Dudo
Peruvian bluffing dice game. Bid on total dice across all players. Call "Dudo!" to challenge.
What You'll Need
About This Game
Peruvian bluffing dice game. Bid on total dice across all players. Call "Dudo!" to challenge.
How to Play
Setup
- Each player gets 5 dice and a cup
- All players shake and slam their cups down simultaneously
- Look at your own dice secretly
Gameplay
- First player makes a bid: quantity and face value (e.g., "three 4s")
- Bid claims there are AT LEAST that many of that face among ALL dice
- Ones (aces) are wild and count as any number
- Next player must either:
- Raise the bid (higher quantity, or same quantity with higher face)
- Call "Dudo!" (I doubt it) to challenge
When Challenged
- All players reveal their dice
- Count all dice matching the bid (including wild ones)
- If the bid is met or exceeded: challenger loses a die
- If the bid is NOT met: bidder loses a die
Winning
- When you lose all your dice, you're out
- Last player with dice wins
History & Background
Dudo (meaning "I doubt" in Spanish) is a dice game believed to have originated with the Inca Empire in Peru, making it one of the oldest dice games still played today. The game spread throughout South America and became especially popular in Chile, Bolivia, and Peru.
The game is known by many names: Perudo (the commercial version), Liar's Dice (in English-speaking countries), and Cacho in Chile. It gained international fame after being featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, where it was called "Liar's Dice."
Traditionally played in cantinas and at family gatherings, Dudo combines probability calculation with the psychological art of bluffing. The game has endured for centuries because it rewards both mathematical thinking and the ability to read opponents.