The game goes by multiple names because it’s not a corporate brainchild like Yahtzee or Monopoly. This dice game is a game of the people. It’s been played in homes across South America for nearly 500 years and was only “legitimized” by an established company in the 1980s. It’s a time-killer defined by the folks who played it, and that’s a beautiful thing. We recently introduced our very own set of Liar’s Dice, so I thought this could be a good chance to talk a little bit about its history, the rules, and why it’s one of my favorite games to drag along to deer camp when we’re busy not shooting deer.

As I mentioned, the history of this game is a little tricky, but I’ll do my best to give you the Cliff’s Notes. In lieu of saying “theoretically” or “supposedly” after every sentence, go ahead and assume the whole overview is a big “supposedly”—after all, it is called Liar’s Dice. Liar’s Dice was originally called “Perudo,” which had similar rules to the modern version of the game, and was introduced to the Spanish when they conquered Peru sometime in the 1530s. Some say that the Incan Emperor Atahualpa taught it to the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro during his imprisonment in 1532.

And then we have a pretty massive gap in the story, which doesn’t pick up until 1982. What happened in the 450 years between 1532 and 1982? It’s a pretty safe bet that Incas, Spaniards, and eventually Europeans had a hell of a good time beating their compadres in Perudo. The game was a staple in South American and Mexican households, particularly with families having their own handmade sets that they could enjoy over candlelight after a hard day’s work.

The rest of the story is pretty typical. Two travelers were visiting Lima, Peru, and were invited to join in on a game of Perudo. Evidently it was a hit, because they returned six years later with the sole intent of learning the game and making plans to sell it commercially in broader markets. It only took 456 years for someone to slap their brand name on it.

Luckily, my relationship with Liar’s Dice is the same as those ancient Incas. Dice games were a familial rite of passage for the Goodes, something we did to pass the time on the coast and in hunting camp—the perfect mixture of good-natured deception and ill-informed strategies. Some of my favorite memories are of playing games like Liar’s Dice late at night with my dad and his buddies.

And that’s why we wanted to introduce our own version of Liar’s Dice. Is it wildly different from other sets? Not really. It’s just better. We made our dice cup from high-quality leather and collaborated with local artisans to bring it to life, an homage to the intricate leather Perudo cups that families treasured. It’s a simple, well-made product that gives far more than it takes. Want proof? Well, there’s more than 450 years of folks who’d recommend you’d get your own set, too. They could be bluffing, but I doubt it.

Want to know what you’re getting into? Here’s a brief rundown of the rules for Liar’s Dice:

Objective

Eliminate opponents by tricking them into overbidding or by catching them in a bluff. Bids are made on the total number of matching dice under all cups combined across the table.

What You Need

• Players: 2 to 6+ players
• Equipment: 5 dice per player and 1 dice cup per player

Setup & Rolling

• Each player starts with 5 dice in their cup.
• All players shake their cups simultaneously and slam them upside down on the table, keeping their roll hidden.
• Peek under your cup to see your dice—do not let anyone else see them.

Key Rule: Wild Ones

• Ones are wild: They count toward the total for any face value bid (e.g., two 4s and two 1s count as four 4s).
• Exception: If a bid is placed directly on ones (e.g., “three 1s”), ones are no longer wild for that round.

Game Flow & Bidding

Play moves clockwise around the table. The starting player opens with a bid consisting of a quantity and a face value (for example, “three 4s”). On your turn, you must choose one of two actions:

Option A: Raise the Bid

• Increase the quantity: Keep the face value the same or change it, but bid a higher total count (e.g., raise “three 4s” to “four 2s” or “four 4s”).
• Increase the face value: Keep the quantity the same, but bid a higher face (e.g., raise “three 4s” to “three 5s”).
• Rule: You can never decrease the quantity or face value.

Option B: Call “Liar!” (Challenge)

• If you think the previous player’s bid is higher than the actual number of matching dice on the table, challenge them by calling “Liar!” (or “Dudo!”).
• This immediately ends the bidding phase.

Resolving a Challenge

When “Liar!” is called, everyone lifts their cups to reveal all dice. Count the total number of dice that match the challenged bid (including wild 1s):

• If the total matching dice is LESS than the bid: The bidder was wrong. The bidder loses 1 die.
• If the total matching dice is EQUAL TO or GREATER than the bid: The bidder was correct. The challenger loses 1 die.

Winning the Game

• The player who lost a die removes it from play and starts the next round.
• Once a player loses all 5 dice, they are eliminated.
• The last remaining player with dice wins the game.