You played Cards Against Humanity, but you felt like you sucked at it? Or, you heard everyone talking about it, and now you want to know how to play so you can join the game nights. In fact, there are almost countless reasons why you’re here reading this article. Whichever it is, welcome!!  

  • What do I need to play the game?
  • Important information before you continue;
  • The basic rules;
  • Specials;
  • The house rules;
  • Tips: let’s win them Awesome Points;
  • Additional ways to play Cards Against Humanity;
  • Did you know?;
  • Final Thoughts;

What Do You Need to Play The Game?

1. Cards Against Humanity deck of cards, duh! Based on your preferences, you may get the main deck or any other edition in our shop. 

2. There should be 4 or more people (ages 17+) in the room to play the game… Who am I kidding? You may also play it with only 2-3 players!

3. Your brain. You need your brain;

4. A non-sensitive personality. I’m mentioning this because of the game’s content. We don’t want you to get hurt. It’s supposed to bring only fun.

5. Some drinks, if you wish. We’ll get to that later tho!

Terms You Should Know Before Playing

Awesome Point – It’s a point you get after winning the round. But using ‘the point’ as a term sounds boring. We prefer saying you get a point for being awesome.

Card Czar – The player who judges the cards. The card this Card Czar thinks it’s the funniest wins that round by getting one Awesome Point. Each of you will have your turn on being a Card Czar, or you may keep the same game judge for the whole game.

Black Cards – There are 100 hundred of those in the main game, and they’re supposed to be read by the Card Czar.

White Cards – There are 500 white cards in the main game. Each of the players gets 10 of those.

Pick 2 –  You may see “PICK 2”  written on the bottom of some of the cards. What does it mean? To play such cards, each player has to get 2 white cards in combination…

Keep in mind that these 2 cards should be in order. If you’re willing to win, you may use paper clips to secure the cards in the right order, just in case the game judge has claws for hands.

Draw 2 Pick 3- Simply, first, you gotta draw 2 cards from the white cards pile, and then pick 3 cards from your hand to play. Just as simple as that!

Ps. If you still have trouble understanding what a main game, themed, pack, or expansion means, check the card game terms.

Basic Rules

To put them simply, and less humorous:

  • Each player gets 10 white cards except the Card Czar, he/she gets no white cards; 
  • The Card Czar has to draw black cards and read what’s written on them out loud.
  • The other players have to choose one of the 10 cards in their hand to fill-in-the-blank, or answer the questions on the black card;
  • After making their choices, each player passes their card(s) face-down to the game judge.
  • The Card Czar does the shuffling and reads the combinations (black card and white cards), and finally decides which one of the cards made the funniest combination. 
  • The winner gets an Awesome Point;
  • New round, new Card Czar (or not)!
  • Repeat ‘til bored.

There are a few other, as we like to call them, house rules, which you can read and follow further. If you and your friends are into it, you can enrich the game with them – which we’d highly recommend.

House Rules

It’s time to pimp out the house rules, we’ve been holding them for so long!!! Here are a few pieces of information about each one of them. Enjoy…

Gambling

Let’s spice things up with a little gambling, baby! Gambling means betting, but, what does it specifically mean when we’re talking about Cards Against Humanity? Well, look, this is the part where you’re “arrogant sure” that you’ll win the round. Here’s how it goes:

  1. The Card Czar reads the black card out loud;
  2. You see that 2 cards can destroy the universe with laughter;
  3. You put those two cards and bet one of your (I bet many) Awesome Points you’ve absolutely deserved during the rounds;
  4. You win, you keep the point, and get your ego busted by comments such as “Oh, Rupert that was crazy hilarious!”;
  5. Or, you lose and the winner of the round gets that extra point better.

You see, however, we look at this, it is a win-win situation. Why do we say this? Well, because you make things a little more interesting no matter how it goes. Of course, you get happier if you don’t lose your lovely Awesome Point!

Happy Ending

You’re getting bored and you want to stop playing? Well, use the “Make a Haiku” black card to end the game honorably.

