In this age of animosity, this era of exaggerated ego, these dark days of divisiveness, I have to add fuel and ask: Is poker more luck or more skill? There is some debate on this. Of course, the cards themselves are simply luck of the draw as long as they are dealt fairly and from the same standard deck. The skill comes along in what a player does with the cards they are dealt. Odds can be calculated and strategies evolve.
But these decisions made are based on the object of the game as perceived by each player. If one player is playing for incremental wins and long-term security, their strategy will include more frequent folding and working to understand the psychology of the other players who have influence over their communal deck. If another player believes the object is winning the current hand, (Carpe Diem!), they will seldom fold a hand and likely not leave a game until they have no more chips. The first player settles, the second player dreams. These two players play from the same standard deck, but they are playing two essentially different games with multiple varying, (admittedly) sometimes overlapping strategies.
There are other players.
…players who are playing one or the other of these two basic games but are playing with different decks. Some are fortunate to be playing with fewer numbered cards replaced by additional face cards, aces and jokers. Others are forced to play only with even-numbered cards, few or no queens and aces, and only an occasional jack or king, with the missing cards replaced by blank cards of no value.
Many of those fortunate to be playing with loaded decks, and some of those forced to play with watered down decks, believe they are playing with the same standard deck as everyone else. After all, the usable cards everyone has in hand look the same. But of course, when dealt better cards odds are better you will win whichever game you are playing; and on/in the other hand, after being dealt so many blanks you learn to quickly discard them and move on.
Now I want to talk about dice. Using the same set of dice, I do not believe there is skill in determining the result of the roll. I believe that incorporating dice into a game that involves at least a degree of skill, in the long run, lessens the odds of winning; but it does make the game more interesting, perhaps more exciting, and likely levels the playing field. Yet only some players in the poker games above, are also required to roll dice that dictate various actions with their cards and further randomize the outcome, lessening their odds of winning by reducing their opportunities for learning applicable skills. Other players above, (frequently those playing with a loaded deck), are not required to roll dice. And those so inclined, can still point to their hand and claim they are playing with the same cards as everyone else.
I have never been a very successful poker player, usually because I want to win every hand. It is difficult for me to fold. I am a dreamer. Some characterize dreamers as unrealistic or even (more harshly as) stupid. I characterize those who characterize dreamers in this way as sheep. It all comes back to what game an individual player is playing. I work to play my game. Though I am also compelled to expend effort as a sheep, I still want to win every hand. I still seek as many possible best moments as I can conceive of, no matter the odds. I believe that wisdom comes from seeking an unattainable truth, and I believe the truth demands constant questioning and evolution, and I believe that justice comes from action, and I don’t believe that wisdom or justice are possible when one folds their cards and plays it safe and/or when some are playing from a different deck; and though I do believe ultimate truth unattainable, I also believe one will come closer with wisdom and justice. Deal the cards to everyone from the same standard deck, play the cards you are dealt to the very end, and everybody roll the damn die! This is not the game we play today, and likely not in my lifetime; but a boy can dream…
A few weeks ago, I was looking at two decks of playing cards, some poker chips, a standard set of die, and a set of role-playing die. I started experimenting. I have approximately ended with the game of Dicey Poker described below. It is interesting and unpredictable and works well as a solitaire game. I am looking forward to testing the multi-player, multi-deck games and allowing them to evolve as I have the solitaire version. It will never be perfect, but it is a start. And, as I have discovered in this week's written thought, it works as a mechanism within which one can provoke thought.
Dicey Poker
1 to 2 players use one deck including 2 Jokers. 3 to 4 players use one-and-one-half decks (made up of one full deck and the spades and hearts from a second deck) including 3 Jokers. 5 to 6 players use two decks including 4 Jokers. Jokers are placed face-up, to the side; decks are shuffled. Five Chips or Markers are given to each player.
For 2 to 6 players, cut deck to determine dealer.
Deal 10 cards to each player; (if playing solitaire, deal face-up in a row). Play starts to the left of the dealer and proceeds clockwise. A “round” is considered complete when each player has played a single turn, beginning with the player to the dealer’s immediate left and ending with the dealer.
