From the publisher’s rulebook

Who goes first in Love Letter?

English 21-card bag edition · copyright 2025 (2–6 players)

Love Letter Z-Man Games rulebook cover

For the opening round, the person who most recently wrote a letter by hand starts. Turns proceed clockwise.

Official tie-break or fallback

The opening criterion has no stated tie-break. In later rounds, the previous round’s winner starts; if there were tied winners, choose randomly among them.

Rule details

Older editions can use a different opening criterion. This record is limited to the cited 21-card edition.

Source & edition

All 18 Z-Man Games starting rules

Image: © Z-Man Games and any cover-art licensors or artists (precise ownership not stated in the rulebook) · Z-Man Games

Related games and editions

Browse available game rules

Games with a similar starting rule

More starting rules about whoever did something most recently

Free game-night tools: score keeper · turn timer · dice roller · all tools

Embed this answer on your site

Copy this HTML into a blog post, forum or game café page. It’s plain text with a link back to this rule, so it works almost anywhere. More embed options

Found a different instruction in your edition? Send a correction with the game, edition, and source.