Three Card Pi'Lok

By player3412539, in Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game 30th Anniversary Edition

Three Card Pi'Lok


This is a simple gambling game that I made up for D6 Star Wars. I designed it so that it can be easily played by players amongst themselves, or with the GM running NPCs.

This is the basic game. Many versions exist.

Three Street Pi'Lok

Step 1 The ANTE - Each player in the hand must pay to play. 10 credits is a usual ante amount, but the stakes change depending on the game.

This step is often called the Fee , or the Berthing Fee . "C'mon, now, pay your berthing fees."

Step 2 - The DEAL - Each player rolls 1D and places it in front of them. The highest number die is the best hand. This represents the deal--a card is dealt face up in front of each player. The deal rotates to the left each hand.

The highest card (or the first "6" die) to the dealer's left acts first. The player can pass or bet. In turn, each player can call, raise, or fold. The bet passes to the left until each player has gone.

This step is often called the Lift , or the Lift Off . "Was dealt a fat six on the lift, and I bet it big."

Step 3 - SECOND STREET - Starting the with player who bet first on the Deal, each player rolls a second 1D and places it in front of him in the open. This represents the second card dealt face up.

Another betting round is played, with the highest total betting first (or the first total of 12 to the dealer's left).

This step is often called Orbit . "I made orbit with double sixes! And, I raised those suckers!"

Step 4 - THIRD STREET - Starting with the player who bet first in Second Street, each player rolls a third 1D and places it in front of him in the open. This represents the third card dealt face up.

A betting round is played, with the highest total betting first (or the first total of 18 to the dealer's left).

This step is often called the Deep . "I got out into the deep with a perfect hand--three sixes. You shoulda seen the eyes go wide when they saw my hand!"

Step 5 - The JUMP - Starting with the player who bet first on Third Street, each player is allowed to Jump another player. Only one jump attempt can be made per player. If a jump is made, both players roll their Gambling skill (or Perception attribute). The winner is allowed to pick one die from his opponent's three dice and have his opponent re-roll that one die.

Jumping is risky because a gambler can lose the skill toss and have one of is own dice re-rolled. But, this is where a character's skill comes in. Better gamblers will win more often in the long run.

The Jump simulates better possible better play by more skilled players.

In the short run, though, less skilled players can still get lucky--which is why Three Street Pi'Lok is universally played across the galaxy. Also, re-rolling on a jump can also result in the opponent getting lucky and rolling better than he originally had (maybe he rolls doubles).

Players may, of course, elect not to jump. High Gambling skill is not a guarantee to win every hand--far from it.

There is no slang term for the Jump as it represents the gamblers playing the game--not really a specific function of the game.

Step 6 - SHOWDOWN - In order to win the hand, player pick two dice from the three dealt to them (after adjustment from the jump). The dice are worth face value, added together. Doubles count twice. Thus, the highest hand is two "6's", which would total 24. A perfect hand.

Two "1's" would total 4. The lowest hand is a total of 3 (a 1 and a 2).

Highest hand wins the pot. Tied hands split the pot evenly.

This step is often called the Shadowport . "I showed 'em my shadowport, but he still won with double 4's."

Edited by player3412539

Example Play of Three Card Pi'Lok

There are three players...

Roark Garnet
Perception 3D

Han Solo
Perception 3D
Gambling 8D

Lando Calrissian
Perception 4D
Gambling 9D+2

ANTE: Each player puts 10 credits into the pot.
POT = 30 credits

DEAL: I am using an online dice roller.
Roark = 2
Han = 1
Lando = 1

Roark leads the bet. He bets 50 credits.
Lando calls 50.
Han calls 50.
POT = 180

SECOND STREET:
Roark = 2 + 1 = 3
Lando = 1 + 1 = 4
Han = 1 + 4 = 5

Han leads the bet. He bets 110.
Lando calls 110.
Roark calls 110.
POT = 510

THIRD STREET:
Han = 1 + 4 + 2 = 6
Lando = 1 + 1 + 5 = 6
Roark = 2 + 1 + 5 = 7

Roark leads the bet. He bets 150.
Lando raises to 300, thinking he can win on the jump.
Han calls the 300.
Roark calls the 300.
POT = 1410.

JUMP:
Roark can jump first, but he declines (knowing his skill isn't as good as the others).

Lando jumps Roark:
Lando Gambling 9D+2 = 35
Roark Perception 3D = 11

Lando has Roark re-roll the "5".
Roark re-rolls...and gets a 5! So, there is no change!

