Fuck the Dealer
Guess the card, test your luck, and try not to be the dealer.
About the Game
Fuck the Dealer is a guessing game played with a standard deck of cards. Players try to identify the rank of the next card, while the dealer tries to avoid being caught with incorrect guesses.
The game is simple to learn, but the odds shift as more cards are revealed and players begin tracking which ranks remain.
Setup
- Choose one player to be the dealer.
- Shuffle a standard 52-card deck.
- Keep the deck face down and have the dealer ready to reveal cards.
- Agree on the guessing rules and consequences before starting.
How to Play
- The dealer asks the current player to guess the rank of the top card.
- The player makes a guess, such as a 7, Queen, or Ace.
- The dealer reveals the card.
- If the guess is correct, the dealer receives a penalty under the group's agreed rules.
- If the guess is incorrect, the turn continues according to the group's chosen version.
- Players take turns guessing until the agreed stopping point or until the deck runs out.
Common Guessing Variation
- The player guesses whether the next card is higher or lower than the revealed card.
- If the player guesses incorrectly, they receive a penalty.
- If the player guesses correctly, they may get another turn or pass play along, depending on the house rules.
- If the player guesses the exact rank, the dealer receives the penalty.
There are several versions of Fuck the Dealer. Decide which version your group is using before the first card is revealed.
Rules & Variations
- Aces can be treated as high or low, but the group must agree beforehand.
- Decide how ties, exact guesses, and incorrect guesses are handled before starting.
- Keep revealed cards visible so everyone can track which ranks have appeared.
- Players may use nonalcoholic drinks or non-drinking penalties.
- Anyone can skip a turn or leave the game without pressure.
Quick Summary
Goal: Guess card ranks and avoid the dealer's penalties.
Supplies: A standard deck of cards.
Key mechanic: Guess, reveal, and follow the agreed rules for correct or incorrect answers.
Safety Notice
Drinking should never be required to participate. Do not use chugging, excessive drinking, or pressure to drink as penalties. Use points or other harmless consequences instead, and keep water available.
If someone is difficult to wake, has repeated vomiting, has a seizure, or is breathing slowly or irregularly, call emergency services immediately and stay with them.