History Main / IknowYouKnowIKnow

From the second level on, the recipient of the deception (in this case Y) has two choices: either Y plays a counter-game so that the deception is revealed, or Y willingly plays the deception to X's logical conclusion. The first option will reveal Y to be playing a higher level, but will foil X's deception. The second option will let X fulfill the deception, but will not reveal Y's level. Reaction from Y is crucial, as this separates Y from a player of equal level to X. If that was the case, Y would simply be aware of the deception but unable to act upon it. In reacting, Y steps it up a level.

* In the ''TabletopGme/MagicTheGathering'' novel ''Literature/TestOfMetal'', Jace and Tezzeret play this game, each trying to anticipate the other's moves while knowing the other is doing the same thing and knowing the other knows this.

** In some of the more complicated ''Mafia/Werewolf'' games, this can be a genuine issue. Oftentimes the evil team will have to deliberately and knowingly kill one of their own, because otherwise the good team will not only know that the person is evil, but that the other members of the evil team know that. It's now [[http://mafiascum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Bussing common knowledge]] that the evil team will do that, but it's still more effective than the alternative.

* In an episode of ''{{Friends}}'', "The One Where Everyone Finds Out", Phoebe and Rachel find out about Monica and Chandler's secret relationship, and something of an arms race begins regarding whether or not "they know we know they know we know!" Joey gets caught in the middle (since he's known for a while), and eventually throws up his hands when he can't keep track of who knows what.

* Used in the ''Series/{{Stargate SG-1}}'' episode "Ripple Effect",

** Any duel involving [[Anime/YuGiOh5D's Crow]] becomes this for his opponent, sometimes because he makes an appoint to flaunt his foolproof strategy (which actually works) and sometimes because his opponents think too much.

* On an episode of Monday Night RAW, before a scheduled match with Triple H, MickFoley's [[TheScrappy Dude Love]] and [[TheWoobie Mankind]] appeared on the screen to introduce [[AxCrazy Cactus Jack]]. (It was [[CrowningMomentofAwesome sort of a thing]].) Towards the end, Dude Love asks Mankind if "you're thinking what I'm thinking," and Mankind cheerfully replies "I think I ''am'' thinking what I think you think I think you're thinking!"

'''Fiona''': Yes, Charles... I know.\\

-->'''Fiona''': Yes, Charles... I know.\\
-->'''Charles''': I know you know.\\
-->'''Fiona''': I know you know I know.\\
-->'''Charles''': Yes... ''(Dramatic pause)'' ... I know.\\

-->'''Charles''': Yes... ''(Dramatic pause)... I know.\\

That I know she''s two-timin'' me\\

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* In the ''TabletopGme/MagicTheGathering'' novel ''MagicTheGathering/TestOfMetal'', Jace and Tezzeret play this game, each trying to anticipate the other's moves while knowing the other is doing the same thing and knowing the other knows this.
[[/folder]]

* Happens quite a few times in ''Series/YesMinister''. Especially funny due to Sir Humphrey's penchant for SesquipedalianLoquaciousness.

Typical punchline: ''"...what was I doing again?"''[[hottip:*:Extra punchline: ''"I don't know."'']]

* From the ''HarryPotter'' AlternateDVDCommentary GagDub ''Wizard People, Dear Readers'': "Then, dear readers, Harry notices a tear in Snake's pants and blood all over her leg, and Snake notices that Harry has noticed, and he notices she noticed that! I mean, there is a trade of noticing going on that is just bewildering."

* Happens quite a few times in ''YesMinister''. Especially funny due to Sir Humphrey's penchant for SesquipedalianLoquaciousness.

** Tthe opponent is in the exact same situation because you could TakeAThirdOption: switch out ''yourself'' into say a Grass-type that could handle either Water or Ground (and other options exist, so unless all of the opponent's Pokemon have already been revealed, you never know what may be brought out next).

* Played with in ''MyImmortal''. When [[strike: Ebony]] Enoby travels back in time, she knows that [[strike:Snape]] Snoop possessed [[strike:James]] Samaro and made him kill [[strike:Lucious]] Lucian. She, however, did not "want them to know [she] knew." Whether or not Tom knew she knew is not made clear, but it is likely, as [[spoiler:he is Volxemort and commanded Snop.]] "Suddenly it's a {{sitcom}}," the dramatic reading snarked at this bit.

* Happens in ''DeathNoteEquestria'', mostly between Twilight and L.
* In a recent chapter of DragonAgeTheCrownOfThorns, Theron Mahariel, the Dalish Elf Warden, contemplates how he's been passively spying / been allowed to eavesdrop on some secret talks between the GuileHero dwarven noble protagonist and Alim Surana, OneManArmy mage. The extent of the I know he knows I don't, etc., has to be seen to be believed. And it's only ''slightly'' played for laughs.

** Also in the regular series episode "Let's Kill Hitler", between the Doctor and River. [[spoiler:Though it doesn't matter, because she's already poisoned him.]]

* The big reveal in Book XI of ''TheBrothersKaramazov'' relies on this type of logic played seriously. You can almost see it coming when it is occurring at an earlier point in the novel (some hints are dropped that ''something'' is going on at either rate), but when you learn precisely what took place in one character's mind as a result of [[GambitRoulette seemingly-irrelevant events]], it forces you to [[MindScrew re-evaluate everything else that has happened.]]

** Ends up as something of a XanatosGambit / CrazyPrepared in that by the time the scene has finished Dangermouse has saved Penfold's Auntie, Penfold (twice) and the famous buildings of the Americas due to utilising the extreme number of guesses to blow up Greenback's shipboard comupter.