In each turn:
- When the hand begins, and until the player has five cards placed face up, the player’s turn will consist of two die rolls. He or she will roll the base die then the face die (in that order) and follow the instructions in the rules below for each die. If the player’s fifth card is placed face up with the roll of the base die in a player’s turn, the player does not roll the face die in that turn.
- Once a player has five face up cards, beginning with their next turn and for the remainder of the hand, that player chooses which (of the 2) die to roll, (Base Die or Face Die), but must have a minimum of 3 base cards or 3 face cards in their hole hand to roll the respective die. For the remainder of the hand, the player can roll only one die per turn.
- If a die roll matches a card in hand, that card is placed face-up, in front of player; or, in solitaire, in a separate row toward the center of the playing area. All Jokers are wild and immediately placed face-up. The player is required to place a matched card face-up, every time they match, until they have 5 face-up cards. If there is more than one card per roll in hand that matches, the player may choose which card, (i.e. suit) to play, but can only play one matched card per die roll.
- After each die roll, if a card has been placed face-up and not swapped for an unchipped face up card, the player draws a card from the top of the draw pile to maintain exactly 10 in hand; or alternatively, if there was not a match, (i.e. a card has not been placed face-up and/or chipped), the player is required to discard (face up to the top of the discard pile) one card of choice from hand and draw the top card from the draw pile. If a card is matched and placed face-up, the player is not allowed to also discard.
- Once a player has five cards face up, if he or she rolls a die and matches an in-hand card, one of the following must be done:
- Swap the matching card in hand with one of the unchipped face up cards, return the former face up card to hand, and place a chip upon the new face up card; (do not discard and draw); or
- Place a chip upon one face up card of player’s choice, discard the matching card from hand to discard pile, and draw one card from draw pile.
- If the card matched and placed face-up is an Ace, a one-eyed Jack, the suicide King, or a Two, this triggers a wild challenge round. After the player who triggers the challenge has swapped cards or draws a card to complete their die roll, the round is paused and that player begins the challenge according to the Wild Die and Wild Challenge rules below. This challenge does not count as any player’s turn. Once the challenge is complete, play resumes where it was paused.
- Each player’s die roll and each player’s turn, (including wild challenge turns), should end with no more than 5 cards face-up and exactly 10 cards in hand.
- Once a card is chipped, (i.e. a player places a chip on a face up card), that card cannot be swapped for any other card except a Joker. Face up Jokers are chipped immediately, (even if player has fewer than 5 face up cards), and cannot be swapped for any card; even another Joker.
- When a player has chipped all 5 face up cards, that player will continue to choose a die according to the rules, roll and discard the matching card first, or (if there is no matching card) one card of their choice to the discard pile, and draw one card from the draw pile, working to improve their hole hand. That player will also participate in all wild challenges according to the rules. Remember: A Matching Card Must Always Go Out of Player’s Hand to the Face Up Row or to the Discard Pile. To ensure this code of honor, house rules may dictate all players’ hole cards face up.
- Wild Challenges are not allowed in the final two rounds of play.
- If necessary, the discard pile may be shuffled to create a new draw pile.
- Once all players reach 5 chipped face-up cards, play continues clockwise until two complete additional rounds (ending with the dealer) have been played.
- When these final two rounds are completed, the hand is over.
- Each player will have 5 face-up cards and 10 cards in hand. Each player discards 5 cards from their hand leaving two hands, (one face-up and one in hand) per player for scoring. The scoring table is at the end of these instructions. The face-up hand is worth twice as much as an equivalent hole hand.
- If the game is not finished, the deal for the next hand moves clockwise to the left.
- For Game Flow Clarification:
- If a player has fewer than five cards face up, the player, (according to the rules), rolls two die per turn.
- If a player has fewer than five cards face up, the in-hand matching card must go face up.
- Once a player has five cards face up, the player rolls one die (of choice, according to the rules), per turn.
- Once a player has five cards face up, the in-hand matching card must either go face up, (i.e. swapped with an unchipped face up card), or it must go to the discard pile.
- Once a player has five cards face up, every matching die roll requires a card to be chipped.
