Coup
Bluff, intrigue, influence. Be the last one standing.
- Players
- 2–6
- Length
- ~15 min
- Genre
- Card game
Coup is a fast card game of bluffing and deduction. Each player heads an influential family in a corrupt city-state and works to strip everyone else of their influence.
Influence is two face-down role cards. You may claim any role, including one you do not hold — but rivals can challenge you, and a caught liar loses a card. A wrong challenge costs the challenger a card instead.
The deck holds five roles: Duke, Assassin, Captain, Ambassador and Contessa. Each grants an action or a block, and the whole match turns on what the table is willing to believe.
How to play
- 1Gather two to six players in a room.
- 2Everyone starts with two face-down role cards and two coins.
- 3On your turn pick an action: income, foreign aid, tax, steal, assassinate, exchange or coup.
- 4When you claim a role you may be bluffing — you do not need the card in hand.
- 5Doubt an opponent? Challenge them: a liar loses a card, but a wrong call costs you one.
- 6Once you hold ten coins you must launch a coup, and a coup cannot be blocked.
- 7Lose both cards and you are out. The last player standing wins.
Highlights
- Two to six players
- Five roles with distinct actions and blocks
- Full claim, block and challenge chains
- Turn timer and a complete action log
- Join a room straight from a link
Tactics and tips
- Count the claimed roles. There are three of each in the deck, so a fourth Duke at the table is always a bluff.
- Watch the coins. Seven means a coup is coming, and by then you should know who it lands on.
- Bluff a role nobody has claimed yet. The rarer it has been at the table, the cheaper it is to be believed.
- A challenge is a two-way bet. Call when you need that card gone, not when something merely feels off.
- Keep the Contessa quiet. Announced, she blocks one assassination; unannounced, she discourages the thought entirely.
Common mistakes
- Hoarding coins to ten without noticing you became the obvious target.
- Challenging blindly early on and losing a card before any information exists.
- Claiming the same role all match — it stops being a bluff and becomes a tell.
Frequently asked questions
Can you bluff in Coup?
Bluffing is the whole game. You may claim any role at all — the only risk is being challenged.
What happens on a challenge?
If the player was bluffing, they lose an influence card. If they genuinely held the role, the challenger loses one instead.
What does each role do?
Duke takes tax and blocks foreign aid, Assassin kills for three coins, Captain steals coins, Ambassador exchanges cards, Contessa blocks assassination.
When is a coup mandatory?
The moment you hold ten coins or more, you must launch a coup on that turn.