Meyer Game Rules: Master the Art of the Bluff (or Get Caught Lying!)

What's the Meyer Game Rules? 🤔

Ready for a dice game where your poker face is just as important as your roll? Welcome to Meyer (sometimes known as Liar's Dice, with its own special twists)! This game is all about secretly rolling dice, then deciding whether to tell the truth about your roll or bluff your way to a better "hand." The next player then has to decide: do they trust you, or do they call you out? It's a classic game of deception, nerve, and sometimes, spectacular (and hilarious) failed bluffs.

What You'll Need 🛠️

To get your game of Meyer started:

• Two Standard Six-Sided Dice
• A Dice Cup or Container: Something to shake and roll the dice in, keeping them hidden from other players. A sturdy, opaque cup works perfectly.
• A Way to Track Lives: Each player starts with six lives. You can use extra dice (turning them to show 6, then 5, etc.), pen and paper, or poker chips.
• Players: 3 or more people.
• Drinks: For when lives are lost (optional, but it's a drinking game site!).

Getting Set Up ⚙️

1. Gather Around: Players sit in a circle.
2. Lives: Everyone starts with six lives. Make sure everyone knows how they're tracking them.
3. Designate a Starting Player: Pick someone to roll first. Play will then proceed clockwise.

Understanding the Dice Rolls in Meyer 🎲

In Meyer, the combination of the two dice creates a specific value or rank. The higher die is always read first to make a two-digit number (e.g., a 5 and a 3 is "53"). Pairs are higher than non-pairs. Here's the general hierarchy from highest to lowest:

• 2 + 1 = Meyer (The unbeatable roll!)
• 3 + 1 = Little Meyer
• 6 + 6 = Pair Six (or "Double Sixes")
• 5 + 5 = Pair Five
• 4 + 4 = Pair Four
• 3 + 3 = Pair Three
• 2 + 2 = Pair Two
• 1 + 1 = Pair One (or "Snake Eyes")
• 6 + 5 = Sixty-Five (65)
• 6 + 4 = Sixty-Four (64)
• ...and so on, down to...
• 4 + 3 = Forty-Three (43)
• 4 + 2 = Forty-Two (42)
• 4 + 1 = Forty-One (41)
• 3 + 2 = Thirty-Two (32) - SPECIAL! This roll often has a special house rule. In many versions, if "32" is rolled and truthfully announced, everyone cheers, the round immediately resets, and no one loses a life for that specific roll. The person who rolled it starts a fresh round. (If this isn't your house rule, it's just "32" and the lowest regular roll).

(Always confirm the exact hierarchy and any special rolls with your group before starting!)

How to Play: The Art of Deception 🤫

1. The First Roll:

   • The starting player secretly rolls the two dice under the cup. They look at their roll.
   • They then announce a dice value to the next player (the one to their left). They can:
     • Tell the Truth: Announce the actual roll.
     • Bluff: Announce a different roll (higher or lower than what they actually rolled – though bluffing higher is usually the goal).

2. Passing the Cup & The Next Player's Choice:

   • The first player passes the cup (with the dice still hidden underneath, unchanged) to the next player clockwise.
   • This next player now has a critical choice, based on the value announced by the previous player:
     • Trust the Roll (and Roll Higher): If they believe the previous player, they accept the announced roll as the current "target." They must then try to roll a value equal to or higher than that target. They secretly roll the dice under the cup.
       • If they roll equal to or higher: They announce their new (truthful or bluffed) higher value and pass the cup to the next player.
       • If they roll lower: They must bluff and announce a value that is at least equal to the target they accepted (or higher, if they're feeling bold). They then pass the cup.
       • "That or Above" (The Blind Pass - Optional Risk): If a player rolls lower than the target and doesn't feel confident bluffing, some rules allow them to re-roll the dice once, but without looking at this new roll. They then pass the cup to the next player announcing, "[Previous Target Value] or above" (or whatever value they choose to "blindly" claim). The risk is now on the recipient.
     • Call the Bluff ("Lift!" or "Liar!"): If the current player doesn't believe the value announced by the previous player, they can "call their bluff" by lifting the cup.
       • Bluff Called Correctly (Previous player was lying): The previous player (the one who made the claim) loses one life. The player who correctly called the bluff starts a new round by rolling the dice.
       • Bluff Called Incorrectly (Previous player was telling the truth): The current player (the one who lifted the cup) loses one life. The player who was wrongly accused starts a new round.

