The Cheating Moth
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Someone hides a card behind their back. Someone else pretends nothing is happening. The Guard watches everyone suspiciously. And in the end, the one who was craftier, not better, will win.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
A card game where the rules tell you to cheat
Designed by Emely and Lukas Brand for Drei Magier Spiele in 2011, Cheating Moth overturns all card game conventions. Here, the winner is not the one who follows the rules best: the winner is the one who manages to break them without getting caught. A game that transforms the table into a ring of cunning and timing.
The goal is to get rid of all the cards in your hand, discarding them one by one following a numerical sequence. The problem? Some cards cannot be discarded: they must be made to disappear. Literally. Hide them under the table, put them in your pocket, drop them on the floor. But beware: another player is the Guard, and can accuse you at any time. If they catch you, your situation worsens. If they accuse in vain, they pay the price.
What they say abroad
A party game where laughter comes from clumsy attempts to hide cards
— FroGames
The best games are those where no one trusts anyone, and everyone is pretending
— FroGames
La Tarma Imbrogliona (Cheating Moth)
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and game sessionsYour deck
Numbered cards, action cards, and a cursed Moth
Number Cards (1-5)
They make up the majority of the deck. You discard them in ascending or descending sequence. Easy, right? The problem is that sooner or later you'll find yourself with a card you can't discard.
Cheating Moth Cards
They cannot be played on the table. The only way to get rid of them is to make them disappear secretly. The Guard cannot use them, but can accuse those who do. This is where the game is decided.
Ant
When you play it, everyone but you draws a card from the deck. Perfect for slowing others down and creating a distraction while you hide something.
Cockroach, Mosquito, Spider
Action cards that change the pace: speed races, slaps on the deck, gifted cards. Each insect triggers a mini-game within the main game.
Recommended sleeves 72 cards in 1 size ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting your cards with clear sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 56 × 87 mm | 72 |
| Total cards | 72 |
In half an hour, someone will have attempted the boldest move of the evening. And everyone will know whether it went well or badly.
A five-part game
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Hands start clean
Eight cards each, one face-up in the middle, someone receives the Guard token. Everyone inspects their hand with suspicion. Someone already has a Moth. Someone else pretends otherwise.
First attempts
Cards are discarded in sequence, all normal. Then someone reaches a hand towards the edge of the table. The Guard looks up. The hand returns. Too soon, too risky. The first bluff failed without even trying.
The chaos of actions
A Cockroach comes out: everyone rushes to discard the same card. Hands collide, laughter, someone takes advantage of the confusion to make a Moth disappear. Did the Guard see? Maybe. Maybe not.
The accusation
The Guard points a finger. "You hid a card." Silence. The suspect must show what they hid. If the Guard is right, the cheater takes back the card and draws another. If wrong, the Guard draws and the game continues. But the atmosphere has changed: now no one trusts anyone anymore.
Someone wins
A player discards their last card. End of the round. Anyone still holding Moths pays 10 points. Action cards are worth 5, others 1. Cards are reshuffled, points are counted, and it starts again. After a number of rounds equal to the players, the one with the lowest score wins. But no one really remembers the points: they only remember that time someone tried to hide a card up their sleeve and the Guard caught them immediately.
How to play
The flow of each turn
A turn lasts a few seconds, but ten decisions are made in between.
On your turn, you play a card onto the discard pile. It must be exactly 1 number above or below the top one (the sequence is circular: after 5 comes 1). If you cannot or do not want to discard, you draw from the deck.
If you played an action card (Ant, Cockroach, Mosquito, Spider), its effect applies immediately. Everyone draws, everyone plays simultaneously, everyone slaps the deck, or you give a card to another player.
At any time during the round, except when an accusation is being resolved, you can attempt to make ONE card disappear. Hands always above the table, quick movements, no magic. Moths must disappear this way, otherwise they remain in your hand until the end.
Only the person with the Guard token can accuse. If you catch someone, take a card from their hand and return it to them along with the hidden card. If you are wrong, you draw a card and pass the token to the accused player. From that moment on, you are the new Guard.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Cheating is mandatory
It's not a clever option: Moth cards cannot be discarded. Either you make them disappear secretly, or you end the round with a 10-point penalty for each. The game forces you to cheat, and then punishes you if you get caught. It's a perfect system.
The Guard is a player
There is no external referee. One of you has the power to accuse, but cannot cheat. If they accuse in vain, they lose control and become a normal player. The Guard changes constantly, and with it, the atmosphere at the table changes.
The bluff is physical
You don't bluff with words or expressions. Here the bluff is a gesture: a hand approaching a chair, a movement towards a pocket, a card falling. The tension is visual and tactile, and everyone watches everyone else.
Circular sequence (1-5)
Card numbers range from 1 to 5, but the sequence is closed: after 5 you can play 1, and vice versa. It seems trivial, but it always gives you at least two discard options. The problem is never finding a playable card: the problem is getting rid of the Moths.
Action cards create windows of opportunity
When a Cockroach comes out, everyone plays together. When a Mosquito comes out, everyone slaps the deck. In that chaos of hands and laughter, someone takes advantage to make a Moth disappear. Actions are not just effects: they are cover.
You cannot win with the last hidden card
Fundamental rule: the last card in hand must be discarded on the table, not made to disappear. This means you have to plan your exit, not just accumulate cheats. The ending requires a playable card and the right timing.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Each round ends when a player discards their last card. Then points are counted (lower = better).
Victory
- End the round with zero cards in hand (by discarding the last one on the table)
- Accumulate fewer points than others in subsequent rounds
- Have the lowest total score after a number of rounds equal to the players at the table
Penalties and points
- Each Cheating Moth in hand at the end of the round: 10 points
- Each action card in hand: 5 points
- Each number card in hand: 1 point
- Being caught by the Guard while cheating: take back the card + draw another one
A game where cleverness counts more than strategy, and where laughter arises from clumsy attempts to hide a card under the table. Perfect for families, children over 7, and anyone who wants to stop thinking and start laughing.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Cheating Moth
Can I make multiple cards disappear simultaneously?
No. You can only hide ONE card at a time. If you try to make two disappear at once and the Guard catches you, you take both back plus an extra card as a penalty. The rule is clear: one cheat at a time.
If I am the Guard, can I still discard Moth cards?
Yes, the Guard is the only player who can play Moths on the table as if they were normal cards. It's a huge advantage, but in return, you cannot cheat. When you lose the role of Guard (for making a false accusation), you revert to being a normal player and must hide them like everyone else.
What happens if the Guard falsely accuses someone?
The Guard draws a card from the deck as a penalty, and the Guard token passes to the unjustly accused player. From that moment on, the newly accused person can control the others. Power changes hands, and with it, the entire atmosphere of the game changes.
Does it work with small children?
From 7 years old and up, it works very well. Children immediately understand that they have to cheat, and they do it so obviously that it becomes even more fun. Games with mixed families (adults + children) are the best: everyone laughs, no one gets offended, and the little ones often win because they are not afraid to take risks.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes, this is the Italian edition published by Devir. Cards, rules, and tokens are all in Italian. The game requires minimal text knowledge (only the names of the action cards), so it is accessible even to those who are learning to read.
Cheating Moth is a party game for 3-5 players aged 7 and up, with games lasting 30 minutes. Designed by Emely and Lukas Brand for Drei Magier Spiele, published in Italy by Devir, it is a card game where cheating is not forbidden: it is mandatory. The mechanics blend hand management, physical bluffing, and a rotating Guard system that controls other players. Perfect for families, lighthearted evenings, and anyone who wants to laugh more than think. Available on FroGames.it.
The Cheating Moth
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