Party Games · Social Deduction · How to Play
How to Play Secret Hitler — Rules, Setup & Strategy
A hidden-identity party game of bluffing, deduction and table-wide paranoia. A secret majority of Liberals must work out who's lying before the Fascists quietly install their hidden leader. It's tense, hilarious, and one of the best big-group games ever made.
What is Secret Hitler?
Secret Hitler is a social-deduction party game for 5–10 players, set in an intrigue-filled 1930s parliament. Every player is secretly dealt a hidden role — most are Liberals, a few are Fascists, and one Fascist is the hidden "Secret Hitler." The Liberals hold a majority and must enact good policies or expose the hidden leader; the Fascists must bluff, mislead and manoeuvre their leader into power. The genius is that almost nobody knows for sure who anyone really is.
It became a tabletop phenomenon. Created by Mike Boxleiter, Tommy Maranges and Max Temkin, Secret Hitler was one of the most successful tabletop projects of its era — its 2016 crowdfunding campaign raised nearly $1.5 million from over 34,000 backers — and it was a 2016 Golden Geek Best Party Game nominee. Today it's a fixture of game nights worldwide for groups who love deduction, bluffing and big dramatic reveals. It is a game similar to Avalon and Mafia.
Quick Facts
Who is Secret Hitler perfect for?
- Big groups & gatherings — it shines from 7 players up, where the paranoia really takes hold.
- Fans of Mafia, Werewolf or Avalon — it's the structured, replayable evolution of those games.
- Talkers and table generals — half the game is the debate, the accusations and the poker faces.
- Mature game nights (14+) — best for older teens and adults who'll enjoy the satire and the bluffing.
- Groups who want one big game for the whole night — quick to teach, instantly replayable.
How to Play Secret Hitler (Step by Step)
The core loop: elect a government → enact a policy → argue about what just happened → repeat.
The goal
Liberals win by enacting 5 Liberal policies, or by assassinating the hidden Hitler once granted that power. Fascists win by enacting 6 Fascist policies, or by getting Hitler elected Chancellor after 3 Fascist policies are already in play.
Setup
- Deal each player a secret role and a matching party membership card, kept hidden.
- During a brief "eyes closed" phase, the Fascists learn each other's identities, and in smaller games Hitler learns who the Fascists are. (In larger games, Hitler stays in the dark — and so plays more cautiously.)
- Set up the policy board, shuffle the policy deck (Liberal and Fascist tiles), and choose a starting President.
Each round
- Nominate. The current President picks a player to be Chancellor.
- Vote. Everyone votes Ja or Nein on that government. If a majority approves, it takes office; if it fails, the presidency passes to the next player.
- Legislate. The President secretly draws 3 policy tiles, discards 1, and passes 2 to the Chancellor, who enacts 1. Nobody else sees which tiles were discarded — so both can lie about what they had.
- Use powers. Certain Fascist policies, once enacted, grant the President a special power — investigating a player's loyalty, calling a special election, peeking at upcoming policies, or executing a player.
Key rules to remember
| Rule | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Hitler as Chancellor | Once 3 Fascist policies are enacted, electing Hitler as Chancellor wins the game for the Fascists instantly. |
| The election tracker | Three failed governments in a row trigger chaos — the top policy is enacted automatically, no debate. |
| Term limits | The last elected Chancellor (and sometimes President) can't be re-nominated immediately, forcing fresh choices. |
| Hidden discards | Because discards are secret, a President can blame the Chancellor and vice-versa — the heart of the bluffing. |
If you like Secret Hitler, play these next
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Browse more in our Party Games collection, or learn another crowd-pleaser with our How to Play Codenames guide.
Where to buy Secret Hitler in India
Hit deduction games like Secret Hitler are heavily counterfeited online, with fakes arriving on flimsy card stock, mismatched envelopes and missing role cards that quietly break the game. Turnwise sells 100% authentic Secret Hitler, quality-checked and shipped in damage-free packaging so every secret role and policy tile is exactly as designed.
Secret Hitler (5–10 Players)
Turnwise is a curated, honestly-priced board game store made for Indian game nights — no fakes, no third-party seller risk. It's the most reliable way to buy Secret Hitler board game in India at the best price and best quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play Secret Hitler?
Players get secret Liberal or Fascist roles, with one hidden Hitler. Each round a President nominates a Chancellor, everyone votes, and the elected pair secretly enacts a policy. Liberals win with five Liberal policies or by killing Hitler; Fascists win with six Fascist policies or by electing Hitler Chancellor after three Fascist policies.
How many players do you need for Secret Hitler?
It plays with 5 to 10 players and is at its best with 7 or more, when the table debate really heats up.
What age is Secret Hitler for?
Ages 14 and up, given the mature 1930s political-intrigue theme and the bluffing the game is built around.
How long does a game of Secret Hitler take?
About 30–45 minutes per game, and groups almost always play several rounds back to back.
Is Secret Hitler like Mafia or Werewolf?
Yes — it's a hidden-role social-deduction game in the same family, but more structured and replayable, with a voting-and-policy system that keeps everyone involved.
What is the price of Secret Hitler in India?
On Turnwise, Secret Hitler is ₹1,899 (MRP ₹2,999) with free shipping across India.
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