How to play Liar’s Dice

What you need

Two to six players, five dice and a cup each. In Dice Kingdom your phone is the cup: the game rolls, hides and reveals the dice for you.

The goal

In Classic, be the last player with dice. In Asian rules (大話骰) nobody loses dice: finish a set number of rounds with the fewest penalty points.

A round, step by step

Shake and peekEveryone rolls their five dice under their cup and looks only at their own.
Open the biddingThe first player bids a quantity and a face. “Three 4s” claims there are at least three 4s under all the cups together.
Raise or callThe next player either raises the bid or calls “Liar!” on it. Play goes round the table.
RevealEvery cup lifts and that face is counted. At least as many as bid: the bid holds and the caller loses. Fewer: the bidder loses.

Your cup

You hold two 3s and a 1. With wild 1s that is three 3s already, before anyone else’s dice: “three 3s” is a safe opening bid.

Raising a bid

A raise must be higher than the standing bid: more dice of any face, or the same number of dice with a higher face. You may jump as high as you like.

Raising from a standing bid of four 3s
Standing bid: four 3s	Allowed?	Why
Four 5s	Allowed	Same number, higher face
Five 2s	Allowed	More dice, any face
Seven 6s	Allowed	A jump is fine
Four 2s	Not allowed	Same number, lower face
Three 6s	Not allowed	Fewer dice

Wild 1s

In Classic, and in Asian rules while the round is 飛 (mixed), every 1 counts as whatever face is being bid. That is why 1s are called aces. Bidding on 1s has its own rules: see each rule set.

The reveal

The bid was five 6s. The cups show three 6s and two 1s: with wild 1s that is five, so the bid holds and whoever called “Liar!” loses.

Calling “Liar!”

Only the player whose turn it is may call “Liar!” on the standing bid (Asian rules add 劈, a challenge out of turn at double stakes). In Classic the loser of the call loses one die, and a player with no dice is out. In Asian rules the loser takes penalty points instead.

The rule sets

Classic and Asian rules compared
Rule	Classic	Asian rules 大話骰
Losing a call	Lose a die	Take penalty points
Wild 1s	Yes, except in palifico	Yes while 飛 (mixed); no while 齋 (pure)
Special calls	Calza (exact), palifico	齋 and 飛, 劈 out of turn, 反劈 counter
Opening bid	Any quantity; not on 1s	At least the number of players (Hong Kong)
Winning	Last player with dice	Fewest points after the set rounds

Classic rules → Asian rules → House rules → Party Cup →

Bluffing tips

Count firstEach face turns up on about a sixth of all the dice; with wild 1s, about a third. Twelve dice on the table: expect about four of any face.

Bid what you hold, then bluff onceOpen on your strongest face. Save the bluff for when the bid is already high and nobody wants to call.

Watch the size of a raiseA big jump often means a strong cup, or a nervous bluff. Every rival in Dice Kingdom has a tell.

Call late, not earlyAn early call is usually wrong. Let the bid climb past what the table can hold.

Questions

Can you bid on 1s?

In Classic, yes: a bid on 1s (aces) needs only half the quantity, rounded up, and you cannot open on them. In Asian rules a bid on 1s is always 齋 (pure).

How many dice does each player start with?

Five. House rules allow three to six; Quick Match online deals three each.

Can you call “Liar!” out of turn?

In Classic, no. In Asian rules, yes: that is 劈, at double stakes.

Who rolls the dice online?

The server. Your phone only plays the animation, so every online game is fair.