Dudo rules

Introduction

Dudo is a bluffing game for two to six players. Each player has five dice hidden under a cup. In turn, players bid on how many dice of the same value are on the whole table, knowing only their own. The goal is to be the last player with dice left.

History of Dudo

Dudo is a traditional South American dice game widely played in Andean countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Legend credits the Incas with its origin and says Spanish conquistadors brought it back to Europe in the 16th century.

The game then spread around the world under several names: Liar's Dice in English-speaking countries, and various commercial editions sold boxed in Europe. The principle never changes: hidden dice, ever higher bids and plenty of bluffing.

Dudo, Perudo® and Liar's Dice: what is the difference?

Dudo is the traditional South American name of the game: “dudo” means “I doubt” in Spanish, the call that challenges a bid. Perudo® is a brand under which a commercial edition of the game, with its own cups and dice, is sold boxed, especially in Europe. Liar's Dice is the English name of this family of games.

The principle stays the same: hidden dice, ever higher bids, Dudo to challenge, wild Pacos, Calza and the Palifico round. The rules presented here follow the Dudo tradition. Commercial editions may however have a few differences: check their rulebook to find out.

Setup

Each player starts the game with five dice. At the start of each round, all players roll their dice at the same time and hide them under their cup. Everyone can look at their own dice, but must not reveal them to the other players.

Taking a turn

On their turn, a player has three options: raise the bid by announcing a higher bid than the previous one, challenge the bid by calling “Dudo!”, or claim the bid is exactly right by calling “Calza!”. The first player of a round can only bid.

Bidding

A bid states a quantity and a value. For example, “three 4s” means there are at least three dice showing a 4 on the table. To raise, you can increase the quantity while keeping the same value, or bid the same quantity with a higher value.

• The first bid of a round cannot be on Pacos (except in a palifico round).
• Switching to Pacos: you must bid at least half the previous quantity, rounded up (after “seven 4s”, “four Pacos” is valid).
• Leaving Pacos: you must bid at least double the quantity of Pacos, plus one (after “three Pacos”, you need at least “seven” dice of another value).

Dudo — Challenge

If you think the previous bid is too high, say “Dudo!”. All players then reveal their dice. If the total is lower than the bid, the player who made it loses a die. If the total reaches or exceeds the bid, you lose a die. The loser starts the next round.

Calza — Exact bid

If you think the bid total is exactly right, say “Calza!”. If you're right, you get back a lost die, up to a maximum of five dice. Otherwise, you lose a die.

Paco — The wild dice

Dice showing a 1 are called Pacos and act as wild dice. They count as the bid value, except when a bid is on Pacos themselves: in that case, only dice showing a 1 are counted.

Palifico

When a player is down to a single die, the next round is played in Palifico mode. During this special round, the face value announced in the opening bid can no longer be changed: you can only increase the quantity. Pacos are no longer wild, and the opening bid can be on any face, Pacos included.

End of the game

A player who loses their last die is eliminated. The game ends when only one player still has dice: that player is declared the winner.

Common variants

As in many traditional games, the rules of Dudo vary from one table to another:

• Restricted Calza: some tables forbid Calza to the player who just bid, or limit it to players who have already lost dice.
• Palifico with wild Pacos: a few tables keep Pacos wild during the palifico round.
• Direction of play: the loser sometimes chooses which way the next round goes.
• Liar's Dice: in the English-speaking version, aces are not always wild and Calza does not exist.

On Dudo!, games follow the rules described on this page: wild Pacos, Dudo, Calza and the Palifico round.

Strategy and odds

With Pacos, every die you cannot see has a one-in-three chance of counting for a given value: out of 15 hidden dice, expect about 5 dice of each face. Start from that benchmark, add your own dice, and beware of bids that stray too far from it.

A table of safe bids, the right time to call Dudo or Calza, the art of bluffing: find it all in our Dudo strategy and odds guide.

Frequently asked questions