Coup is a bluffing game built around deception, bluffing, and bold claims. No dice, no board. Only two cards, a stack of coins, and a table full of players trying to read each other’s lies.
This guide covers the roles, setup, and flow of a standard game.
What Is Coup?
Each player represents the head of a family fighting for control of a corrupt government. Players hold two hidden character cards and use their powers, real or bluffed, to collect coins, block opponents, and eliminate rivals.
A player loses influence when a challenge exposes their bluff or an opponent forces a card loss. Lose both cards and you leave the game.
The last player standing wins.
Players and Group Size
Coup supports 2 to 6 players in the base game. The sweet spot sits at 4 to 5 players, where bluffing and challenges create the sharpest tension. Extensions add roles for up to 10 players.
The Deck and Roles
The deck holds five character types, three copies of each, for a base deck of 15 cards. Each character grants a specific action.
Duke
Collects three coins from the treasury (Tax). Blocks another player’s Foreign Aid action.
Assassin
Pays three coins to attempt an assassination against another player, forcing a card loss unless blocked.
Captain
Steals two coins from another player. Blocks another player’s Steal action.
Ambassador
Draws two cards from the deck, chooses which to keep, and returns the rest. Blocks another player’s Steal action.
Contessa
Blocks an Assassinate action against the holder.
Setup
- Shuffle the deck of 15 character cards.
- Deal two cards to each player, face down. Players look at their own cards without showing anyone.
- Place remaining cards face down as the Court deck.
- Give each player two coins from the treasury.
- Choose a starting player.
Turn Structure
On a turn, a player picks one action from the list below. Some actions need a specific character. Any player, holding that character or not, may claim it and attempt the action, since bluffing sits at the center of the game.
General Actions (available to everyone)
- Income: Take one coin. Cannot be blocked or challenged.
- Foreign Aid: Take two coins. Any player claiming Duke may block this.
- Coup: Pay seven coins, force a player to lose one influence. Cannot be blocked or challenged. Mandatory once a player holds ten or more coins.
Character Actions (require a claim)
- Tax (Duke): Take three coins.
- Assassinate (Assassin): Pay three coins, force a target to lose one influence unless blocked by a Contessa claim.
- Steal (Captain): Take two coins from a target unless blocked by a Captain or Ambassador claim.
- Exchange (Ambassador): Draw two cards from the Court deck, choose which to keep, return the rest.
Challenges
Any player may challenge a claimed action at the moment it happens.
- A player announces an action tied to a character.
- Any other player may challenge, calling out the claim as false.
- The claimant reveals one of their two cards.
- If the revealed card matches the claim, the challenger loses one influence, and the claimant shuffles the revealed card into the deck and draws a replacement.
- If the revealed card does not match, the claimant loses one influence, and the action fails.
Blocks work the same way. A player claiming a blocking character may get challenged, with the same reveal and consequence rules applying.
Losing Influence
Losing influence means turning one held card face up, permanently. That card no longer counts toward your hidden hand, and its power no longer belongs to you.
A player who loses both cards leaves the game immediately.
Winning Conditions
The last player with at least one hidden card wins. All others sit out once eliminated.
Strategy Tips for Early Game
- Claim Duke early. Tax gives strong coin growth and few players challenge a Duke claim on turn one.
- Watch coin totals closely. A player near seven coins becomes a Coup threat.
- Save Foreign Aid blocks for moments where losing two coins to an opponent matters most.
Strategy Tips for Mid to Late Game
- Coup a player who sits close to winning, regardless of your own hand strength, since removing influence matters more than growing coins at that stage.
- Bluff Assassin against a player with only one card left, since a successful, unblocked assassination ends their game outright.
- Track claimed characters across the table. If three Dukes already got revealed and lost, claiming Duke yourself carries far less bluffing risk.
- Force a challenge when the odds favor you. With only one copy of a character left unaccounted for among fifteen cards, a claim grows less believable.
Common Variants and Expansions
- Reformation: Adds a team mechanic and new characters, splitting players into two factions.
- Inquisitor: Replaces the Ambassador with a character that can also force a card swap or reveal on another player.
- House rules: Many groups allow multiple challenges on a single claim, or remove the mandatory Coup rule at ten coins.
Quick Reference
| Action | Cost | Character Needed | Blockable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | Free | None | No |
| Foreign Aid | Free | None | Duke |
| Coup | 7 coins | None | No |
| Tax | Free | Duke | No |
| Assassinate | 3 coins | Assassin | Contessa |
| Steal | Free | Captain | Captain or Ambassador |
| Exchange | Free | Ambassador | No |
Gather three to five players, deal two cards each, and start bluffing. Coup rewards confidence as much as memory, and the best players win rounds they should have lost.