each rank exist, so if your hand plus the claims add up to more than four, someone is lying.
- Mix truth and lies. A player who only bluffs on big claims is easy to read.
- Be careful calling bluff when the pile is huge. If they were honest, you take the lot.
- When a player is about to go out, their last claim is often worth challenging.
Bluff questions
Is Bluff the same as Cheat?
Yes. Bluff, Cheat, I Doubt It and BS are all names for the same card game, with small differences in house rules.
How many cards can you put down at once in Bluff?
Usually 1 to 4 cards per turn, all claimed as the same rank.
Who picks up the pile when bluff is called?
The liar picks up the pile if any of the cards were not the claimed rank. If the claim was true, the player who called bluff picks it up.
Can I play Bluff online?
Yes. Taash Club lets you play Bluff online free with friends, or against computer players who bluff and call too.