Coup Game Rules: A Quick Guide With Review and Strategies

The card game Coup is a bluffing party game that accommodates 2-6 players and has a very manageable 15-minute playtime.

The game is recommended ages for 10 and up, but honestly, it may be slightly advanced for some ten-year-olds. Otherwise, almost anyone who is willing to learn can play, and it’s very friendly for most non-gamers.

As a bonus, the game is quite small and would travel well, if needed.

Ready to learn more? Let’s break it down.

Contents

• Overview of the game Coup
• Coup game setup
• Coup game rules: How to play
• Are there other Coup games?
• Strategies for playing Coup

What is the premise of the game Coup?

The game is set in a not too distant future where the government is run for profit by a new royal class.

You will be playing as a powerful government official. Your goal is to gain absolute control of the economy and bribe and bluff your way to absolute power, despite the valiant efforts of The Resistance, an underground organization.

Gain the influence of your rivals and defeat the other powerful rulers. Only one may succeed in this dystopian future.

Overview of the game Coup

The goal of the game is to be the last player standing.

Players draft character cards and will take turns to perform an action. Certain characters have special abilities.

You may bluff about your real character card to take the most powerful actions.

However, other players may challenge your character card and your ability to take that action.

A challenge operates a bit like the card game Bull. Basically, whoever is in the wrong loses an influence.

So what is an influence? Those are essentially your character cards. Each player will keep two face-down character cards in front of them that represent who they influence at court.

Each player begins with two influences and will lose if and when both are lost.

Coup game setup

At the beginning of the game, shuffle the character cards and deal two to each player. The remaining cards will go to the middle of the table and work as the deck.

Each player begins with two coins, which should remain visible to other players. Each player should also have a summary card as a reference.

The person who won the last game can take the first turn. If this applies to no one, you can always choose the oldest player or the player left of the dealer.

Coup game rules: How to play

Each turn, players choose one action. They may not pass.

After the action is chosen, an opponent may challenge that action. If the action is not challenged, the action succeeds. Challenges are resolved before any action is resolved.

You can’t retroactively challenge, so if play has continued, it’s too late.

When a player is challenged, that player must prove they had the required influence by showing the relevant character. If they can’t, or don’t wish to (for some reason), they lose the challenge and therefore, lose an influence.

If a player successfully wins a challenge by showing the appropriate character, they return the card to the Court deck, re-shuffle the revealed card and take a new card. The opposing player who challenged would then lose an influence.

Then, play proceeds. Once a player’s influence cards are both gone, they are out of the game.

What are the actions you can take in the Coup game?

Players may choose from the following character actions. These are some of the available actions that a player may always do:

Income: Take one coin from the treasury.

Foreign aid: Take two coins from the treasury (can be blocked by the Duke).

Coup: Pay 7 coins to the treasury and launch a Coup against another player. That player immediately loses an influence.

If a player begins a turn with ten or more coins, they must take the Coup action.

What are the different characters in the Coup game?

Many of the characters will have a specific role or special ability. This is where the bluffing will come into play. There are three copies of each character.

The Duke can take three coins from the treasury.

The Assassin can pay three coins and launch an assassination attempt against another player.

A Captain can steal up to two coins from another player.

The Ambassador can exchange cards with the court.

Counteractions

Characters may also have abilities that respond to other actions. These may also be challenged.

The Duke can block foreign aid. A Contessa can block assassinations. An Ambassador or Captain can block stealing.

What does the game Coup come with?

The game includes 15 character cards, 6 summary cards, 50 coins and the rulebook.

Can you play Coup with 2 players?

It’s possible to play with two players, but it’s better if you have at least three people.

Party games are simply built to play better with a larger group. I’d recommend at least 4-6 for an ideal number of players.

Are there other Coup games?

There are variations to the Coup board game. Coup: Reformation is an expansion that offers an additional character and increases play to ten people.

Coup: Rebellion is a standalone game that builds upon the world of Coup and accommodates 3-6 players.

I’d recommend starting with the base game of Coup first.

The original game is accessible and has fewer pieces, and it’s easier to introduce to non-gamers.

Read Also: 15 beautiful board games with great artwork that are fun to play

Strategies for playing Coup

To win this game, you’ll need a good memory and a good poker face. It’s fairly safe to bluff heavily in the beginning of the game. No one really has much information and likely won’t challenge you.

As players dwindle down, you may want to play it safe and bluff less.

It’s easier to bluff as an Ambassador. Draw new cards and keep your opponents guessing.

Alternatively, it’s difficult to bluff as an Assassin because you will almost always get challenged. After all, what does the other player have to lose?

This may seem obvious, but take good mental notes and look for any inconsistencies in other players’ claims.

Is Coup a good game?

Coup is a solid game in the gaming world and has earned a good reputation. Overall, it’s a fun game and a good way to spend a relaxing afternoon with friends.

It’s the type of game that you can play multiple times since each time you play is a little different.

Although, if you’ve never given Loveletter a chance, I think I like it just a tad better.

Read Also: Lovecraft Letter: How to play with strategy tips and other FAQ

The Coup game is made by Indie Boards and Cards and retails for about $12 on Amazon.

Have you played the Coup card game? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.