The Bullshit drinking game is a party favorite of many people. But if you’ve never played before, the rules might seem a little confusing at first.
If you enjoy popular card games like Poker or 7 Card Stud, you’ll be sure to enjoy playing Bullshit. It’s also a drinking game with a bit more gameplay. You’ll still be drinking plenty of alcohol, but there is some strategy involved.
So in this guide, we’ll explain what you need to know and outline how to play this fun drinking game step by step!
What is The Bullshit Drinking Game?
Bullshit uses playing cards just like Waterfall, but the gameplay is quite different. In Bullshit, players are dealt an equal number of cards. They must play cards in a specific order starting with the aces.
However, players can (and often must) bluff to place any card down and say they are aces. If at any point you think a player is lying about what they’ve played, you can declare “bullshit,” and the cards are turned over.
If you’re right, the player who lied must take a penalty drink and add any played cards to their hand. However, this can backfire on you if you are wrong. So to win Bullshit, you need to think carefully and play strategically.
What You’ll Need To Play?
To play the Bullshit drinking game, all you need is some alcohol and some playing cards. But, of course, the game can easily be played down at the pub/ bar as well! Personally, we think Bullshit makes a fun outdoor drinking game too.
Any playing card set can be used, but we think sticking with a traditional design would be for the best. So these Bicycle Dragon cards would make a fine choice. But, of course, Bullshit is a drinking game, so you’ll need plenty of alcohol as well.
You can use any alcohol, but we don’t recommend anything overly strong. You can use plastic cups to pour the drink into, but they aren’t essential. Many people use beer cans when playing Bullshit, but it’s really up to you which beverages you use.
How to Play the Bullshit Drinking Game?
The Aim of The Game
With this drinking game, there are going to be winners and losers! This makes it stand out amongst drinking games which generally have a more laid-back approach. However, there is a competitive element to this game, and strategy is essential!
But it’s still a lot of fun to play. So, let’s go over the rules you need to know.
The Set-Up
Before we jump into how the gameplay works, let’s talk about the set-up, shall we? The first thing to do is choose a dealer. You can do this in any way you want, and unlike some games, the dealer doesn’t have any advantages/ disadvantages.
Once the dealer has been chosen, they’ll need to remove the Jokers from the deck. Then shuffle the cards well before dealing them out into even-numbered piles. There should be a pile for every player.
So, the number of cards per pile will vary depending on how many people are playing. Any cards left over should be discarded face down. No one (not even the dealer) must know which cards have been discarded.
Every player should then choose a pile. It doesn’t matter which pile you choose; go for the one you think is best. Next, every player should have a drink with them, and the rest of the alcohol should be within easy reach. You’re then ready to begin playing, so let’s look at the rules in more detail.
The Rules
When the game begins, the player to the left of the dealer should go first. Play continues in this direction from now on. On your turn, you should look through your pile of cards and will need to first place down your aces.
This is where things get tricky because you can place down any number of cards you want. If you don’t have any ace cards, you’ll need to bluff and put any card down. When you place down your cards, you’ll need to declare them to the other players.
For example, if you play two cards, you’ll need to “say two aces.” Play will then go to the next player, who will need to do the same. At any point, you can shout “Bullshit” if you think a player is lying about what they’ve put down.
Once “Bullshit” has been declared, all players should turn over the cards. If the player were lying, they would need to drink as a penalty and add the played cards to their pile. Likewise, if the player who shouted “Bullshit” was incorrect, then they’ll need to drink and add the cards to their hand instead.
When Bullshit has been declared, the next round begins but with the next card in the order. It starts with aces, then goes to kings, queens, jacks, and the numbered cards from 10 to 2.
However, it is unlikely you’ll get through all the cards because the game is over when one player has got rid of all their cards. So, to win at the Bullshit drinking game, you need to balance the risk vs. reward that comes with bluffing carefully.
To win (or at least increase your chances), you should be thinking about what cards other players may have. This will get easier every round because you can see what cards have already been played. Plus, you can learn a lot about what other players may have by looking at your cards.
The Joker Cards
Under traditional rules, the Joker cards aren’t used in Bullshit. However, you can add them to the deck for a unique twist. If you do use the Joker cards, then they will act like wildcards do in Uno.
This means that they can act as any other card. This makes them very valuable because it adds a potential new card of each type. For example, there could be six Aces instead of four in the first round with the Joker cards added. It all depends on how each player uses them.
The Bullshit Drinking Game
So, that’s how you play Bullshit! This is a classic drinking game that is fun for everyone. The rules might seem a little complex at first glance, but they are much easier to understand than you might think.
It would be an excellent game for a bachelorette or bachelor party too. So, if you’re looking for a fun pre-wedding drinking game, give Bullshit a try!
