If you’ve ever watched How I Met Your Mother, you already know Barney Stinson isn’t just a character—he’s a lifestyle. Suited up, overly confident, and constantly toeing the line between genius and sociopath, Barney turned picking up women into a sport. And The Playbook was the glue that pieced everything together.
It’s packed with strategies that range from impressive to totally unhinged. Some are so over-the-top they feel fake (and they are), but Barney somehow pulls them off with a straight face, a fake identity, and just enough charm to make you laugh instead of cringe—most of the time.
Here are the top five plays that define just how far Barney was willing to go to get the girl—and why we respect the hustle.
- The Lorenzo Von Matterhorn
The Setup: Barney invents an ultra-famous alter ego named Lorenzo Von Matterhorn, then creates fake websites praising his (totally made-up) accomplishments including but not limited to his EPS 5k fun run, his parachute ride across Europe, and more. He casually drops the name, lets the girl Google it, and boom—she thinks she’s in the presence of greatness.
Why It’s Legendary: This is peak Barney. Smart, tech-savvy, and so absurd that it actually works. It’s the first play we ever see in the show’s Playbook episode, and it set the tone for everything else. Also, let’s be honest—if someone had a Wikipedia page and a BuzzFeed list about how hot they were, you’d be at least a little curious too. This play was so legendary that he even stole the girl that Lily picked out for Ted- NICE!
- The Scuba Diver
The Setup: Barney shows up at the bar in full scuba gear and refuses to explain it. Then he disappears, only to come back later with a dramatic backstory about personal growth, heartbreak, and redemption—all made up, of course- to gain the trust of one of his best friends Lilly. Lily then vouches for Barney to go out with the hot blonde sitting at the front bar claiming that he is a “nice and sweet guy”. Little did she know, this was Barney’s plan the entire time. At the end of the episode, Barney texted Lily to look underneath the table where she was sitting only to find the exact play written out on a piece of paper- the last page of the playbook.
Why It’s Legendary: It’s completely insane… and kind of brilliant. This play is about commitment. Not just to the lie, but to the character. The costume, the mystery, the emotional angle—he basically writes a whole movie just to land a date. And for a second, even we believe him.
- The He’s Not Coming
The Setup: Barney hangs out at the top of the Empire State Building and finds women waiting for their boyfriends. He tells them, with fake sympathy, that the guy isn’t coming—and then slides in as the “nice guy” who’s just there to help. ‘He’s Not Coming” is a sub-play used in the play “The Scuba Diver”.
Why It’s Legendary: It’s dark, yeah. But also very on-brand. This one shows Barney’s ability to read a situation and capitalize on raw emotion, which is both impressive and totally messed up.
- The Ted Mosby
The Setup: Barney pretends to be Ted, telling women he’s a sensitive architect who loves love. The women fall for it because, well, he is a sensitive architect who loves love. He also does a similar type of play later on in the series where he pretends to be left at the alter. Both, obviously, are super successful.
Why It’s Legendary: The real MVP here is how little Barney respects boundaries. He steals his best friend’s identity and uses it to land dates, all while making fun of him. It’s one of those plays that makes you laugh out loud while also being like, “Bro, what?”
- The Mrs. Stinsfire
The Setup: Barney dresses up as a British house mom to get close to a sorority that recently went under probation. He earns the group’s trust, then “reveals” he’s actually an amazing father figure… who just happens to be hot under the wig. And then, it goes down.
Why It’s Legendary: This one feels like a deleted scene from Mrs. Doubtfire, but creepier. Still, it shows Barney at his most theatrical. The accents, the costume, the fake nanny résumé—it’s so much effort for one date, and that’s what makes it unforgettable.
