Ah spoof, so simple, and so much fun...


The method of play is pretty simple, by itself it's not much fun, but the forfeit for the ultimate loser of a game of spoof is where it comes into it's own (we'll make a couple of suggestions after the rules).

Method of Play & Rules

  • Every player needs 3 coins - preferably small coins, buttons will do, but as a rule I don't carry 3 buttons with me.
  • At the start of each round each player secretly chooses (hands behind the back works best) how many coins to play (0 - 3)
  • The first person to predict the total number of coins to be played by all players in the round tells everyone what he predicts (so for 6 people it's between 0 and 18 - somewhere around 9 is a reasonable place to start).
  • The rest of the players then predict as the turn goes around in a clock-wise direction, no duplicate calls are allowed - when it's gone it's gone.
  • Once everyone has called it's time to show the coins, same order as the call and add up as you go - watch the tension mount as the last players reveal their hand.
  • Whoever calls correctly is out, and the round starts again with the player to the left of the first player in the previous round (*with a lower maximum score). If no-one calls correctly then the game goes on in the same way.
  • Keep playing until only one player (also referred to as a loser) remains.
  • Loser undertakes the forfeit.

Suggested Forfeits

  • The old favourite...a shot, to be downed in one. Mixed doubles allowed for those who like to play for higher stakes.
  • Anything likely to cause the lose to look like a complete wally...saying boo to the nearest stranger, pirouetting on a nearby dance floor, posing provocatively on a nearby chaise longue. Use whatever nearby props you can to make it more fun, the chaise longue is a winner, trust me.


There are plenty of ways to make it more fun, those players out singing "Come and join us, come and join us, come and join us over here!" to the latest player out can be fun, although some people nearby may think it's a little rowdy...Plonkers!