Edition: Common Danish version with 5 dice and a cup per player, where ones are wild. Last checked October 25, 2026
Liar's Dice Rules: How to Play Snyd
Liar's Dice, called Snyd in Denmark, is a bluffing game with dice and cups. You guess what is hidden under everyone's cups and try to catch the bluffers. Here is a simple set of basic rules and the points where families most often disagree.
- Players
- 2 to 6
- Age
- 8 and up
- Playing time
- 20 to 40 minutes
How to win: Keep your dice as long as you can. The last player with dice left wins.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Liar's Dice (Snyd).
Are ones wild?
It depends.
There is no official rule. In most Danish homes, and in the popular version Perudo, ones are wild.
Some play without wilds, so ones only count as ones. That makes bids lower and the game harder.
What is a straight, and does it count?
Only if you have agreed on it.
A straight is not part of the basic rules. Where it is used, it is usually a run from 1 upward, which then counts as wild.
Many Danish families use straights, but how long they must be and what they count as varies a lot. Write down your rule.
Does the bid count only your own dice?
No.
The bid covers every die on the table, under all the cups combined.
One variant for a small group is that only your own dice and your neighbor's dice count.
Does the last player with dice win or lose?
It depends.
In the most common family version, whoever keeps their dice the longest wins.
In some groups it is the other way around, so the last player with dice loses and has to buy a round or do the dishes.
Can you bid on ones when they are wild?
It depends.
There is no set rule. Many do not allow it, because ones already count toward every other bid.
Some allow bids on ones, and you only need to bid about half as many to switch to ones.
What you need
- 5 dice per player
- One cup per player
Setup
- 1Each player gets 5 dice and a cup.
- 2Before you start, agree whether ones are wild and whether you play with straights.
- 3Pick a starting player.
How to play
- 1Everyone shakes their dice in their cup and sets it upside down on the table. Look only at your own dice.
- 2The starting player bids on how many dice of a certain value are under all the cups combined, such as four 5s.
- 3Ones are wild and count as whatever value is being bid.
- 4The next player must either raise the bid or call liar.
- 5A higher bid is more dice, or the same number of a higher value. Five 2s beats four 6s.
- 6When someone calls liar, everyone lifts their cup and the dice are counted.
- 7If the bid was too high, the bidder loses a die. If the bid holds, the player who called liar loses a die.
- 8The loser starts the next round. Everyone rolls again with the dice they have left.
- 9The last player with dice left wins.
Rule of thumb for bidding
When ones are wild, about one third of the dice you cannot see will match any given value. If there are 15 hidden dice, you can expect about 5 of a kind on top of your own.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Liar's Dice (Snyd) rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many dice do you get in Liar's Dice?
Usually 5 dice per player, but some use 4 or 6. The important thing is that everyone starts with the same number.
Is Snyd the same as Liar's Dice and Perudo?
Yes, it is basically the same game under different names, with small differences in the rules. It is not the same as the card game Cheat, also called I Doubt It or BS, even though both are about bluffing.
What happens if the bid is exactly right?
Then the bid holds, and the player who called liar loses a die.
Source: Common Danish family tradition. The game is also known as Liar's Dice, Perudo or Dudo, and the rules vary from table to table. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.