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Examples of Self Color Bluffs

The Self Color Bluff is an advanced strategy.

Example 1 (Self Color Bluff)

  • See the example image below.
  • Alice notices that the yellow 3 on Bob's Finesse Position is playable. She wants to "get" this card.
  • Normally, the best way to get it would be with a Finesse or a Bluff (as a 2-for-1). However, Alice cannot see any Finesse or Bluff targets available for her to use.
  • Alice could just clue yellow to Bob, getting the yellow 3 directly (as a 1-for-1).
  • Instead, Alice gives a red clue to Bob, which touches the red 2. This red 2 already had a number 2 clue on it, so this clue "fills in" the card, turning it into a globally known red 2.
  • Bob knows that Alice is not in a stalling situation, and it is not a Finesse on Cathy, which has the purple 5 on her Finesse Position.
  • So this must be a Self Color Bluff, and Bob blind-plays the yellow 3 as a Known Self-Bluff.
AliceClue GiverClue GiverBobYellow 3BluffPlayCathy

Example 2 (Self Color Double Bluff)

  • See the example image below.
  • Alice clues purple to Bob, which "fills in" the purple 5. (It was already touched by a number 5 clue earlier in the game.)
  • Bob knows that Alice is not in a stalling situation, and it is not a Finesse on Cathy, so this must be a Self Color Bluff.
  • Bob blind-plays his Finesse Position as a Known Self-Bluff. It is a yellow 2 and it successfully plays.
  • Cathy knows that the purple 5 is three-away-from-playable, so Alice must be intending for a Self Color Double Bluff (instead of a single Bluff).
  • Cathy blind-plays her Finesse Position card as a Known Double Bluff. It is a red 1 and it successfully plays.
AliceClue GiverClue GiverBobYellow 2BluffPlayCathyBluff