How To Play: Look Away!

Look Away! is a hilarious bluffing game where you read your friends and time your moves just right. Watch for tells, mix up your patterns, and be bold with your bluffs. Use this 'How To Play look away!' strategy guide for your game nights and laugh your way to victory.

Overview

Ready to finally win Look Away! against those pesky friends who think they’re psychic? You’re in luck! In this guide, I cover not just how to actually play (because let’s face it, we all forget the rules mid-game), but also the sneakiest, smartest ways to claim bragging rights. So, if you’re sick of losing at Look Away!, this is the post for you. How To Play look away!

What’s in the box

  • 1 Game Board
  • 6 Player Pawns
  • 60 Action Cards
  • 12 Look Away! Cards
  • 1 Rulebook
  • 1 Timer
  • 30 Score Tokens
  • 6 Reference Cards

How To Play Look Away!: Rules Summary

Setup
  1. First, gather 4-8 friends who don’t mind looking silly. Trust me, the sillier, the better.

  2. Give every player a marker card. Everyone chooses a point to look at when the game starts—no peeking at your neighbor’s nostrils.

  3. Place the direction spinner in the center. This decides everyone’s fate (and future friendships).

Gameplay
  1. On your turn, spin the spinner. All players must close their eyes until the spinner stops and a direction is shown.

  2. Next, everyone counts to three. On ‘three,’ everyone opens their eyes and immediately looks in the direction of their choice. Don’t dawdle—timing is everything here!

  3. If you lock eyes with another player, both of you are out for the round. Yes, even if it’s your grandma.

  4. Keep playing rounds until only one person is left, or only two players survive and they both look away from each other. It gets tense. So tense I once broke my donut streak.

Winning
  1. The last player standing wins the round. It’s that simple! Feel free to gloat (a little).

  2. Play multiple rounds, and if you want a champion, track wins with your phone or a handy napkin. Winner gets bragging rights and possibly the last slice of pizza.

Special Rules & Conditions
  1. If all remaining players get caught looking at each other, nobody wins that round. It’s chaos, but hey, it happens!

  2. House Rule: Add goofy penalties for locked eyes (like a silly dance or an opera note). My friends once made me sing “Let It Go.” I still haven’t forgiven them.

  3. Remember our keyphrase: How To Play look away! Study these rules, and I promise you’ll never get caught off guard—or at least you’ll have a good laugh when you do.

Best Look Away! Strategies

Mastering the Art of the Bluff in Look Away!

Winning Look Away! means bluffing like your life depends on it. After many hilarious games (sorry, Steve—I fooled you again), I’ve found a few tricks. Here’s how to make your friends second-guess everything. And remember, How To Play look away! is not just a phrase; it’s a lifestyle.

Start With Small Bluffs

  1. Begin by bluffing harmless moves. You want to set up a sense of trust.
  2. Let opponents see you ‘honest’ early on, then hit with a big bluff later.

Mix Up Your Patterns

  1. Switch tactics each turn. Predictability is your enemy.
  2. Move your eyes and hands differently to avoid easy reads.

Use Table Talk

  1. Chat about anything except the game. Distract, confuse, and sow doubt.
  2. Crack jokes or tell a silly story. No one expects a strategic genius behind a bad pun.

Mastering the Clock: Timing Your Moves in Look Away!

Watch for Patterns

  1. Pay attention to when players usually call out. Knowing their rhythm helps you strike when least expected.

  2. Switch up your own timing. If you always act fast, slow down once in a while to throw them off.

Read the Room

  1. Notice the mood. If the group gets tense, it might be a great moment to make your move.

  2. Wait for others to drop their guard. That’s when How To Play look away! really gets exciting!

Force Mistakes

  1. Make sudden actions at odd moments. This keeps everyone guessing and off balance.

  2. Time your bold plays just after a long, dull round. People relax, and you swoop in for the win.

Mastering Mind Reading in Look Away!

Winning Look Away! means seeing through your friends’ tricks. First, trust your gut. Second, watch for little tells. This game always rewards players who focus and use their eyes (even if you’re pretending not to!). Here’s how you can spot their next move and win more often.

Spotting Tells

  1. Notice nervous habits, like tapping fingers or shifting in their seat.
  2. Observe changes in their tone or volume when they explain rules.
  3. Compare their eye movements in relaxed and tense rounds.

Matching Patterns

  1. Track choices round by round—people repeat their favorite moves.
  2. After a win, many stick with what worked, so watch closely!

Reacting Fast

  1. As soon as you spot a pattern, change your own strategy.
  2. Keep your moves unpredictable to mess with their heads.

So, next time you play, remember: How To Play look away! isn’t just about the rules. It’s about reading your friends like a book—and then closing it with a grin.

Master the Art, But Don’t Lose Your Friends!

Alright, folks, that’s my two cents (and believe me, it’s worth about that much) on how to win Look Away! If you put these tricks to use—bluff, time your moves, and keep an eye on those sneaky friends—your chances of victory go way up. Just remember, it’s all fun and games until someone tries to claim you blinked when you definitely didn’t. Trust me, my friend Dave is still mad from last weekend.

So next time you play, keep these tips in mind and let the mind games begin. Whether you’re playing for snacks, bragging rights, or to just hear someone shout, “How To Play look away!” in a panic, may the sharpest player win. Now get out there and make ‘em blink!

Want to know what we think of Look Away!? Read our detailed review of Look Away! here

Jamie in his proper element: With all of his board games
Jamie Hopkins

With years of dice-rolling, card-flipping, and strategic planning under my belt, I've transformed my passion into expertise. I thrive on dissecting the mechanics and social dynamics of board games, sharing insights from countless game nights with friends. I dive deep into gameplay mechanics, while emphasizing the social joys of gaming. While I appreciate themes and visuals, it's the strategy and camaraderie that truly capture my heart.