Lying card game: rules, tips and variants explained

The card game “Lies” is all about lying as cleverly as possible to fool your fellow players

“Lies” card game: The rules explained simply

The card game “Lies” is also known by names such as “Lies and Cheating”, “Cheat”, “Cheating” or “Bullshit”. The rules are simple, which is why the game is suitable not only for adults but also for children. You need a skat or rummy hand to play. If there are jokers in the hand, they are taken out.

• Shuffle the cards and deal them out evenly to all players. If there are any cards left over, put them to one side. If there are more than five players, shuffle two decks of cards and deal them out

• After everyone has fanned out their cards and ideally sorted them by color, one player – the youngest, the oldest or the “most honest” – begins the game. The player places a card of their choice face up in the middle of the table

• The color of the card played now determines which cards the other players may play. For example, if the first player has played the queen of hearts, only other hearts cards may be played afterwards.

• In clockwise order, the other players now each place a card face down in the middle of the table. They then say what kind of card it is – for example, seven of hearts or king of hearts

• At the start of the game, all players will probably be able to play the required suit. However, the further the game progresses, the more likely it is that a player will lie and, for example, place a peek card on the pile as a heart card.

• The other players must therefore always be a little suspicious. If a player suspects that someone has lied about their card, they knock on the table or shout: “Lie!” or “Bullshit!”. The person addressed must then reveal the card they have just played

• If the player has cheated and been exposed as a liar, they must pick up the entire pile of cards on the table. If they told the truth, the player who knocked or called out must pick up the pile

• The player who had to pick up the pile of cards as a punishment for lying or mistrust may now place the next card face up in the middle and thus determine the color to be used for the next round. The winner is the first player to have no more cards in their hand.

Variants of Schummellieschen: How to modify the rules

Of course, you can modify the basic rules of Schummellieschen as you wish:

• For example, you can specify that players may not discard cards of the same suit, but also of the same value. You can then place not only other heart cards but also other queen cards on a queen of hearts
• As a rule, you can also specify that only cards of the same value or with a higher value than the previous card may be discarded. The color does not matter. The first player then lays down the lowest card he has in his hand – for example, a three of diamonds. The next player may either play a higher card or also a three of diamonds