How to play Coup

Coup is a bluffing game for 2-6 players set in a dystopian city state. Everyone holds two secret character cards, and almost every action you can take requires a character you may not actually have. You can claim anything; the only question is whether anyone dares call you on it. A game takes about 10-20 minutes and the last player with a card still in play wins.

1. 1

   Deal two characters and two coins

   Each player receives two character cards, kept face down, and two coins. The five characters are Duke, Assassin, Captain, Ambassador and Contessa. Your cards are your "influence" — lose both and you are out of the game. In pass-and-play, use the private viewer to check your own cards; never leave them on screen when you hand the device on.

2. 2

   Take one action on your turn

   You may take Income (+1 coin, unblockable), Foreign Aid (+2 coins, blockable by a Duke), or Coup (pay 7 coins, force a player to lose a card — this can never be blocked or challenged). With 10 or more coins you must Coup on your turn.

3. 3

   Or claim a character and use their power

   Duke takes Tax (+3 coins). Assassin pays 3 coins to assassinate. Captain steals 2 coins from another player. Ambassador exchanges cards with the deck. You do not need the character to claim it — you only need everyone to believe you.

4. 4

   Challenge or block

   Any player may challenge a claimed character. If the claimer holds it, they reveal it, shuffle it back, draw a replacement, and the challenger loses a card. If they were bluffing, they lose a card instead. Blocks work the same way: Contessa blocks assassination, Duke blocks Foreign Aid, and Captain or Ambassador blocks stealing.

5. 5

   Lose influence and play on

   When you lose a card you choose which one to reveal, and it stays face up for everyone to see. You keep playing with your remaining card. Lose both and you are eliminated. The last player with influence wins.

Tips and strategy

• Claiming Duke on turn one is the most common opening, which makes it both the safest bluff and the most expected one.
• Coup costs 7 coins and cannot be challenged or blocked. Against a table that challenges everything, simply saving to 7 is a real strategy.
• Keep track of revealed cards. Once both Contessas are face up, an assassination can no longer be blocked and anyone claiming Contessa is certainly lying.
• Being challenged and proving your character is a strong position: you swap for a fresh card, so nobody knows what you hold now.
• The player nobody challenges is usually the one winning. Watch coin counts, not just cards.

Frequently asked questions

How many players do you need for Coup?

Coup plays with 2-6 players. It is sharpest with 4-5, where there are enough people to create suspicion but not so many that your turn rarely comes around. The two-player game is a fast, tense duel with very different tactics.

Can you bluff in Coup?

Bluffing is the entire game. You never have to hold a character to claim it. The risk is that any player may challenge you, and a failed bluff costs you one of your two cards.

What happens if you challenge and you are wrong?

You lose one influence. The player you challenged reveals the character to prove it, returns it to the deck, shuffles, and draws a replacement — so they end up with a card nobody has seen.

Can a Coup be blocked?

No. Coup costs 7 coins and cannot be blocked or challenged, which is what stops a rich player from being stalled forever. At 10 or more coins you are required to Coup.

Is Coup free to play online here?

Yes. Coup runs free in your browser with no download and no account. Play pass-and-play on one device, or create a private room and play with friends anywhere.