We all play the dating game, but how do we win it? iVillagers share their best and worst tips

Which chat-up lines are winners and how do you flirt wittily when you feel tongue-tied? Will a blind date lead to Mr Tedious or to the man of your dreams? At some point in our lives, we all play the dating game. Should we exaggerate our finest qualities or stick to the truth? Here's what iVillagers say are 'the rules' to live by in the dating world.

1. Make them suspect you're interested, but don't let them know for sure. Men like the chase, so give it to them. -fiona777

2. Don't drink too much on a date. During my friend's last date, she was nervous and had too much to drink. As her date was driving her home in his new car, she realised she was going to be sick. She didn't want to tell him to stop and she certainly didn't want to ruin his car, so she puked into her handbag! Needless to say, they never dated again. -beachbaby99

3. If at any point he reminds you of your father, run away! -JL396

4. You could be married tomorrow if you lowered your standards far enough. Don't. Better to wait for the real thing than to waste your time on something that won't last. -earoberts

5. Don't be too picky. I know women who have shunned men because their head is too big, they smell wrong or even breathe too loudly. Unfortunately, women like this end up ignoring or dumping perfectly good men without even giving them a chance. -icbw

6. If you find a guy who claims he wants to take care of you, get away fast! You'll just end up taking care of him. -jmoylan

7. Don't put up with criticism, especially when it comes to food. Every woman should be free to eat what she wants when she wants. -JL396

8. Find out if he has any good platonic female friends. Men should be able to relate to women as friends, not just as sex objects. -JL396

9. Don't play mind games. Dating is hard enough without having to remember everything you've fibbed about. -Weezie107

10. Don't rush sex! -jmoylan

11. On a first date, keep it brief. You want to have something to talk about the next time. -srussell

12. Stay away from guys who think cartoon women are sexy. -JL396

13. Pay more attention to whether he's a good person and will be good to you than to what he looks like. -sunsmiles99

14. Never date more than one guy at a time, even if they know about each other. It's exhausting and confusing. You'll end up wanting to be rid of all of them, even if under other circumstances one or more of them might have had potential. -Weezie107

15. Before you can find the perfect guy, you have to know what you're looking for and have the courage to go after it. -tuffis

16. If you are comparing a man to qualities you found in your ex, then maybe you're not ready to move on. -clswake

17. Waiting around for the person you're interested in to call or to make a move is a complete waste of time. Plus, it's lame. If you're into someone, go after him. If not, get on with your life. -Weezie107

18. Find out if he does his own laundry or if his mum does it. A man should be self-sufficient. -JL396

19. No matter how nice he is, it won't work if you're not attracted to him. -cas9

20. You'll find Mr Right when you know you are Ms Right - when you feel secure with yourself. -tuffis

21. Refuse to play games. I fell in love with my fiance; when he simply walked up to me and presented himself - no big chat-up, no fake smile, just 'Hi, how are you?' -iVillager

22. Stay away from men who only talk about money. That's usually a sign of insecurity. -JL396

23. Don't talk about marriage on the first date. -kherrity

24. Don't check out other men when you're on a date, and make sure he doesn't check out other women! -JL396

25. Don't assume anything, or you may get hurt. Going out on one or two dates doesn't necessarily mean you're dating, and it definitely doesn't mean you're in a relationship. -natschfrva

26. Be realistic. My mum always thought I should marry someone who is tall, handsome and successful. The trouble was that I'm just normal looking, short and middle class. I had to be realistic - once I was, I found the love of my life. -cas9

27. Flirt. I like to joke around with a guy I'm interested in, make lots of eye contact and maybe touch him on the arm - to inspire him to make a move. But I do try to keep it a little mysterious, not totally obvious, so he doesn't think I'm obsessed. -jmoylan

28. When you need to get away from a guy, start talking about something really boring, like computers. That will usually scare him off. -izabel_blue

29. Brush your teeth before you go out as there's nothing worse than flashing a smile with spinach all over it. -srussell

30. It's better not to date at all than to date losers! -fighterchick

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