(Tierney Family rules)

Players - Four. Each plays for himself.

Cards - One full deck of 52 cards.

The Deal - Cut for dealer, ace is high. All cards are dealt, giving each hand 13 cards. Deal passes to the left for successive hands.

The Play - Eldest hand makes the opening lead by placing 1, 2, 3 or 4 cards face down in the center of the table (starting a new pile) and declaring the number and denomination.  For instance, the player on lead might place three cards face down and declare "3 Jacks."  Each time a new pile is started, the player starting the pile chooses the announced denomination for all cards added to the pile.

In this example the cards need not necessarily be jacks, or even of the same denomination.  A player may choose to put down a four, a five and a seven and declare "3 Jacks."

The next player has three options:

• Doubt the most recent cards added to the pile.  Only the most recent cards added to the pile may be doubted.  Say, "I doubt you" and turn only the most recent cards added to the pile face up.
  • If the player who added the most recent cards to the pile was completely truthful, then the entire pile is added to the hand of the player who doubted, and the truthful player starts a new pile.
  • If the player who added the most recent cards to the pile was not completely truthful, then the liar adds the entire pile to his hand and the player who doubted starts a new pile.
  • Note that once played cards have been covered by a subsequent play, they are no longer subject to being doubted.  Only the most recently played cards are subject to question.
• Add more cards face down to the pile.  1 to 4 more cards may be added to the pile, but they must be called the same as other cards in the pile.  So if the first player started by putting three cards down and declaring "3 Tens" the next player may add more cards to the pile, but they must be called "Tens".
• Pass.  Play passes to the next player left, who may now doubt the most recent cards added to the pile, add more cards to the pile (which must be called the same) or also pass.  If there are thee passes in succession, then the player who last added cards to the pile may choose to add still more cards (which must be called the same), or to sweep the entire pile permanently aside and start a new pile.  Cards swept aside are out of play until the next hand is dealt.

Typical play might go:

• Player 1: "1 King"
• Player 2: "1 King"
• Player 3: "Pass"
• Player 4: "1 King"
• Player 1: "2 Kings"
• Player 2: "Pass"
• Player 3: "Pass"
• Player 4: "2 Kings"
• Player 1: "Pass"
• Player 2: "I doubt you"

If the 2 "kings" last added by Player 4 are actual kings, then Player 2 adds the entire pile to his hand and Player 4 begins a new pile.

If the 2 "kings" last added by Player 4 are not both kings, then Player 4 adds the entire pile to his hand and Player 2 begins a new pile.

Object of Play - To get rid of all your cards.  If you make a play that adds all of your remaining cards to the pile, you then declare "I'm out!".  Unless you were lying and someone doubts you, the hand is over and the player going out wins.

• Always doubt a player who goes out.  There is no penalty if they told the truth, as the game will be over anyway.
• Be careful about adding false cards to a big pile, if someone doubts, you may add as many as a dozen cards to your hand.
• If you always tell the truth others will learn not to doubt you, but it limits the number of cards you are able to get rid of on a single play.

This version of Liar's Poker is great fun for families, children as young as five pick it up quickly.

Other Liar's Poker/I Doubt It sites on the WWW:
John McLeod's I Doubt It Page
GameRules.org I Doubt It Page

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