Dragon Poker

Jorundr

Artisan
Dragon Poker Rules

General Guidelines (updated when I remember something else)

Only Dragon Poker will be played at the table - no other games will be suffered at the table. If you want to play other games before, after or at a different table - enjoy. If you want a crack at winning a bunch of money, play dragon poker.

Magic items value, components value etc will be determined by the consensus of the other players at the time. Same with selling other players into slavery (if legal) or indentured servitude (if legal) or magical bondage (if legal).

Who is able to make a chit as well as the limit to the amount of the chits will be determined of either of the heads of the Gambling Guild of Fortannis aka the Fortannis Gambling Guild. [The heads of the the Gambling Guild are Morgosh the Liche and Lumsie (not currently a liche).

No delay of game will be suffered for someone to run to their cabin to dig out gold. If you have the gold, I'd highly suggest bringing it with you. If you don't have the gold, you are counted as a 'pass' or drop out or bet what you have with you right then.

Nobody shall get to sit to 'just watch' should that seat be required for someone who isn't cheap. Those who play get to sit at the table. Back rubbers shall sit or stand behind the person that hired them and work on them. Until their fingers fall off.

Anyone with the bad form to cheat shall firstly be turned over to the local law for local justice. If the cheating was rampant enough, others may be contracted out to give the person an attitude adjustment.

The circle is for getting rid of interruptions. Be it known that large pots get generated and if someone gets up to go solve some piddly problem then they get skipped until they get back. If the pot was mostly comprised of their money and it gets won in their absence by some other lucky person - well, that's a pity.

Healing and saving the town from certain disaster get put on hold while dragon poker is going on. I've had people scream about this problem or that while the game is going on. It is best and safest to consider those people gambling just not to be in the tavern at all until the game is done. Unless the pot is especially large, I don't have a huge problem with people cowering in the circle until a particular threat is gone but I will not be circle battling during gambling.

Note that all of the above changes if all of the players (and I do mean all) say 'Looks bad - everyone in the town is dead in the inn - we should go help' or some such.' Then we may prematurely end the game.

Circles are also useful for keeping people from doing something inane like casually picking up some gold and wandering off.

How to Play Dragon Poker

All jokers are removed from four decks of cards. These are given to the local Assassins Guild to use as ‘Death Cards’. Shuffle four card decks together.

The person to the right of the dealer cuts the cards.

Use a card shoe. If card shoe not available, place deck on the table and deal from the top. This prevents bottom dealing.

Deal goes to the left of the dealer.

DEAL FAST. This is meant to be a fast paced game.
Two cards are placed face up on the table. Starting at the dealers left you can bet that the next card dealt will have a face value between the first two down cards. You can bet any amount no higher than the pot. [Special rules: You may only bet up to half the pot until the deal has gone around the table once. This is to allow the pot a chance to build up. Also, you may only bet up to half of whatever you have available. This is just in case you hit ‘the Dragon’ (see below).]
If you are lucky and the dealt card falls between the two down cards you collect the amount of your bet. However, if the exposed card falls outside of the two cards you must put into the pot the amount of your bet. Worse yet, if your card matches one of the cards showing then you must double the amount of your bet to the pot. That is the Dragon.
NEW RULE: An exposed Ace on the left pile is considered low and on the right pile it's high. This is done because a) it’s more standard b) it’s simpler on the new dealers c) it’s stupid to declare the first Ace ‘high’ d) too many useless problems from dealing fast.
If you pull a card on the left that matches the card on the right, you pay 2 coins. If you get an ace in the middle and have an ace on either the left or right, you lose.
 
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