Cheat is a family card game that is best played in a larger group and with older kids. Other names for Cheat include Bluff, I Doubt It, and Liar. It also another name, but this is a family-friendly blog, so we’ll stick with the name that we call it: Cheat.
This card game always involves hooting and hollering as players try to cheat and catch each other in a cheat. It’s a rowdy good time for the whole family. Teens and Tweens especially love this game. You can see what other games they love in our Tween Favorites here, including Crazy Eight Countdown, 99 and Blind Poker.
What you need for Cheat
For the game Cheat, you will need two decks of regular playing cards with the jokers removed. Cheat can be a little hard on the cards so if you need some new cards, check out the selection here; Canadians here. We think the Crazy Chicken Lady ones are fun looking!
The Object
The object of cheat is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards—any way you can.
How to Play
First, shuffle the two decks of cards together.
Next, deal out all the cards, if you have players with more cards than others, that’s okay. Each player will have a stack of cards that they can look at and organize how they would like.
The basic idea of the game is to play as follows:
The first player has the aces or ones. The player takes all of her aces in her hand to lay down in the middle of the table, face down, and announces how many ones she is putting down.
Next, the second player does the same with all 2s that they have. Play continues like this through to the king. When kings are reached, play continues with a return to number ones.
Now the hard part. Every player must place down at least one card on his turn—even if he doesn’t have any of that number in his hand. He must cheat!
Now for the fun part.
Each player chooses how many cards to lay down, they do not HAVE to be the number that you say. For example, if your number is 3 and you don’t have any 3s, you can choose other cards, say two 4s and say, “two 3s.” Or you could play one 5 and one 8 and say, “two 3s.” You can also play one 3 and one 4 and one jack say “three 3s.” Cheating is encouraged, sometimes mandatory, hence the name of the game: Cheat.
Now the catch
If a player suspects you of cheating, they call out “Cheat!” If you did, indeed, cheat, you must pick up all of the cards in the middle and add them to your hand.
Watch out though! If you accuse another player of being a cheat and that player shows the cards to prove that she didn’t cheat, you pick up all the cards in the middle and add them to your hand.
Winning Cheat
The first player to get rid of his complete hand is the winner.
There’s no Cheating the Fun with this Game
Cheat is a fun, easy game that anyone can play. It can get rowdy and loud (but we love that in a game). It can sharpen your observation skills—some players have tells. Cheat, also, makes you consider probability and risk assessment. Depending on the amount of cheating going on, and the amount of accusations, the game can last a long time. Overall, our family likes this game—especially when played with a big group.
Want the printable rules for this game, get them here. Also check out our fun games in the shop like Whacky Putt the mini golf dice game, and the Sticks card game.
If you need a new set of playing cards check out Amazon. Canadians can shop for playing cards here. And if little hands, or older ones, need help holding all those cards, consider investing in a card holder to help out.
To find more great family card games check out our card game section.
If you’re looking for more fun read our game reviews and our dice games too.
Pros: very easy
Cons: can be noisy, long playing time
Mom: probability, accountability, however it encourages cheating.
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