3. The "Meyer" Showdown:

   • The game continues with rolls getting higher and higher. Eventually, someone might announce "Meyer!" (a 2 and a 1), the highest possible roll.
   • If "Meyer" is announced and passed to you:
     • You cannot roll higher. Your only options are to either:
       • Call their bluff ("Lift!"): If you lift and they did not have Meyer, they lose two lives. If you lift and they did have Meyer, you (the accuser) lose two lives.
       • Attempt to roll Meyer yourself: If you choose to trust they have Meyer (or are forced to because you don't want to risk calling), you must also try to roll Meyer. If you succeed, you pass it on announcing "Meyer." If you fail (roll anything other than Meyer), you lose one life.

4. Important Notes:

   • You can always bluff: Even if you roll higher than the previous announcement, you can choose to announce a lower (but still valid according to what was passed to you) bluff if you think it'll trick someone down the line.
   • Pay Attention! If a player doesn't hear the last announced number, they can ask for it to be repeated. However, other players are not obligated to tell them the truth (or even answer). This makes paying attention crucial!

Ending the Game: Last One Standing! 👋

• When a player loses all six of their lives, they are out of the game.
• The game continues until only one player has lives remaining. That player is the Meyer champion!
• Drinking: Typically, when a player loses a life, they take a sip (or a pre-agreed number of sips). Losing two lives for a Meyer call means double the sips!

If you enjoy dice games that involve bluffing and social deduction, you might also like checking out Liar's Dice (Perudo) rules (if you have a separate article for it, as it's a bit different with multiple dice per player) or even the bluffing aspects of Drunk Poker Game Rules.

The Dojo's Take 🍻

Meyer is a fantastic game of social deduction and nerve. The tension of deciding whether to trust someone or call their bluff is where the real fun lies. And when someone gets caught in an outrageous lie, or successfully passes off a terrible roll as "Little Meyer," it's always a memorable moment. The special rules for "Meyer" itself add a high-stakes climax to many rounds. Just remember the dice hierarchy, keep your bluffing face strong, and pay attention!

Want to try your luck with a digital version or find more dice games? Check out what's rolling on Drinking Dojo!

Drink Responsibly 🙏

With lives on the line (and sips too!), Meyer can get intense. Remember to drink responsibly, ensure everyone is comfortable with the stakes, and keep the atmosphere fun and friendly, even when calling out those sneaky bluffs!

Your Questions Answered: FAQ ❓

• What's the difference between "Meyer" (2+1) and "Little Meyer" (3+1)? Meyer (2+1) is the absolute highest roll. Little Meyer (3+1) is the second highest. You can't beat a true Meyer.

• If I accept a roll, do I have to announce something higher than what was passed to me, or can I announce the same value if I roll it? You must announce a value equal to or higher than what was passed to you if you trust the roll. So if "Pair Fours" was passed, and you roll "Pair Fours," you can announce "Pair Fours." If you roll "Pair Fives," you can announce "Pair Fives."

• When does a round "reset" besides the 3+2 roll? A round always resets after a bluff is called (correctly or incorrectly). The person who didn't lose the life (or the winner of the call) starts the new round with a fresh roll and can announce any value they wish.

• Can I choose to roll again if I don't like my first roll (before the "blind pass" option)? No, typically you get one secret roll when it's your turn to beat the previous announcement. Your choices are then to announce truthfully (if you beat it), bluff (if you didn't or want to), or potentially use the "blind pass" re-roll if that house rule is in play.

• Is there a penalty for not hearing the announced roll? Not directly, but if you didn't hear it, you're at a disadvantage. You might misinterpret what you need to beat, or you might call a bluff on a value that was never actually said, leading to confusion. Other players aren't obligated to help you out by repeating truthfully!

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