Coup
Also known as: Coup card game, Coup game
Bluff about your cards, call out your opponent's bluffs, last one standing wins. Pure social deduction.
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What You'll Need
About This Game
A bluffing game where everyone lies about what cards they hold. You claim to be a Duke, Captain, Assassin, or Contessa to take powerful actions. Get called on a bluff and you lose a card. Lose both cards and you're out. With two players, every bluff is a direct confrontation.
How to Play
**Setup:** Shuffle the 15-card deck (3 each of Duke, Assassin, Captain, Ambassador, Contessa). Each player gets 2 cards face-down and 2 coins.
**On your turn, take one action:**
- **Income:** Take 1 coin (can't be blocked)
- **Foreign Aid:** Take 2 coins (can be blocked by Duke)
- **Coup:** Pay 7 coins, force opponent to lose a card (can't be blocked, mandatory at 10+ coins)
- **Duke:** Take 3 coins (bluffable)
- **Assassin:** Pay 3 coins, target loses a card (bluffable, blockable by Contessa)
- **Captain:** Steal 2 coins from opponent (bluffable, blockable by Captain or Ambassador)
- **Ambassador:** Draw 2 cards from deck, keep what you want, return 2 (bluffable)
**Challenging:** When someone claims a role, you can challenge. If they were lying, they lose a card. If they were telling the truth, YOU lose a card and they swap the revealed card for a new one.
**Winning:** Last player with cards remaining.
History & Background
Rikki Tahta designed Coup in 2012. The game was originally part of a larger game called The Resistance (also by Tahta). Indie Boards & Cards published it and it became a massive hit in the tabletop gaming community. The two-player variant is particularly tense because there's no crowd to hide in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you play Coup with 2 players?
Yes, Coup can be played with 2 players. While it can work well with larger groups too, a two-player game is definitely doable and enjoyable.
What changes when playing Coup with 2 players?
With 2 players, Coup plays a bit differently than with a full group. Expect more direct competition, less downtime between turns, and a slightly different strategic feel. Some players prefer the intimacy of a two-player session; others miss the chaos of a bigger group.
How long does Coup take to play?
A typical game of Coup takes about 5-10 min. This can vary based on players' experience level and how quickly decisions are made.
What do you need to play Coup?
To play Coup, you need: Coup card game. That's it — no special equipment required.
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