Chinese Poker: "The Big 2 Partnership"
It is a card game like "Bridge", with two players sitting on opposite
sides of a table playing against the other two players. Each of the four players
will be dealt 13 cards at random before starting each set.
The Pattern-setting Right
The number of cards to be put on the table by the players in turn can be one
card a time (like "Bridge") - or a certain "pattern" formed
with more than one card (unlike "Bridge"). It all depends on the
player who has the right to set "the pattern". For example if you have
just won "the pattern-setting right", you can lead a pair of
"3" on the table and then the next player has to follow with a larger
pair or to indicate a "pass". When it comes back to you in turn with
everyone else having indicated a "pass", you will retain "the
pattern-setting right" and you can then lead any pattern you like. Yet if
someone has already put a larger pair when it comes back to you, you must follow
with a larger pair or to indicate a "pass".
Unlike most other card games, here "2" is of the highest rank. In our
example of running pairs, if someone has followed with the pair of "Spade
2" and "Heart 2", no one can beat her / him and this round is
"finished". She / he has thus won "the pattern-setting
right" and can decide to introduce one of the three patterns in the next
round: single-card pattern, pair pattern, or five-card pattern.
The Three Patterns
In single-card patterns, the cards numbered "2", "A"," K","Q","J","10","9","8","7","6","5","4","3"
come in descending order. If two cards are of the same number, the suit counts.
In such cases, cards of "Spade","Heart", "Club"
and "Diamond" come in descending order.
[The smallest-possible single-card is, therefore, the "Diamond 3".]
In pair patterns, the pairs of "2", "A"," K","Q","J","10","9","8","7","6","5","4",
and "3" come in descending order. To take another example: if someone
leads a pair of "Heart A" and "Club A", the next player can
follow with the pair "Spade A" and "Diamond A". Please note
that only the larger card in a pair will be compared. In the example, the cards
"Club A" and "Diamond A" do not matter at all.
[The largest pair is, therefore, the pair formed with "Spade 2" and
any one other "2".]
In five-card patterns, the following hands come in descending order:
- suit that also comes in series e.g. K Q J 10 9, all cards of
"Hearts";
- quadruples with a single card e.g. all four cards of "K" with a
"Diamond 3";
- full house e.g. three cards of "Q" with a pair of "4";
- any 5 cards of the same suit e.g. "K", "J", "9",
"7" and "3", all of "Diamond" - the suit does not
really matter, however, unless the two suits are of the same five numbers. For
example: "K", "J", "9", "7" and
"3" of "Diamond" can beat "K", "J",
"8", "6" and "4" of "Club", but cannot
beat "K", "J", "9", "7" and
"3" of "Heart";
- any 5 cards in a series but not of the same suit e.g. K Q J 10 9, with some
"Hearts" and some "Clubs".
[The smallest hand of cards of five-card pattern is therefore
"7","6","5","4" and "3" of
"Diamond". You can beat it with any series of
"8","7","6","5" and "4", or
three cards of "Q" with a pair of "9", etc.]
In any one set, the player who has successfully finished putting all her / his
cards on the table before the others will be awarded the right of dealing the
first hand of cards in the next set. What's more, the set is over and the other
three players will be penalized for the number of cards still at hand according
to the following rules:
- if the sum of the number of cards remained with two partners is under 12, the
penalty point is just the number of cards held by the two partners;
- if the sum of the number of cards remained with two partners is between 13 to
17 (inclusively), the penalty point is two times the number of cards held by the
two partners;
- if the sum of the number of cards remained with two partners is between 18 to
25 (inclusively), the penalty point is three times the number of cards held by
the two partners;
- if the sum of the number of cards remained with two partners is 26, the
penalty point is four times the number of cards held by the two partners.
To alert the other players of a set coming to an end, one needs to declare
"Last Card" when after putting a hand of cards on the table, one is
having only one card remained at hand. On the other hand, after the declaration,
the player immediately before the "declarer" is required to put cards
according to the following rules:
- if the pattern being run is single-card, she / he must follow with the
largest-possible card at hand;
- if she / he subsequently gets "the pattern-setting right", the
single-card pattern must not be led unless this is the only pattern possible.
[It is not impossible to have all four players having declared "Last
Card".]
In the first set of a game, however, the right of dealing the first hand of
cards cannot be decided with the above rules. Usually, the player who gets the
"Diamond 3" is awarded the right in the first set, to start the
game.
For comments, please write to
Alan.
"鋤大二"的新玩法推介
以往我很不愛玩"鋤大二", 認為拿好牌者大勝不打緊, 最要命是出現以三欺一, 鼓勵損人以利己。後來我引進橋牌以二敵二的概念於"鋤大二", 考驗夥伴合作, 屢能化險為夷, 原來趣味更大, 亦無懼傷及友誼。
二對二的出牌辦法, 跟傳統"鋤大二"無異,
祇是某一方結牌後, 點數以夥拍的兩人為一組計算:
- 兩人總和1至11只牌者, 祇按所持牌數計;
- 兩人總和12至17只牌者雙倍計;
- 18至25只牌者三倍計;
- 26只牌者四倍計。
如此一來,
結牌一方可能贏了下一輪的首圈出牌權, 卻輸了點數;
二對二之下, 要考慮的已不光是儘早結牌,
而亦應顧及需否讓夥伴走牌, 甚至讓給夥伴結牌,
充分彰顯團隊精神。
註(一): "鋤大二", 亦稱"大老二"。新的玩法,
姑且稱為"兩對二" (2 da 2) 吧。
註(二): 喜歡單打獨鬥者, 則可於傳統"鋤大二"中, 加入"絕地反擊"牌型,
令手執弱牌者, 亦有機會以一敵三。"絕地反擊"牌型為:
沒有花(即五張同花的牌), 沒有兩張同數值牌,
沒有三張同數值牌, 沒有四張同數值牌, 也沒有蛇(即五張連續的順牌),
但不能少於九只牌; 例如 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 J Q K。當你出牌後,
手上餘下的牌呈"絕地反擊"牌型時, 便可攤開結牌;
例如你拿 1 2 3 4 6 7 7 7 8 9 J Q K, 而上家出一對3的話,
你祇需跟一對7, 便可攤開結牌, 而假設出一對3的竟是首圈出牌者,
則此局兩家吞13只牌, 一家吞11只牌!
歡迎給AC意見, 更歡迎向朋友推廣連結, 請大家不再玩以三欺一的"鋤大二"。
其他有益連結: 擂台網