Roark has beaten Lando!

Han decides to jump Roark.
Han Gambling 8D = 27
Roark Perception 3D = 16

Han has Roark re-roll the "5".
Roark re-rolls...and gets a 3.

Roark's new set of three dice is: 2 + 1 + 3

SHOWDOWN:

Roark = 2 + 1 + 3 = 5.

Lando = 1 + 1 + 5 = 6.

Han = 1 + 4 + 2 = 6.

Han and Lando split the pot.

Commentary: Han had no choice but to jump Roark. Otherwise, Roark would have won the hand. But, Han ended up with only half the pot--which is better than nothing.

Notice how, on Lando's jump, the much more experienced gambler did not win. But, this game has two great players in it, Lando and Han. It's tough for Roark to win swimming with those sharks. Still, on any single hand, it definitely can happen.

This was a high stakes game. I think a game more suited to normal pocketbooks would still include a 10 credit ante, but then the betting should drop to the range of 1-25 credits. A 5 or 10 credit bet is plenty.

Long Pi'Lok


In basic Pi'Lok, a player is dealt three cards (three dice). He makes a hand by picking two of the dice. Higher is better, and doubles represent a doubled total.

Thus, the highest hand is 6 - 6, which equals 24.

A hand of 1 - 1 = 4.

The lowest hand is 1 - 2 = 3.

A popular variation played by more skilled gamblers is Long Pi'Lok . The game is played the exact same way except there is a provision for all three dice matching.

A player still picks the best two results from his three dice, but if all three match, then the player may add up all three and double the total.

Thus, the highest hand in Long Pi'Lok is 6 - 6 - 6 = 36.

A hand of 1 - 1 - 1 = 6.

The lowest hand is still 1 - 2 = 3.

Another difference in Long Pi'Lok is during the Jump phase. The Jump can be played out as it is in basic Pi'Lok, or a player can challenge the hand with the lowest total. If the player wins this challenge, then he may re-roll one of his own three dice. This is often done when a player has doubles and is trying for a third match.

If the Jump challenge fails, then the opponent--the player with the lowest total, may re-roll one of his dice.

In this way, a low total can get back into the game (if the Jump challenge fails and the opponent wins the toss).

Example:

THIRD STREET:

Han = 1 + 4 + 2 = 6
Lando = 2 + 2 + 5 = 7
Roark = 2 + 3 + 5 = 8

Roark can Jump challenge. But, he elects to pass.

Lando is to Roark's left, so Lando can now Jump challenge. And, Lando decides to try for a third "2", which would give him a total of 12. Lando must challenge the lowest total, which is Han.

If Lando wins the jump challenge, then he re-rolls his "5", hoping to get a 2, for a total of 12. He can still roll another 5, which would give him the same total. And, he can roll a 6, which would tie him with the winning hand that Roark has. Only a result of 1, 3, or 4 will hurt his total, but right now, he's losing anyway.

If Han wins, then Lando's hand stays the same, and Han may choose to re-roll one of his dice (he'll re-roll the "1" to have an excellent chance of getting a higher number).

LIMITING JUMPS

Another variation that can be added to the game is to limit the number of jumps. A popular rule variation is to only allow one jump per hand. When this happens, instead of the offer to Jump going to the left and hitting all players, the choice starts with the highest total, then if that person passes, it goes to the next highest total (to the left breaking ties), and so on. Thus, if Roark gets first chance at the jump and declines, then Lando gets the option to Jump. If Lando attempts a jump, then Han cannot because only one jump is allowed per hand.

Another popular rule change is to allow one jump but start with the lowest total hand. That person will usually always jump.

And, a third rule change option is to allow the player to re-roll his own dice only if he already has a pair among his three dice.

Hey, this is pretty neat! I adapted the basic rules to work with the narrative dice for my session this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.

Please do! I'd like to hear!

I tried to design it so that the dice represent hidden cards, as you would have in poker. But, that's hard to deal with in real life at a gaming table, especially if the GM is running more than one NPC gambler. By rolling out in front, in the open, so that everyone can see, it's easy on the GM to play with the players.

The hidden cards are represented by the Gambling roll, which can also be done out in the open--there's no guarantee that high Gambling skill will win, but in the long run, they will. It leaves enough room for non-gamblers and characters with low skill to get on a lucky street and beat the pros--just like in real life.