The “Make a Haiku” is saved for the end only and can’t be played earlier. Once you use it, you know it’s time for the final laugh.

A nasty, yet funny example:

Rebooting the Universe

Trading one of your Awesome Points to put as many of your white cards back into the deck, and get up to ten, is called Rebooting the Universe. Did you get it?

Packing Heat

To open up more options, everyone will draw an extra card for Pick 2s. That’s about it. 

Rando Cardrissian

Each round, you pick a random card from the white cards deck. Do you know who this card will belong to? A guy called Rando Cardrissian. He exists, yes – in your imagination. 

He can be your friend, your enemy, your boyfriend, you name it. Just keep in mind that if he wins the game, you’re all going home with the weight of humiliation weighting on your tired shoulders. Lol, no, not as scary as I made it sound!

God Is Dead

In this case, Card Czar is the god… What, he’ll be dead? Calm down, it means that each one of you will have to say their favorite cards, and the one that gets the most votes/Awesome Points, is the winner. Yay!!

Survival of the Fittest

Charles Darwin who? After y’all have read your white cards, each of you will eliminate one card from another player. The last card that’s left is the funniest – gets an Awesome Point. Yes, ur awesome!

Serious Business

This is where Card Czar has to pick 3 favorite cards and give 3 points to the one that wins the 1st place, 2 points for the 2nd, and 1 point for the last.

Write down the Awesome Points, and at the end of the game, you’ll praise the one that has the most Awesome Points. Go fight for it!

Never Have I Ever

You don’t understand something on a card? Time to admit it, discard the card, and prepare yourself for some ‘friendly humiliation’. Yes, confess your ignorance, dude!

Tips: Let’s Win Them Awesome Points!

If you’re blessed with that competitive spirit and it doesn’t matter what game you’re playing, you intend to win. This is for you, baby!

  1. “Would the current Card Czar like this card?”
    Ask yourself this question before deciding to put it on the table.
  1. Dare to pick the ‘dangerous’ ones.
    Not get psycho, but you know the ones that are a bit risky but get those good laughs out.
  2. Try to match all your cards that make sense with the black card, and analyze which makes the most hilarious (or even dirtiest) combo.

Not winning and just having a good time will get you an Awesome Point for yourself too… An Awesome Point for having an awesome time!

Did You Know?

  • You can get Cards Against Humanity shipped to your place anywhere in the world;
  • If you live in America, you can’t get the Australian version of the cards. Meaning, Australia, America, Canada, UK have their own versions of the game. I have no comments on this…
  • You can submit a card suggestion on cardsagainsthumanity.com, and also report for any card that you think has offensive content.
  • We said this card game is made for people over the age of 17, right? Well, there’s an exception… There exists CAH Family Edition which can be played by the whole family. Who would’ve thought of that
  • Last but not least, you may also personalize your own CAH set. How cool is that! This idea may be a great gift for your beloved ones or even for yourself. It’s your chance to add your favorite cards! 

How many cards are dealt in Cards Against Humanity

In Cards Against Humanity, players draw ten white cards each and leave the rest of the white “answer” cards and black “question” cards separated into face-down stacks. The game requires at least four players, but it’s most fun with 6–8 players.

To start the game, the “person who most recently pooped” or the person with the next upcoming birthday becomes the first “Card Czar” and plays a black card, face up, which contains a question or fill-in-the-blanks phrase.

Other players answer the question or fill in the blanks by each passing one white card to the Card Czar. The Card Czar shuffles all of the answers and selects the funniest play, giving the submitter one “Awesome Point.” The game continues with a new player becoming the Card Czar and everyone drawing back up to 7 white cards. The rules are flexible and players can alter them with many house rules.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, the goal of the game isn’t winning. It is fun. You’re supposed to have fun and enjoy the time you spend playing this game, which is priceless. Whoever you’re playing this game with (friends, family, anyone really), make sure it’s a blast. Don’t take things close to heart, and make sure you do your best to make the funniest combinations.