With our BS card game rules guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about this strategic, fun card game. The BS card game is deceptively simple, all you need to do is place your cards down in order.
But in order to do this, you’ll likely need to bluff a few times throughout the game. But can you get away with a bluff? We’ll talk more about the BS card game rules below, but first, let’s explore a bit about the game itself.
What is The BS Card Game?
Also known as Cheat and Bluff the BS card game is played with a regular deck of playing cards. You can choose to play with the Joker cards or without. In the BS card game, 2 to 6 players have to get rid of all their cards.
Cards are placed down in order starting with an ace (normally the ace of spades). This follows on through the numbered cards then the face cards, and finally, it ends with the aces again. Now as you might have guessed the odds of getting all the cards you need isn’t likely to happen.
This is where bluffing comes into play. If you don’t have the card you need then you can simply bluff and place any other card down. However, if another player suspects you of a bluff and calls you on it, then you will need to take the whole pile of cards.
However, if a player calls a bluff and no one was bluffing then they will need to take the cards themselves. So, if you are going to call a bluff you have to be sure, because it can backfire badly if you make a mistake.
Like many playing card games, the origins of the BS card game aren’t exactly known. Many countries have similar versions of BS like Mogeln which is played in Austria and Germany. There are also a few different rule variants to the game as well.
What You’ll Need?
To play the BS card game all you need is a pack of standard playing cards. Playing cards are easy to find in many shops and online. Any deck of cards will do like these from Bicycle. In some versions of the game you can even play with multiple decks. However, we recommend sticking to one deck at first.
The Cards
Under the traditional BS card game rules, you use a regular deck of 52 cards. You can opt to add the Joker cards or not. If you use the Joker cards then they will act as wildcards like in Uno. This means they can be used in the place of any other card.
This makes calling a bluff much more difficult and adds an extra layer of strategy to the game. While we don’t recommend using the Joker cards right away, they can be a fun element to add to your next game.
The BS Card Game Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of The Game
The BS card game has a very simple aim. You simply need to be the first player to use all your cards. Cards are placed down in numerical order starting with an ace then going through the numbered cards, the face cards, and finally ending with the other aces.
However, since it’s unlikely a player will have all the cards they need, they will need to bluff. The game then becomes a strategic game of deception. You need to out-think the other players and know when to bluff. Let’s go over the set-up and how you play.
Setting Up
The BS card game can be played with 2 to 6 people. It’s a great party game so the more players the better, in our opinion. One player will be the dealer and they will first need to shuffle the deck. They’ll then deal the cards out equally to every player.
Decide whether you are using the Joker cards or not. Remember these act as Wild cards, if you are playing the BS card game for the first time we don’t recommend using them right away. Once all the cards have been dealt you are ready to play!
Playing The BS Card Game
The player with the ace of spades should go first, they’ll place this card down and play will continue in a clockwise motion. After the ace of spades has gone down every player will need to place a 2. Then it will continue in numerical order, then the face cards in the order of Jacks, Queens, and Kings.
The final cards played will be the final three ace cards. Yes, it seems really simple, but the strategy comes in the bluffs. Players can actually place any card they want down. But if another player suspects this they can call a bluff.
This is done simply by shouting out bluff or BS. If this is done the player who is suspected of bluffing will lift up the deck. If they did bluff then they will need to take all the cards and add them to their hand.
If they didn’t bluff then the player who called BS will add them to their hand. So, calling a bluff is very risky. You need to be sure because it can easily backfire on you if you are wrong. But it’s also what makes the BS card game so fun! The first player to use all their cards wins.
Passing A Turn
One common rule worth mentioning that is often used in the British version of BS, is the option to pass a turn. In the American version of the BS card game, players will normally be expected to play a card each turn.
However, you can add the option to pass a turn. If a player passes then they could simply be waiting till they have a better strategic advantage to play cards. Like with the Joker card, we don’t recommend using this rule for first-time players. But it can definitely be a fun rule to add to your next game!
The BS Card Game – Bluff Your Way To Victory!
The BS card game is a great party game that is simple yet incredibly strategic. Everyone will be able to play this game, but to win you need to know how to act the part. If you love games of deception then give the BS card game a go.
