Screw the Dealer, also called ‘Fuck the Dealer’ (pardon my French), is a guessing-based drinking card game for 3 or more players using a standard 52-card deck. One player holds the deck and others try to guess the top card’s value. As cards are revealed and laid out for everyone to see, the odds shift against the dealer. Games run 15-20 minutes or until the deck is exhausted.
This game is one of 8 drinking card games worth playing with a standard deck.
What You Need
A standard 52-card deck, drinks for everyone, and at least 4 players. The game works with more and stays interesting as long as everyone can see the revealed cards. Best played at a table where cards can be laid out in order.
Setup
Choose the first dealer by having everyone draw a card. Lowest card deals (aces are low throughout this game, kings are high). The dealer shuffles the deck and holds it face-down. Players sit in a circle or around a table.
Designate a space on the table where revealed cards will be laid out in order from ace through king. This display is how players track what’s left in the deck.
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How to Play
The dealer peeks at the top card of the deck without showing anyone. The player to the dealer’s left guesses the card’s value (not the suit). Ace through king, value only.
Here’s a full turn: you guess six. The dealer says “higher.” You guess nine. The actual card is a jack. You drink the difference between your second guess and the real card: jack (11) minus nine equals two drinks. The card goes face-up on the table.
That’s the whole mechanic. Here are the outcomes:
First guess correct: The dealer drinks four (some groups play five or even ten). The card goes in the display.
First guess wrong: The dealer says “higher” or “lower.” You guess again.
Second guess correct: The dealer drinks two (some groups play five). The card goes in the display.
Second guess wrong: You drink the difference between your second guess and the actual card value. The card goes in the display.
Play moves clockwise. The next player guesses the next card off the top of the deck, following the same process.
Passing the deal: The dealer tracks how many consecutive players miss both guesses. After three in a row, the dealer passes the deck to the player on their left. But here’s the key: any correct guess (first or second) resets that count to zero. So if two players miss and the third guesses right, the count starts over. The dealer can be stuck for a long time if someone keeps guessing correctly every second or third turn.
The display matters. Every revealed card goes face-up on the table, organized by value from ace through king. As cards accumulate, players can see exactly what’s been pulled. If all four sevens are already showing, nobody’s going to guess seven. This is what makes the game progressively harder for the dealer. Early in the deck, guessing is mostly luck. Late in the deck, the information is sitting right there, and the dealer gets punished.
The game ends when the deck runs out.
Rules People Get Wrong
Drink amounts vary. The most common versions use either 4/2 or 5/2 (first guess correct / second guess correct) for how much the dealer drinks. Some groups go as high as 10/5. Agree on your numbers before starting. The amounts listed above (4/2) are a moderate starting point.
The reset counter. A correct guess doesn’t just stop the dealer’s streak, it resets it to zero. Two misses followed by a correct guess means the next miss is one, not three. Some groups miss this and let the dealer pass the deck too early.
The “dumbass” rule. If a player guesses a card value that’s already been revealed four times (all four of that value are face-up on the table), they’ve made an impossible guess. Most groups penalize this with a bonus drink because the information was right in front of them. This isn’t a universal rule, but it’s common enough that it’s worth establishing before you start.
Higher or lower hint. The dealer must be honest. The hint after the first wrong guess is not optional and cannot be a lie. Some groups play that the dealer can bluff, but that’s a house variant, not the standard game.
Dealer participation. The dealer is a player in the game. They’re not just facilitating. They drink when guesses are correct, and they’re trying to survive three consecutive misses so they can pass the deck. The worst seat is dealer during the second half of the deck when most card values are visible and guessing becomes easy.
House Variants Worth Trying
Double or Nothing: After a correct second guess (where the dealer would normally drink two), the guesser can go double or nothing by also guessing the suit. Get the suit right and the dealer drinks six total. Get it wrong and the guesser drinks two instead. High risk, high payoff.
Speed Dealer: Set a five-second timer for each guess. If the guesser doesn’t answer before time runs out, it counts as a wrong guess. Keeps the pace fast and prevents players from spending too long studying the display.
No Mercy: The dealer doesn’t pass after three consecutive misses. They’re stuck dealing until someone guesses correctly. This version gets brutal in the middle of the deck when the odds are shifting but haven’t fully tipped yet.
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