How to play I Doubt It Card Game-Rules with amazing variants GAMBLERS May 18, 2014 Home I doubt it (also known as “Bullshit” in USA and “cheat” in UK) is a shedding type card game played by 3-8 players with the objective to get rid of cards. This game has amazing rules where players challenge others if they are skeptical if others have broke any rules. This game is fun and adds humor every time player plays a card. After a challenge is made the last card would be exposed and whoever has got it wrong has to pick up the complete pile. It is a game designed for parties. It is very similar to Russian game Verish’ ne Versih’. Decks and Deal This game is played with a standard pack of 52 cards without jokers but it can be played with more than one deck with jokers as wild cards. A dealer is made among the players and all the cards are dealt. The Play The first player or any player would be designated a “Lead”. The lead is the pile that is placed at the center of table. The player who plays the first card commences the lead by placing it face down and proclaiming the rank like “Ace”, “Seven”, “King”, etc. Rank matters in I Doubt It, suits do not matter. Every player takes his turn clockwise. Pass the chance – You do not have the required rank and you have passed your chance to the other player. Play a card that matches the rank of face down card. No one is sure either the card played match the rank or not. The lead proclaimed must be followed till for a one complete round. Round Termination A round is finished in 2 ways: Challenge After a player has played a card, a challenge can be made by any player before the next player plays a card. There is no need to wait for your turn. The player who made challenge will touch the lead and say “I Doubt It”. The last card played would be turned face up. If the challenged player is caught in doubt he will pick the stack and the player who challenged him will have the lead. In case the doubt fails and the rank matches the challenged player has the lead and the challenging player will take the stack. Pass When all the player passes (that happens many times) the stack is removed from play being face down (not revealed). The new round begins and the player who played the last card in the last round (announcing same or any other rank). Game End If a player is left with only one card and that card matches the rank of the lead or it is his turn to commence the lead, he wins the game. Strategy The simple strategy is to play with honesty without the game being “Cheat”. Most players are skeptical about the others rank and wrongly call them. Honesty is the international strategy and players will fall into their own trap. The best strategy is to play honestly for some time and then cheat occasionally with expressions and confidence that make others think of your honesty. Challenge others players by “I Doubt it” or “Cheat” lot of time. Players can adapt this if they have all the four cards of rank and are sure others have no probability of having it. Other advantage of having all 4 cards is playing other 4 card of different rank as no one would believe that cheat. In early stage play cards that are far away from the lead as others would believe that you can have as the game has just started and the good ranks can be played later to gain advantage over others. Even if you get cheating you will have to face a less degree of penalty while later the degree can be more severe. The most effective strategy is to claim cards that he has many in his hand. When a player has 3 sevens others may be playing sevens but only one can have seven. The challenger may be confused as he is not sure and the cheater can do it many times. This is successful as every time it is done other players know someone is cheating as they are playing 3 sevens without even putting them. Variations Player may pass even having the required rank to use them later in the game. They can choose any card to play to cheat others. If a player has to play two Queens then they can play one Queen and any other cards or any two cards far away from the lead. Player put three cards and says they have played only two. All players are not eligible to make challenge. It can be made by the next player or the previous player. Whoever gets it wrong will take the stack and other will get lead. The player who takes lead has to claim Aces, the next two up to Kings and then again back to aces. If caught in doubt, the next player plays the last rank. Jokers can be played on any rank as “Wild Cards”. This way you will play a card without having any trouble of being caught. This variant is widely played. If players are caught in doubt they have to take back the card from the stack and other players will hit on his hand hard. The first player who has lead can chose any number to play and every player has to play one card of that particular number or they will be called bluffing. Bluff has to be called out before starting with another number. The player who challenged the bluffer would have the lead and start with a new number or continue with the previous number. In some variant if a player has all the 4 cards of a rank, they have the choice to remove set of numbers form the play. This makes the game quick. In some version suit matters, which is rare. Players have to play the same suit as the previous player. It is very different from I Doubt It. Another variation is players can play any rank and any number of cards. Their choice independent of what last player have played (his number and rank does not matters to the current player). They would be caught in doubt if they have placed more number of cards or different rank then proclaimed. National Variants 1. Spanish Bluff It was discovered in Spain. Two decks are used instead of single. There are 8 of every card with including Jokers. Jokers are not mandatory and can be played with 1 deck too. All ranks are not kept in the play. At least one rank is removed and if played with multiple decks two or more ranks are removed. Jokers are kept as Wild Cards. Cards are dealt turn by turn and some will get one more than others. To commence the lead a player has to play a jack face up and then the cards will be dealt face down. The player who has the lead will proclaim the rank. Players can play any number of cards but they have to play the rank (it does not soar up). Jokers can be played any time. No one is obliged to play the specific rank but have to be vigilant of challenge is made they have to face penalty. They can play more number of cards then claimed but have to deceive in front of their eyes. Hiding cards under your shirt or anywhere else is not permitted. Any player can challenge the player with current turn by saying “BULLSHIT”. The challenger will pick up cards and place them face up on the table. Challenger will take the stack if claim is wrong otherwise challenging one will pick the stack. Winner of the challenge will start a new round by proclaiming any rank of his choice. If a player at any point of the game has all the eight cards of a specific rank, he can discard them by saying out loud. If a player has all the eight cards and still plays them he has to face penalty if realized by others. Either he has to drink alcohol, say something daring or do something daring to a friend for complete one day. If jokers are included player can proclaim 11 of a card. The player who still has cards remaining is the loser of the game. The loser has to face the forfeits by other players. Usually, he has to take lot of drinks or do something that he does not like. 2. Egyptian variant The cards are evenly dealt to each player. Player having the ace (of hearts only) will take the lead. The next player can play same rank or one rank above or below the previous rank. The rules are same. Either the one who caught cheating or the one who made the wrong call will pick up the cards. The game is started by the player who gets it right as a reward of correctly noticing other player or questioning their honesty. 3. Hawaii variant It does not matter who will take the lead but cards are evenly distributed. They can challenge other players at any time. 4. Indian Bluff The game and rules are the same as of Bullshit card game with just one exception that players have “I believe Option”. Players will not be able to play until the next round if they pass their turn. 5. Verish’ Ne Verish’ It is a Russian variant (Trust, Do not trust). It is also known as Chinese Bluff. Cards are distributed to each player be the dealer. The player who take the lead can play 1,2 or 3 cards of that rank. He may or may not be honest. Other player can interrupt him by saying “ne veryu” or accept their cards “veryu”. When a player is tested in bluff, the last card is matched. If player pass the test the challenger takes the pile otherwise the player takes it if he fails. The new round id started by the winner of the test while in some variants the next round is started by the player next to the winner. Player has to play a card if they accept other players call. If he pass and no one has the desired rank the cards are removed from play and another round will be started by the player who has the last turn. One of its amazing variant is “I don’t Trust” in which challenger will pick any card instead of the last card played. Whoever wins will start the next round and the loser has to take cards.
