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This article was reviewed by Ashton Wu and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Ashton Wu is a Board Game expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 50K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Need a way to break the ice and get to know your peers? Well, a game of 2 Truths and a Lie will do just that! Not only is this game super fun and simple to play, but it’ll also help you learn more about your friends, family, or classmates. So, what lies can you tell in this game, and how can you be convincing? Keep reading to find out!
Steps
How to Play
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Gather a group of 2 or more people. The more people involved in the game, the more fun you’ll have! Play this icebreaker on the first day of school, during a club meeting, or at a family reunion. -
Take turns sharing 2 truths and 1 lie. These facts and lies can be as silly or serious as you’d like (check out our examples again for even more ideas). Try to be as convincing as possible. -
Ask the group which is the lie. The object of the game is to fool your friends or family members into thinking your lie is true. If they guess the lie correctly, you’ve “lost.” If they think the lie is true, you’ve “won.”- There isn’t necessarily a winner or loser in this game. It’s just a way for people to get to know each other better.
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Continue playing until everyone’s shared 2 truths and a lie. Go around the group and see if you can spot any lies. Play the game for as long as you like or until you run out of truths to share.
How to Lie
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Embed some truth in your lie. The most effective lies have a little bit of truth in them. If your lie is half true, you’ll be more likely to say it with conviction as if it were 100% true.[1] -
Keep your lie short and sweet. The more details a lie has, the easier it is to spot. Make your lie as simple as possible, so people won’t be able to discredit specific details. -
Stay still. Touching your face, fidgeting, and talking with your hands are all tell-tale signs of a liar. When playing the game, avoid moving excessively while telling your lie. Have the same body language when you say all 3 statements, so the lie is harder to spot.[2] -
Make eye contact. Looking down or averting your gaze from the group could cost you the game. Even if you can’t make eye contact with everyone in the group, look at least one person in the eyes.[3] -
Talk normally. When some people lie, their voice becomes higher or lower. Try to keep your tone as normal as possible and avoid stuttering. This will make your lie harder to spot.[4]- Avoid using phrases like “uh,” “um,” or “like,” especially if you don’t normally use them.
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Believe in your lie. If you think your lie is true, so will everyone else. Imagine yourself at the source of your lie (What was it like swimming with dolphins? Did you like your trip to Amsterdam?). Pretending you did the thing you said can help you be more convincing and fool the group.
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/extreme-fear/201005/top-ten-secrets-effective-liars
- ↑ https://time.com/5443204/signs-lying-body-language-experts/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/thinking-about-kids/201609/how-lie-your-parents
- ↑ https://time.com/5443204/signs-lying-body-language-experts/
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Reader Success Stories
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"Next time I play I have my lie!! Thanks for all the suggestions!"
