BS is a bluffing card game for 2 to 10 players using a standard 52 card deck, where the aim is to be the first to get rid of all your cards. Players take turns putting cards face down while calling the next rank in order, you're allowed to lie, and anyone can challenge: whoever's wrong picks up the whole pile.
This is the card game for a table that likes to laugh. It's easy to teach in two minutes, it works with a big group, and it rewards the person with the best poker face rather than the best memory. The only tricky part is the name.
BS, Cheat or I Doubt It: one game, three names
Pagat.com says the game is generally called Cheat in Britain and goes by a ruder name in the USA, which is where BS comes from. Many card books, including Bicycle's, list it as I Doubt It. Whatever you call it, the challenge word is the name of the game, so with children I'd stick to Cheat or I Doubt It.
One thing to watch: pagat.com points out there's a different game also called I Doubt It, or Bluff, where everyone plays the same rank until someone challenges. The version here is the common one, where the rank goes up each turn.
Dealing for a game of BS
| Players | Deck | Cards each |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | One 52 card deck | Deal them all; a card more or less doesn't matter |
| A big group | Two decks shuffled together | Deal them all |
Choose who goes first at random, then play goes clockwise. Bicycle's version deals two or three at a time, then singles at the end, but dealing one at a time is fine.
Calling ranks in order
- The first player puts one or more cards face down in the middle and says, for example, "two aces".
- The next player must play twos, the next threes, and so on through tens, jacks, queens and kings, then back to aces.
- You say how many cards you're putting down and the rank it's your turn to play.
- You don't have to tell the truth. If you have no sevens on your sevens turn, you have to bluff with something else.
- Before the next player goes, anyone can challenge by calling out the name of the game.
- If nobody challenges, the cards stay in the pile and play moves on.
Bicycle's version limits each play to one to four cards, which makes sense with one deck, since there are only four of each rank.
Challenging a play: who picks up the pile
When someone challenges, the cards just played are turned over.
| What the cards show | Who picks up the whole pile |
|---|---|
| Every card matches the rank called | The challenger |
| Any card doesn't match | The player who bluffed |
This is the rule people get wrong. The loser doesn't just take back the cards that were challenged. They take the entire discard pile, every card played since the last pick up. Late in the game, that can be half the deck, which is why a wrong challenge is so costly. After the challenge, the player to the left of the challenged player carries on with the next rank.
Winning: surviving your last call
Getting rid of your last cards isn't quite enough. Pagat.com says you win only when you've played your final cards and survived any challenge to them. If someone calls you out and you bluffed, you pick up the pile and the game carries on. Everyone watches the last play closely, so your final turn is often the hardest to bluff.
Mistakes new BS players make
- Challenging too late: once the next player has put their cards down, you've missed your chance on the previous play.
- Forgetting the sequence: say the rank out loud every time, so nobody loses track of which rank comes next.
- Bluffing with every card: if you lie on every turn, someone will catch you and you'll pick up a huge pile.
- Getting rid of cards too fast early on: a big pile in the middle is dangerous for everyone, so a small honest play can be the safest move.
One more tip on reading the table: keep a rough count of the ranks you hold. With one deck, there are only four of each, so if you're holding two jacks, anyone claiming three jacks is lying.
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Twists on the bluffing rules
- Count down instead of up: aces, kings, queens, jacks and so on.
- Up or down: you can play the rank above or below the previous call, so after tens you can claim jacks or nines.
- Same, up or down: you can also repeat the previous rank.
- Sneaky extras: you can slip in more cards than you claim, which counts as a bluff if challenged.
- Any rank: in a Chinese version from Fujian, each play just has to be claimed as all the same rank, usually with several decks.
My bluffing advice for family tables
BS suits groups of four or more, older children, teenagers and adults, and it's one of the easiest party games to teach with a deck of cards. The best tip I can give: tell the truth when you can, so that your bluffs blend in. And don't challenge on instinct. Look at your own hand first. If you're holding three queens and someone claims three queens, you know they're lying. If you're hosting adults and want a version with forfeits, it fits well alongside other drinking card games, as long as everyone has water to hand and knows their limit.
I keep every related walkthrough in the Free Games to Play Offline and Online: Every Guide in One Place (2026).
Frequently asked questions
What is BS called in the UK?
In Britain it's usually called Cheat. Many card books also call it I Doubt It.
How many players can play BS?
From 2 to 10 players with one deck. With a big group, shuffle two decks together.
Who picks up the pile in BS?
If the challenged cards match the call, the challenger picks up the whole pile. If any card doesn't match, the bluffer picks it up.
Can you lie on your last card in BS?
Yes, but you only win if your last play survives any challenge. If you're caught bluffing, you pick up the pile and play continues.
How many cards can you play at once in BS?
Bicycle's rules allow one to four cards per turn, which fits a single deck with four cards of each rank.
