Red or Black
- Players
- 2 to 20+
- Duration
- 15-30 minutes
Red or Black is a drinking card game for 2 to 20 players. You lay a 52-card deck face down, and on your turn you bet on the next card with a single word: Red, Black, Purple, Higher, or Lower. Get it right, you stack the card and keep going. Get it wrong, you drink one sip per card in your pile, including the card you bet wrong on. Zero setup, one round lasts 15 to 30 minutes.
It's also known as "Higher or Lower", and in France it goes by the nickname "Purple", after the riskiest bet in the game.
⚠️ Heads up: alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Drink responsibly.
What is Red or Black?
It's the easiest drinking card game to get going at a party: no board, no gear, just a deck of cards and your friends. The whole thing fits in one sentence: you bet on the next card, you stack when you're right, and you drink when you're wrong. The higher your pile climbs, the more the fall hurts.
The Purple bet is the star of the game: calling that the next two cards will be different colors (one red, one black). It's the boldest, flashiest move on the table, and it's why the game is nicknamed "Purple" in France.
What you need
- A 52-card deck
- Something to drink (and water on the side)
- Friends ready to have a laugh
No cards on hand? You can play straight from your phone with the TOZ app, which draws the cards and counts the sips for you.
All the Drinking Games, No Deck Needed 🍻
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How do you play Red or Black?
The deck sits face down. On your turn, you call a single bet on the next card. As long as you're right, you stack your card and keep going with a new bet. No fixed string of questions: on every card, you pick the bet you want.
The bets you can make
| Bet | You call | You win if… |
|---|---|---|
| Red | "Red" | the next card is red (hearts or diamonds) |
| Black | "Black" | the next card is black (spades or clubs) |
| Purple | "Purple" | the 2 next cards are different colors (red then black, or the other way) |
| Higher | "Higher" | the next card is higher than your last |
| Lower | "Lower" | the next card is lower than your last |
On the very first bet, you have to call a color (Red, Black, or Purple), since there's no reference card yet. As soon as you have one card stacked, you can also try Higher or Lower against your last card (Ace is the highest card).
How much do you drink? The scoring
The scoring is what makes Red or Black tick: the more you stack, the more you stand to lose.
- Correct guess: you stack the card and play again. A successful Purple stacks you 2 cards at once (and raises the stakes by just as much).
- After 3 correct guesses: you can pass your pile to the next player instead of carrying on. They pick up the pile where you left it and bet on it: as long as nobody misses, it keeps growing, and whoever finally misses drinks for the whole pile.
- Wrong guess: you drink one sip per card in your pile plus the card or cards from the failed bet — that's +1 for a simple bet, +2 for a missed Purple — then you discard your pile and pass the turn.
Stacking 6 cards is a thrill… right up until a missed bet costs you 7 sips (your 6 cards + the one too many). The whole art of the game is knowing when to stop.
An example round
The deck is down, it's your turn:
- You call "Red" → it's a heart. ✅ (1 card)
- You call "Higher" → higher. ✅ (2 cards)
- You call "Black" → it's a spade. ✅ (3 cards)
Three correct guesses: you pass your pile of 3 cards to your friend. They're the one betting on it now, and the pile keeps growing:
- Your friend calls "Lower" → lower. ✅ (4 cards)
- They call "Red" → it's a diamond. ✅ (5 cards)
- They go for the "Purple" → both cards come out the same color. ❌
Missed: they drink the 5 cards in the pile + the 2 cards from the Purple = 7 sips, then the pile is discarded. 😬
Red or Black variants
- Hardcore++: you need 5 correct guesses (instead of 3) before you can pass your turn.
- Trap card: flip the 2 ♠ and it's bottoms up, no matter your pile.
- Magic King: turn over the King ♥ and hand out 5 sips to whoever you want.
- Purple only: you're not allowed to call anything but "Purple". Good luck. 🍀
Red or Black vs Ride the Bus: the difference
These games revolve around the same move — guess the next card and drink when you're wrong — but they aren't the same game:
- Red or Black is the most-played version: Red, Black, Purple, Higher or Lower, one bet per card, and you stack. Short rounds, quick pace.
- Ride the Bus is a different, longer game. It starts with 4 set questions in a row (color, higher or lower, inside or outside, then suit), before adding a pyramid and the famous "bus ride". If you're after those 4 questions, that's Ride the Bus, not Red or Black.
Want to keep the night going? King's Cup is the other card-night must-play, and you'll find the rest in our pick of the best drinking games.
Our tips so you don't end up KO
- Alternate with water between turns, your liver will thank you.
- Set a sip cap per penalty if you're playing with warriors.
- And as always: nobody drives. Book an Uber or crash at a friend's place.
How do you play Red or Black without cards?
No 52-card deck at the party? The TOZ app has Red or Black built in: your phone draws the cards, handles the bets, and counts the sips for you. You start a game in 10 seconds, with nothing to set up on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Red or Black card game?
Red or Black is a drinking card game played with a standard 52-card deck, for 2 to 20 players. On your turn you bet on the next card: its color (Red, Black, or Purple) or its value (Higher or Lower). Get it right and you stack the card; get it wrong and you drink one sip for every card stacked in your pile.
How do you play Red or Black?
On your turn you call a single bet on the next card: Red, Black, Purple, Higher, or Lower. Every correct guess stacks a card and you keep going; after 3 correct guesses you can pass your pile to the next player, who bets on it in turn. Whoever finally misses drinks for the whole stacked pile, plus the card or cards from the failed bet. No fixed string of questions to chain: you choose your bet on every card.
How many players do you need for Red or Black?
From 2 to 20 players. The sweet spot is 3 to 8 players around a table: enough people to keep it loud, short enough that everyone plays again fast. One round lasts 15 to 30 minutes.
What's the difference between Red or Black and Ride the Bus?
Red or Black is the quick guess-the-card game: one bet per card on the color or the value, and you stack. Don't confuse it with Ride the Bus, a longer game that starts with 4 set questions (color, higher or lower, inside or outside, then suit) before moving on to a pyramid. If you're chaining those 4 questions, you're playing Ride the Bus, not Red or Black.
How many sips do you drink in Red or Black?
When you get it wrong, you drink one sip per card in your pile, plus the card or cards from the failed bet: a simple missed bet costs your pile + 1, a missed Purple costs your pile + 2. Example: 5 cards stacked and a missed Purple makes 7 sips. Then you discard your pile and pass the turn.
Can you play Red or Black without cards?
Yes. The TOZ app has Red or Black built in: your phone draws the cards and counts the sips for you, with no need for a 52-card deck. Handy when you don't have a pack on hand at a party.