Dragon Poker
Overview (4+ players)
Dragon Poker is a simple game that is usually played in a protected area (such as a Circle of Power or Ward) in order to prevent outsiders from interfering. The rules are quite simple and unlike other games, the players are betting against the deck as opposed to the other players. The thrill of loss and the relief of winning big drive this game of chance.
The Deck
⚫ 4 decks of 52 cards each are shuffled together (remove jokers). Each of the decks must have identical design backing to prevent cheating or counting.
The Rules
. There are three types of Poker Tables - Silver, Gold and Plat. The type referrers to the value of the common bet. For Example, when someone says “two” or “ten” at a silver table, they mean two or ten silver, not two or ten gold. A Gold-Gold-Gold game is played with no silver on the table; a Plat-Plat-Plat game is played with no silver or gold on the table.
A game is sometimes referred to with numbers X-Y-Z, where X, Y and Z are the values of the ante, minimum bet and pass values respectively. For Example, a one-two-one game, or a gold-
gold-gold game At the beginning of each “hand”, all players Ante. Play begins with the person to the left of the dealer (first hand) or the last winner (for successive hands). The dealer turns over the first card. If this card is an ace, the betting player decides whether the ace is high (above King) or low (below two). .
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The dealer turns over the second card. If this card is an ace, it is always high. If the two cards are
one number away (e.g., a six and a seven), the betting player must pay the Pass value to the pot. If
the two cards are alike (e.g., a nine and a nine), the player must Double Pass (pay double the Pass
value to the pot). Otherwise, the betting player may choose to pay the Pass value or declare a bet.
If the player bets, the dealer turns over the third card. If this third card’s number is between the two numbers, the player wins the value bet. If the number is below the lower number or above the higher number, the player must pay the value bet. If the number is identical to either card’s number, the player must pay Double the value bet.
Play continues to the next player on the left, until the pot is won and a new hand is declared, at
which time all players must again Ante. The maximum bet is half the pot until the hand goes around the circle once. After one time around.
players no longer bet “half” but must announce exact amounts and the maximum bet is the pot.
Once a hand is begun, no new players may join the game unless they match the value of the pot.
Advice:
A game which has a high Ante requires more money to play but less money to win. A game which has high Minimum Bet encourages players to pass more than they normally would.
A game which has a high Pass Value encourages players to bet minimum when they can, but
forces those who must pass or double pass to put more in the pot. Most players pass if the difference between the two numbers is two or three. Many will pass if the difference is four or five. A difference of seven is a better chance of winning than losing.
. Many circles force re-ante if the pot gets below a certain value. Most players declare the first ace low, for if the first ace is high and the second ace is high they must double pass.
The best range in the game is ace low, ace high. Anything that is not an ace wins; a third-card being an ace is a loss of double the bet. This unfortunate gambit is called a “Hopper split.”
A low-ace/king or two/high-ace is the next best card combination, but like the ace low/ace high combination, it’s either win the bet or lose double. Ace-low/queen, two/king and three/ace-high are the next best combinations and are pretty good bets, although chances of losing are higher (three in thirteen).
HBR-2012