Card game rules

Card game rules
Key rules
  • Game duration: < 10 minutes
  • Objective: find the two spies (who know the secret word)
  • 4 to 8 players

1. Dealing the cards
Take n-2 card with (iD 00) written on the top of the front of the card
Take the two cards with (iD 01) written on the top of the front of the card
Shuffle the cards and give one to each player (front face hidden)
Choose a number between 1 and 15: number i
2. Each player look secretly at his card
You are:
  • A spy if it is written (iD01) on your card and the secret word is in front of number i previously chosen. The two spies have the same secret word
  • Not a spy if it is written (iD00) on your card
3. Objective of the game
  • If you are a spy, you have to find the other spy
  • If you are not a spy, you have to find the two spies and prevent the spies from finding themselves
4. Round 1
One by one, each player say a unique one-word clue (not already said)
If you are a spy, the clue should help the other spy to find you
If you are not a spy, it is good to create a word that makes people believe you are a spy
If you are a spy, you cannot say the secret word
5. Round 2:
One by one, each player say a unique one-word clue (not already said)
6. End of game
Each player say the two one-word that he/she has already said
Everybody take 10 seconds to think of who are the spies
The dealer counts from 3 to zero
At zero, all players points their fingers in the direction of the spies (if you are one of the two spies, you point one of your finger at you)
7. Who wins?
If only the spies find each other, they win
If a non-spy find both spies, he/she wins (and the spies lose),
If a non-spy find both spies, he can try to guess the secret word
Want to play a new game? Just swap the two cards (iD01) by the two cards (iD02), and so on if you want to play further rounds.
Hints & strategies
Bluffing: Keep it General – Remember, specific words have narrow definitions and fewer multiple meanings. The more general the clue word, the more likely it may be that a player will think you are the LINQ… even if you are not!

« Great Body Language » – Easy to say but much harder to pull off. Nevertheless, it is a great body language that often wins the day. One trick is to pretend you are the LINQ by taking an obvious second look at your card.

A player would only look twice at their card if they were looking at the LINQ word and trying to remember it… right?

WARNING: Things can get pretty confusing once you exceed 8 players though, so be careful!!