Spoof (game)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Also see spoof for other meanings.
The game of Spoof is a game designed to pick someone for an unpopular task, such as buying the next round of drinks.
Any number of players can play, although it can get hard with more than ten (and the penalty for losing may be excessive). Each player needs three small objects, typically small coins.
The players stand or sit in a rough circle so that everyone can see everyone else's face. Each player holds his or her hands concealed from the other players and places zero, one, two, or all three of his or her small objects in one hand, closing the fingers round the objects to hide them and to make a fist. As each player does this they hold out the fist that hides their chosen number of objects, and take it in turns to guess the total number of objects concealed in the outstretched hands.
No player is allowed to guess the same total as anyone else, so it may be an advantage to go first. On the other hand, hearing previous calls can give you a clue to the correct total. The first call should rotate round the circle on each turn.
When everyone has called a number, all the players reveal their objects. If any player has called the correct total then they drop out, and the rest of the players continue to another round. The last player remaining in the game is the one required to do the unpopular task.
The call of "Spoof!" is sometimes used to mean "zero".
The minimum possible total is zero on each round, and maximum possible total is three times the number of players in the round. If a player calls an impossible total, either accidentally or deliberately, he or she is required to call a possible number.
It is vital that no one gives any visible signals at Spoof, and that objects do not clink in your hand as you hold them as this reveals that you are holding at least two objects.
This game is unrelated to that invented by the music hall and pantomime actor Arthur Roberts.
Spoof is also played in a tournament situation. In such a tournament, participants are divided into 'schools' of a number so that there are an even number of players in a school. The school then plays seven rounds of spoof. The first winner gets points as to how many players there are. For example, if there were 4 participants in the school, in the first round, the player first out gets 4 points, the second player out gets 3 points, and then the third gets 2 and loser gets 0. This goes on through seven rounds and at the end the person with the highest number of points wins. Depending on the number of participants there will then be quarter finals, semi finals and a final. The winners of the semi final play off in the final and the losers play off for third.
