Coup ships with six reference cards. We have lost four of them.
That is the entire reason this page exists. Our copy has been to enough games nights that the little action cards have wandered off into other boxes, and every new player ends up asking the same question three turns in: wait, what can the Captain do again? So here is the whole game on one page — every character, every action, every block, every coin cost. Print it, hand one to each player, and get on with lying to your friends.
New to the game? Start with Coup: How To Play – Simplified · Want the verdict? Coup Review
The Cheat Sheet
Everything below is the whole game. There is nothing else to memorise.
Characters
| Character | Action | Blocks |
|---|---|---|
| Duke | Tax — take 3 coins | Foreign Aid |
| Assassin | Assassinate — pay 3 coins, target loses a card | — |
| Captain | Steal — take 2 coins from a player | Stealing |
| Ambassador | Exchange — draw 2, swap any, return 2 | Stealing |
| Contessa | — | Assassination |
Anyone Can Do These
| Action | Cost | Can be… |
|---|---|---|
| Income — take 1 coin | Free | Never blocked or challenged |
| Foreign Aid — take 2 coins | Free | Blocked by Duke |
| Coup — target loses a card | 7 coins | Never blocked or challenged |
The Three Rules That Decide Every Argument
- You may claim any character — whether you hold it or not. That is the game.
- Challenge and you're wrong? You lose a card. Challenge and you're right? They lose a card.
- 10+ coins at the start of your turn? You must Coup. No choice.
How a Turn Actually Runs
Four steps, every single turn:
The Bits People Get Wrong
Income cannot be stopped. Not blocked, not challenged. When you’re down to one card and everyone is watching you, taking one coin is often the correct, boring play.
A Coup always lands. Seven coins, pick a player, they lose a card. No Contessa, no challenge, no discussion. This is why the coin count matters more than the bluffing — anyone sitting on seven coins is holding a guaranteed kill.
Winning a challenge costs the challenger, not you. If you’re challenged and you genuinely have the card, you show it, the challenger loses a card, and then you shuffle your revealed card back and draw a fresh one. You lose nothing and gain information about who’s willing to swing at you.
Assassinating costs the 3 coins either way. If the Contessa blocks it, the coins are still gone. Assassinate into a player you suspect is holding a Contessa and you’ve paid for nothing.
Both Captain and Ambassador block stealing. New players almost always miss the Ambassador half, which makes “Ambassador blocks the steal” one of the safest bluffs at the table.
Which Bluffs Are Actually Safe
Some claims are far cheaper to make than others, because of how easy they are to challenge.
Duke is the safest opening claim. There are three Dukes in a 15-card deck and taking tax is unremarkable on turn one. Almost nobody challenges it early.
Contessa is the safest defensive claim. You only ever say it in response to an assassination, and the player who just spent 3 coins is usually not willing to spend a card to find out.
Assassin is the most expensive bluff. Get challenged and you lose a card and the 3 coins. Bluff the Assassin when you can afford to be wrong, not when you’re desperate.
The deeper strategy — consistency, when to call, reading the coin counts — is in our Coup review and the how-to-play guide. Once the base game gets stale, the alternative Coup variations are worth a look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim a character I don't have?
Yes — that's the core of Coup. You can claim any character's action or block at any time, whether you hold that card or not. The risk is that someone challenges you and you lose a card for the lie.
Can a Coup be blocked or challenged?
No. Paying 7 coins to Coup always works. The target loses one card immediately with no counterplay, which is what makes coin totals worth watching closely.
What blocks stealing in Coup?
Both the Captain and the Ambassador block a steal. Many new players only remember the Captain, so claiming Ambassador to block is a reliable low-risk bluff.
Do I lose the 3 coins if my assassination is blocked?
Yes. The 3 coins are paid when you declare the assassination and you don't get them back if a Contessa blocks it. Only assassinate when you can afford to lose the coins.
When am I forced to Coup?
If you begin your turn holding 10 or more coins, you must launch a Coup that turn. You cannot take income, tax, or any other action instead.
What happens if I'm challenged and I do have the card?
You reveal it, the challenger loses a card, and you shuffle your revealed card back into the deck and draw a replacement. Your action then resolves as normal.
Thumbnail image artificially generated for illustrative purposes.