- Once a player has chipped all five face up cards, the only change that can be made to face up hand is (according to the rules) the addition of a Joker replacing a chipped card.
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Base Die - 10 sided:
- 1 = Ace
- 2 = 2
- 3 = 3
- 4 = 4
- 5 = 5
- 6 = 6
- 7 = 7
- 8 = 8
- 9 = 9
- 0 or 10 = 10
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Face Die - 6 sided:
- 1 = Red Jack
- 2 = Black Jack
- 3 = Red Queen
- 4 = Black Queen
- 5 = Red King
- 6 = Black King
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Wild Challenge Die - 10 sided % die; (00 = 0%). Wild Challenge Rules:
- Wild Challenges are not allowed in the final two rounds of play.
- In multi-player games of 3 to 6 players, a player who has two Jokers must participate in all Wild Challenge rounds, but if a player who has two Jokers wins the challenge, that player is not allowed to roll the wild die. No player may have more than two Jokers at any time.
- The player who triggered the challenge (considered the challenger), rolls first. The challenger may roll between one and infinite number of rolls to get as close to 100% as they can without going over. Any player who goes over 100%, loses the challenge.
- If the challenger goes over, next player to the left must roll a minimum of two times.
- If player 2 also goes over, next player to the left must roll a minimum of two times; and etc.
- If all players go over, all players lose; no one rolls wild die.
- But if the challenger or any other player in turn does not go over, each successive player may roll between one and infinite number of rolls to get as close to 100% as they can to beat or tie the challenger or the other player or players.
- If there is a tie for rolls closest to 100% without going over, all players lose, and no one rolls the wild die.
- In solitaire, the player must accumulate 70, 80, 90 or 100 percent to roll the wild die.
- After all players have rolled the challenge die accordingly, if one player is closer to 100% than any other player, without going over, (or if the solitaire player accumulates 70% – 100%), that player wins the challenge, rolls the wild die (unless they already have two Jokers), and may (or may not) receive a Joker according to wild die rules. If a player wins a challenge, rolls the wild die, receives a Joker, and does not yet have 5 face-up cards, the Joker is placed face up and chipped. If a player wins a challenge, rolls the wild die, receives a Joker, and already has 5 face-up cards, 1 face-up card of player's choice (chipped or not) must be returned to the player’s hand and a hole card (of player’s choice) discarded to the discard pile to maintain no more than 5 face-up cards and exactly 10 cards in hand. All Jokers must be placed face-up with an immediate chip; Jokers are not allowed in-hand.
- If all Jokers (two, three or four) have been claimed, an Ace, a one-eyed Jack, the suicide King, or a Two, triggers nothing.
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Wild Die - 4 sided:
- Requires a Wild Challenge that is triggered with the face up placement of an Ace, a one-eyed Jack, the suicide King, or a Two; (see Rule #6 above)
- Winner of Wild Challenge gets to roll wild die (one roll only) for a Joker.
- In 1 to 2 player games, playing with one deck:
- First Joker to be claimed requires a roll of 1 or 2.
- Second Joker to be claimed requires a roll of 3 or 4.
- In Multi-player games of 3 to 6 players, playing with one-and-a-half or two decks:
- First Joker to be claimed requires a roll of 1.
- Second Joker to be claimed requires a roll of 2.
- Third Joker to be claimed requires a roll of 3.
- In a 3 or 4 player game, if the winner of the wild challenge rolls a 4, that player may claim the first, second or third Joker.
- Fourth Joker to be claimed (in a 5 or 6 player game) requires a roll of 4.
- When a Joker is claimed, it must be placed face up and immediately chipped.
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Scoring:
SCORING TABLE HAND FACE-UP HOLE Five of a Kind 66 33 Royal Flush 60 30 Straight Flush 50 25 Four of a Kind 40 20 Full House 30 15 Flush 24 12 Straight 18 9 Three of a Kind 12 6 Two Pair 8 4 One Pair 6 3 No Pair / Ace High 4 2 No Pair / No Ace 2 1 Each Joker 4 NA Each Ace 3 0 Each Face Card 2 0 Each Base Card (2-10) 1 0 After totaling scores, if one or more players have reached 150 (or other agreed upon score), the game ends; highest score wins.