Varieties of poker with dice
Most poker professionals and amateurs are familiar with the rules of the most popular games: no-limit hold’em or Omaha. However, there are other formats where dice (cubes) are used instead of cards.
The main difference between dice poker and classic game formats is that players throw dice instead of cards, but some poker combinations are used to compare the results:
- Set
- Straight
- Full house
- Kare
For example, a combo of 55551 is four of a kind fives, and a combination of 44422 on the dice is a full house on fours and deuces.
At first glance, it seems that the element of luck decides everything in the game. However, having become acquainted with the popular Yahtzee dice poker variant, you will realize that this is not entirely true.
Yahtzee
Yahtzi (yatzi, yazi) is the name of the game in Europe, Asia and America, but it did not take root in Ukraine. Perhaps because of the difficult pronunciation, this is why the entertainment is simply called “poker with dice”.
Yahtzee Features:
Ordinary dice are used, on each side of which the number of dots from one to six is depicted.
The result of the game depends on the recording of the combinations. It’s not about cheating, it’s about being able to sacrifice some to get more points
Poker Dice
Poker Dice differs from Yahtzee in just two ways:
Here special dice are used, on the sides of which the designations of six cards are depicted: from nine to ace.
The result depends only on luck, since you cannot choose combinations. Therefore, there can be no winning strategy here.
Rules of the game
To play you will need:
- From two people
- 5 dice
- A piece of paper and a pen to write down the scores
The task of the participants is to score the most points. To do this, poker players add up combinations of the dropped dice values.
Each player in turn rolls the dice and writes down the resulting combinations. Opponents have 13 moves. Each turn can consist of a maximum of three rolls, while everyone decides for himself which values of the dice suit him – and he will not reroll them.
During each move, the player must write down only one combination, even if it gives zero points. For example, throwing five identical values from the first time (for example, 22222), the participant immediately writes down the “poker” combo for himself, but the remaining 2 throws do not go to the next move.
Dice poker combinations
The basic rules are clear. Let’s move on to combinations. They are divided into two groups: complex and simple.
Simple combos in dice poker:
- Units. This is the sum of the units rolled on the dice. For example, for a combination of 11456, the player receives 2 points.
- Twos. The sum of twos dropped. For example, 22456 = 4 points.
- Threes. The sum of threes rolled. For example, 33356 = 9 points.
- Fours. The sum of fours rolled. For example, 12445 = 8 points.
- Fives. The sum of fives rolled. For example, 12355 = 10 points.
- Sixes. The sum of sixes rolled. For example, 12366 = 12 points.
Difficult combinations in dice poker:
Set. Three identical values on the bones. The player receives a number of points equal to the sum of all the numbers drawn. For example, 12555 = 18 points.
Kare. Four identical values on dice. The number of points is equal to the sum of all numbers. For example, 22225 = 13 points.
Full house. Combination of a set and one pair. For this combo, participants receive a fixed 25 points.
Short street. Four values that come in order. For example, 12346. Fixed 30 points.
Long street. Five consecutive values. For example, 23456. Fixed 40 points.
Poker. Five identical values. Fixed 50 points.
Any (chance). The sum of all rolled values on the dice. For example, a combination of 12356 will give 17 points.
The rules before the game need to be clarified or stipulated, since there are such organizers who charge only the sum of the bones that show a triple for a set. Some variations of the rules divide a long straight into a small straight (12345) and a big straight (23456).
Each combo can only be recorded once in 13 moves.
Game features
The main feature of dice poker is the absence of a deck of cards. There is no hidden information here, as in Texas Hold’em. All introductory known to rivals.
The final scoring implies the possibility of obtaining additional bonuses. The most frequent of them is 63+ points. This bonus is received by the poker player if the sum of simple combinations in the final count is more than 62 points. Then 35 bonus points are added to his statement.
Other bonuses are less common and not in all rules:
- 50 extra points if total score is over 63
- Double points for combinations that were collected with only one throw on the go
- 100 extra points for collected during one game of repeated poker
- Additional points for combinations such as “pair” or “two pair”
Where to play dice poker
Dice poker is a rather specific type of poker that is not found in popular poker rooms. There are several sites on the Internet that offer a game of interest with bots. Therefore, only the option of a home game with friends remains, but due to specific rules, it can be difficult to find a company.
If you want to play poker (for money or play money), it is best to register in one of the proven poker rooms, where you can safely invest your own money and have no doubts about the fairness of the random number generator (RNG).
Poker rooms offer different types of poker: from the most popular Hold’em and Omaha to draw varieties and even mixed games.