Secret Hitler Rules

How to play Secret Hitler

In the Secret Hitler game, players take turns electing a President and Chancellor who will attempt to pass a policy. However, since player roles are hidden, it becomes a game of suspicion, alliances, and clever bluffing.

Liberals want to pass liberal policies and expose Fascists.

Fascists want to secretly pass fascist policies and eventually place Hitler in power.

“Secret Hitler is a game of deception, deduction, and trust — where every vote can change the course of the game.”

Game overview

Game setup

Before the game begins, players receive secret role cards.

The exact number of Fascists and Liberals depends on the number of players.

Players keep their roles secret throughout the game.

Gameplay

Each round follows a clear sequence of steps.

1. Election phase

The current President nominates a Chancellor.

All players then vote Ja (Yes) or Nein (No).

If the majority votes yes, the government is formed.

If the vote fails, the next player becomes President and a new election begins.

2. Legislative phase

The President draws three policy cards from the deck.

The President discards one card and passes two cards to the Chancellor.

The Chancellor then chooses one policy to enact.

3. Policy phase

The selected policy is revealed and placed on the board.

Some Fascist policies grant powerful abilities such as investigating players or calling special elections.

Presidential powers

After certain Fascist policies are passed, the President may gain special powers.

If Hitler is eliminated, the Liberals immediately win.

How to win Secret Hitler

There are multiple victory conditions in the Secret Hitler board game.

This creates tension because players never fully know who to trust.

“In Secret Hitler, the real challenge isn’t the rules — it’s figuring out who is lying.”

Strategy tips

Even though the Secret Hitler game is based heavily on deception, a few strategies can help.

Pay attention to voting patterns

Players who consistently support suspicious governments may be Fascists.

Watch policy outcomes

Repeated fascist policies may reveal hidden alliances.

Control the narrative

Convincing arguments and confident accusations can sway the table.

Alternative ways to play Secret Hitler

While the core rules remain the same, groups sometimes introduce variations.

Faster games

Play until 4 liberal policies or 5 fascist policies for shorter rounds.

Tournament style

Players rotate tables and keep track of wins across multiple games.

House rule discussions

Some groups allow brief discussions before voting to increase the deduction element.

Summary of Secret Hitler rules

Our verdict

At Playiro.com, we think the Secret Hitler board game is one of the most engaging modern social deduction games. The mix of politics, deception, and intense table discussions makes every match unique — and often hilarious.