What You'll Need
Cards Against Humanity has an accurate tagline: "A party game for horrible people." It's a black-and-white fill-in-the-blank card game that goes to places other party games won't. Know your audience before you open this one.
- Cards Against Humanity base set (460+ cards) — or print the free PDF from cardsagainsthumanity.com
- 4 to 20 players (works surprisingly well with large groups)
- Players with a thick skin and similar sense of humor
The base game contains black cards (questions/prompts with blanks) and white cards (answers). Expansions add hundreds more.
Setup
Shuffle the black cards and white cards separately into two face-down piles. Deal 10 white answer cards to each player. Choose the first Card Czar — typically whoever most recently used the bathroom, per the official rules (yes, really). Play continues clockwise, with the Czar role rotating each round.
How to Play
Each Round
- Card Czar draws a black card and reads it aloud. Black cards are prompts — either fill-in-the-blank statements ("Blank is the leading cause of death among children.") or questions ("What's the next Happy Meal toy?").
- Every other player plays white card(s) face-down from their hand. Some black cards require 2 white cards — "blank makes blank." Play your funniest, most absurd, most outrageous option.
- Card Czar shuffles the submissions and reads them aloud — with all the drama and commitment the moment deserves.
- Card Czar picks the winner — the white card (or combo) they found funniest. That player wins the black card as an "Awesome Point."
- Everyone draws back up to 10 white cards. Next player becomes Card Czar.
Special Cards — Pick 2 and Pick 3
Some black cards say "Pick 2" or "Pick 3" — players must submit that many white cards, which are read in sequence as a combo. These rounds produce the most chaotic and funniest answers.
House Rule — Rando Cardrissian
Each round, one random white card from the top of the deck is played anonymously alongside the real submissions. If this "mystery player" wins the round, everyone else drinks (in the drinking version) or takes a penalty. Rando wins more than you'd expect.
Winning
First player to collect a set number of Awesome Points wins — typically 5 or 7, depending on group size and how long you want to play. For casual play, just play until the vibe says stop.
The official rules acknowledge the game is more about entertainment than competition — many groups don't track points formally at all.
Tips for a Great Game
- Know your group before playing. CAH requires genuine comfort with dark, irreverent humor. Playing with mixed company or people you barely know can backfire. Best with close friends.
- Commit to reading aloud as Card Czar. The best Czars perform the read with timing and delivery. A flat read of a great combo kills it. Dramatic reading makes mediocre combos land.
- Don't always play the darkest card. Subtler, cleverly-placed cards sometimes beat overtly shocking ones. Read the Czar's sensibility.
- Haiku rule (official): At any time, a player can demand the current white cards be read as a haiku (5-7-5 syllables). The Card Czar decides if it counts.
- Burn a card: Once per game, you can trade in a white card you don't want for a new one. Use it wisely.
Variations
Democratic Voting
No Card Czar — everyone votes on their favorite submission (secretly, using a finger vote or thumbs). Most votes wins the round. More egalitarian but loses the Czar dynamic.
Drinking CAH
Loser of each round (Card Czar's least favorite) drinks. Rando Cardrissian winning = everyone drinks. Playing a card that gets zero laughs = drink for shame. Keeps the energy up between rounds.
Speed Round
Card Czar has 30 seconds to pick a winner after the read. No deliberating. First reaction wins. Removes overthinking and speeds up the game.
Family Edition
Cards Against Humanity publishes a Family Edition — same format, completely appropriate for all ages. Different game feel but still genuinely funny.