In this Death Match, play the classic game of Love Letter, with the additional twist that you can lie about the cards you have.
| Designer(s): Sebille, VicariousShaner | Match Type: DM (for 2 players) |
| Featured in: Genius Online: Business & Pleasure, The Genius Puzzler | |
Jiffa's Disapproval
In JD, two players compete to woo the man of everyone’s dream, Jiffa. The game will begin with 3 of the 15 cards of the deck being taken out and revealed, which will not be used during the round. From the remaining 12 cards, each player will draw one. Each round, Jiffa will be wooed by one of the two players. Once Jiffa has been wooed 7 times by an individual, he will have become enamored, with that person having won the game.
On your turn, you will first draw from the deck. You will then decide which of the two cards in your hand you will play. You will then apply the effect on the card you played. These effects may include an attack. If you are attacked twice, you are eliminated. However, 3 times per round you may BLUFF about what card you are playing, and thus the relevant effect.
The opponent may, after a card effect is announced, call a bluff. If this call is successful, the bluffing player will automatically lose the round. If it is unsuccessful, the player who called the bluff will be attacked.
The end of the round will occur either when one player is eliminated, or if the deck is empty at the end of a player’s turn. If the former, the player remaining will woo Jiffa. If the latter, both players will reveal their hands. The player with the higher ranked person will win the round. If there is a tie, the player who played the highest total value of cards will win.
These are the various cards and their effects. There are 2 of each variety in the deck, with the exception of the princess, which only has one copy.
(And a special thanks to @VerdantAsh for all the help with this game)
DMO Advantage: The DMO will decide who goes first initially, although it will alternate every game afterwards. They will also be able to mulligan once, resetting the game, but only on the first turn. This mulligan can only be done when they go first.
Final Match 1: Doubting Love Letter
In Doubting Love Letter, players use the right cards strategically to win... or pretend they have the right cards. This game was played in Business and Pleasure, hosted by Jiffa, as Death Match 9 and Final Match 2, under the name Jiffa's Disapproval.
This game is a best of 9 bouts. The first player to reach 5 bouts wins the FM. The below rules detail how a single bout works.
BASIC RULES
This game consists of cards; each has a number and a name, along with an effect. There are two copies of each card from 1-7 and one 8, for 15 cards total. Furthermore, both players have two lives each bout. If you lose both lives, you immediately lose the bout.
At the start of each bout, three cards are removed from the deck and revealed, leaving 12 cards in the deck. Both players will start by receiving 1 card, then one player will take their turn, with turns alternating.
On your turn, you will receive one card, so you have two cards. Then, you should choose one card to discard, leaving one card in your hand. Upon discarding the card, there may be an effect that occurs. However, you may also bluff a card. To do this, as you discard, you claim you are discarding a different card, which will trigger a different effect. You may only bluff up to three times in a given bout.
When your opponent plays a card, you may choose to challenge, which means you think they bluffed. It will then be revealed what the opponent's true card played was. If you were correct, your opponent loses both lives immediately and instantly loses the bout. If you were wrong, then you lose one life.
The bout continues until one player is eliminated or the deck is empty at the end of a player's turn. If the deck is empty, then both player's remaining cards are compared. The player with the higher card wins. If this is a tie, then the player who discarded the highest total value of cards (bluffs count as the bluffed value) wins the bout.
THE CARDS
Note that forced discards (from 1, etc) do not trigger the discarded card's effect, with the exception of Princess.
1 / Guard: Choose a card that is not a 1. If your opponent holds this card, they lose a life, and their card is discarded.
2 / Priest: You will be told what card your opponent currently holds.
3 / Baron: Your remaining card will be compared to your opponent's card (both are revealed). The player with the lower value loses a life, and then their card is discarded.
4 / Handmaid: Until your next turn, you are immune from any cards that target you; they will instead have no effect. (These are 1, 2, 3, 6. If a 5 is played, that player must discard their own card.)
5 / Prince: Choose either yourself or your opponent. That player discards their card. This has no effect if the deck is empty.
6 / King: Trade cards with your opponent. Both players will learn what the other held.
7 / Countess: If you hold this card along with 5 / Prince or 6 / King, you must play it. This applies even if you bluff this turn.
8 / Princess: If you are forced to Discard this card, you lose a life. You cannot play this card, even as a bluff.
ITEMS
Plus One: Use this item at the end of a bout, when the deck is empty and both player's cards are about to be revealed. Your card value is increased by 1 for the purpose of the showdown; furthermore, you win a tie this round instantly, instead of comparing the sum of discarded cards.
This item was given to Linus by Adalbert.
Deck Rigging: Before the start of the bout, after removed cards are revealed, choose any card (that is still in the deck). You receive that card as your first card. Furthermore, you may choose one card you do not want your opponent to start with.
This item was given to Linus by wen.
Insurance: Announce you are using this item at the start of a bout. The first time you are caught bluffing in the bout, you only lose one life instead of instantly losing.
This item was given to Linus by yyao.
Advantage: Decide who goes first in Bout 1; later bouts will alternate. Furthermore, if both players have the same sum of discarded cards in a bout, you win that bout. Cannot be copied.
This item was given to Linus by boboquack.
ADMINISTRATION
Submissions
During your turn, privately submit your action, whether you are telling the truth or whether you are bluffing (and if you are bluffing, which of your cards you're using to bluff). Furthermore, publicly post the card that you claim to be discarding.
If you discard a 1 / Guard, you guess what your opponent holds after the below step.
During your opponent's turn, after they have played their card, decide whether you would like to challenge them or not.
Information
At the start of each bout, it is publicly revealed which three cards are removed from the deck, and both players are privately told what their dealt card is.
During each player's turn, they are privately told which card they are dealt.
Information can also be given out upon playing a card (2 or 6).
It is generally not revealed whether a bluff was performed, except for when challenges occur.
Timing
You have 1 minute for each decision and 1 minute reserve time, used in intervals of 10 seconds. If you run out of reserve time, you lose the bout immediately. Reserve time is reset between bouts.
Clarification: You should always have a card in your hand. If you are forced to discard your card (due to 1, for instance), then draw another card after discarding, so you will have two cards on your next turn. However, if the deck is empty, you just don't discard to begin with.
Clarification: Discards (due to 5 / Prince) are publicly revealed.
Bluffing (The game involves players being able to peform illegal actions and being punished for being called out.)
Cards (The game involves cards of any kind.)
Luck (The game involves an element of luck.)
Psych (The game tests the players' psychological & bluffing abilities.)
Turn-based (The game involves players taking turns one after another.)