Liar Dice

Bluff, Perudo

The essence of this game is deception!

Rules

Players: Three or more.

Equipment: Five poker dice (Figure 1) or standard cubic dice. A board on which to throw the dice. The board may be walled, to make control of the dice easier, but this is not essential. If a board is not available, any flat surface will suffice. A dicing cup. Each player also needs three betting chips (or counters).

Figure 1                   Poker dice

The board and dicing cup shown in Figure 2, made in Mexico, are of tooled leather and green baize. One side of the cup is decorated with the head of an Aztec warrior, while the other shows a reproduction of the Sun Stone, or Aztec Calendar. During repairs to the cathedral of Mexico City at the end of the 18th century, this highly decorated stone was discovered below the foundations, which were built over the ancient temple site of Tenochtitlàn. The original — more than 3 metres in diameter — is carved from a single block of sandstone, and represents the history of the world according to Aztec cosmology.

Int the centre is the Sun, surrounded by various symbols, and the idea of movement is shown. Tiger, Water, Wind and Rain of Fire — signs of the four universes created before the Aztec era came into existence — are also represented. Around the centre is a band of hieroglyphs for the 20 days of the Aztec month. Other bands depict the sun's rays, precious stones, symbols of flowers and blood, elements of the solar cult and two fiery serpents signifying the chronological and cosmic orders.

Figure 2

Rank of hands
Rank of hands is as in Poker Dice (see Scoring below). Hands of the same rank are also compared as in Poker Dice, but in Liar Dice the odd dice are always used as tie-breakers, if necessary.

Order of play
The order of play is established by a preliminary round, in which each player throws a single die. The highest scorer becomes first shooter. The second highest scorer sits to his left, and so on.

Play
Each player puts three betting chips in front of himself. The opening player casts the dice onto the board from a cup, and hides them behind his left hand from the view of the other players (Figure 3). He declares a throw in detail, which may or may not be true. For example, "Full house, Queens on Nines," (Q, Q, Q, 9, 9). The declaring player may call below the actual value of his throw, if he wishes.

Figure 3

This declaration may be accepted or challenged by the player on his left.

If the player to his left thinks that the caller is lying, and challenges him, all the dice are exposed. If the throw is shown to be at least as high, or higher than stated, the challenger loses a life, and pays a stake into the pool. If the score is below the declaration, the caster pays the fine, and loses a chip. In either case, it now becomes the challenger's turn to throw.

If the declaration is accepted by the next player to his left, the dice — still concealed from view — are passed to the next player, who may retain all the dice, or throw any number of them in an attempt to improve the score.

The number of dice being rethrown must be stated truthfully; for example, "throwing two".

The caster then makes his declaration, which must be higher than the one he accepted, and the player on his left may accept the new call, or challenge it. And so play continues around the table.

If the declaration of the highest possible call (5 Aces) is made, the next player may challenge or accept it.

If he accepts, he is allowed five throws of the dice to achieve 5 Aces. If he is successful, the caller loses a chip and stake; otherwise the acceptor loses.

Every player has three chips. When these are lost, he is out of the game.

The first player to lose three lives is sometimes granted a fourth, or extra, life, a grace being known as 'on the parish'.

The last player left in the game is the winner, and takes the contents of the pool.

If a challenge is made, a new round starts.

Start of play rotates one player to the left after each game.

Scoring:
     5 of a kind. (Aces count high.)
     Royal Flush. (The five dice in sequence, Ace high.)
     Low Flush. (The five dice in sequence, King high.)
     Four of a kind.
     Full House. (Three of a kind and a pair.)
     Three of a kind.
     Two pairs.
     One pair.
     Pryle. (Non-scoring hand.)

Except for the Royal and Low Flushes, sequences do not count. A caster with a pryle, or non-scoring hand, must make a scoring declaration, and try to bluff the next player into acceptance.

From 'The Board Game Book' ISBN 0 85685 447 6
© Marshall Cavendish Ltd 1979
and 'The Official World Encyclopedia of Sports and Games'
© Diagram Visual Information Ltd 1979