Little Lysshu's Guide to Cheat

by littlelysshu

A Comprehensive Guide to Winning at NeoPets' Latest and Greatest Card-Game Craze

Much like my Namesake, Professor Little Washu in the Tenchi Muyo series, I love to teach people about areas in which I'm an expert...and I've finally found one! Yes, NeoCheat; the newest, hottest card game at NeoPets.com, is where I've finally found my niche! Why in the first hour it was on the air alone I managed to pump my little 10,000 Silver Saver account into a 28,000 Gold Plus account. At least...I think that's about how the amounts went. Of course in the very beginning level 1 was worth 600 NP and they increased 100 NP per level...so it was easier to get rich quick. (: But I am STILL the Professor Of Cheat!! What makes me such an expert, you ask? Well...I've got a 90% (and rising) victory rate, and I've been paying attention to all the things that have...and have not...contributed to my success. In fact, I've narrowed it down to one thing in particular that's contributed, if not caused, four of my five recorded defeats. So...to celebrate my latest obsession, and to help NeoPets and their Cheat-aholic owners everywhere...here are my suggestions!

When To (Probably) Cheat

1. When you've got a lot of cards to get rid of...especially if someone else is down to 6 cards or less.

2. When you don't think they'll catch you.

3. If you're in a round when the opponents have NOT been calling bluffs a lot.

4. If the pile is Two or less.

5. If the Pile would be composed only of your cards.

When to (Probably) NOT Cheat

1. When you've got 5 or less cards...ESPECIALLY if everyone else has more cards than you.

2. When you're in the higher levels and the opponents are calling like crazy.

3. When you're on your LAST TWO Cards. They're more likely to catch you!

4. When several other people have played the same kind of card that you were going to cheat with.

5. Whenever there's a large pile (Bigger than your hand...or 8 or more if you've got a big hand).

6. When you have less cards than everyone else

When To (Probably) Call A Bluff

1. When someone plays four cards of the same kind, unless they have 12 or more cards in their hand.

2. When someone plays a large quantity of the same kind of card that someone has just played another large quantity of (if the last person was NOT caught cheating).

3. Whenever someone plays 3 or more cards and they're down to 7 or less cards (before the play).

4. When there's a pile of 2 or less.

5. When you REALLY think they're cheating (and there are ways to calculate the risks!)

6. When they're the person right before you...and their play means that you will HAVE to cheat!

When To ***ALWAYS*** Cheat

1. When you have absolutely no other options, i.e. when you have no viable cards to play.

2. There is no number 2. The above scenario is the only time to always cheat!

When To ***ALWAYS*** Call A Bluff

1. When your opponent's successful play would take them down to zero cards.

2. Again...there is no number two! There's only one situation to always call a bluff!

Things To Remember:

1. You are not competing for "points" against your opponents! It's OK if they catch a cheater instead of you, or if you just let them slide. The object of the game is to be the first one with no cards left. Everything else is secondary, and should stay that way.

2. The Cheat game is played with one deck of 52 cards...not two. So it is not possible for someone to play 4 jacks and for someone else to play another 4 jacks directly after, even if the first person didn't have to pick up the first one's cards.

3. Always see if you have that value of card in your hand! If the number of that card you have in your hand + the number of that card they're laying down = more than four, they're cheating!

4. Each player has a distinct style. With time and practice you can learn to interpret them. (No, I'm not going to list various player personalities...to write down the nuances of all 7 opponents would take way too long...and besides, the interpretation is highly intuitive and subjective.)

5. Cheat, unlike Gormball, does not "reward the bold". Even if you really, really really think they're cheating, don't call them if you've only got a few cards and the pot is HUGE...especially if someone else either a) has less cards than you or b) is hot on your heels.

6. Sometimes it's better if someone cheats and gets away with it! If their cheating moves the card values towards the ones you have, let 'em do it!

7. If you cheat small...with one or two cards...you're less likely to get caught. Not entirely unlikely, true...but less likely.

8. If you can manage to claim a card that hasn't been played a great deal (or at all!) then your odds of being caught go down as well.

So there you have it, cheaters and cheater-ettes! Now mind you that these ways are not the only ways to win at Cheat...they're just MY ways, and have been very successful for me. They're NOT foolproof. I've learned them by both obeying them...and by breaking them. That's why all but a few scenarios are marked "probably"...because you have to feel out a situation each time. Now I know this might sound strange to say about a computer game, but Cheat is a game of "gut." You have to let your intuition guide you, even though it might sometimes steer you wrong at first, until you're used to its' prompts. Also....don't kick yourself upside the behind if you're not doing as good as you think you should. Cheat, like all things, takes practice. I just happened to get lucky and have a knack for it. Remember though....victory for the observant!