Cockroach Poker

Categories: Bluffing, Card Game, Party Game

Mechanics: Hand Management, Set Collection, Single Loser Game

Players: 2–6

Ages: 8+

Playtime: 20 Min

Cockroach Poker is a clever and entertaining bluffing game that has nothing to do with traditional poker—except for the art of bluffing! Instead, the game revolves around critters like cockroaches, rats, and stink bugs. Your goal? Avoid being the unlucky player who ends up collecting four of the same type of critter.

What’s in the Box?

The game includes a deck of 64 cards, with eight copies of eight different critters.

How to Set Up

1. Shuffle the deck.
2. Deal all the cards evenly among the players.

How to Play

• Each turn, players take on the role of bluffers or truth-tellers.

The Bluff:

• A player selects a card from their hand and places it face down on the table.
• They slide the card to another player and declare a critter (e.g., "Stink bug").

The Choices:
The receiving player has two options:

Accept the Card:

• They declare "true" or "false" and reveal the card.
• If they're wrong, they must place the card face up in front of them.
• If they're right, the original player places the card face up in front of them.

Pass the Card:

• They peek at the card and pass it face down to another player, declaring the same critter or bluffing with a new critter type.
• The process repeats until the card is seen by all other players, at which point the last player must accept it.

Starting a New Round:

• The player who loses the challenge (by incorrectly guessing the card) places it face up in front of them and starts the next round.

How to Win (or Lose)

The game ends when:

• A player cannot pass a card on their turn.
• A player collects four of the same critter in front of them.

In either case, the unfortunate player loses, and everyone else wins!

Why You'll Love Cockroach Poker

This fast-paced, laugh-inducing game is perfect for players of all ages and thrives on psychological strategies, clever bluffing, and a touch of mischief. It’s a great addition to game night and keeps everyone on their toes until the very last round!