Threecard

Threecard is a gambling game played in taverns all over Galapygos. It involves trying to assemble the best possible hand by strategically discarding and drawing cards from a deck. Tens of thousands of crowns are won and lost every single day in hundreds of taverns across the world playing threecard.  
==History==
Threecard evolved from dozens of different staking games developed throughout the south over the years. The standard 52-card deck has been in common use since around 100 OCA. 
==Rules==
Each game can be played by between two and eight players. The game lasts for an agreed-upon number of hands or until only one player has not been eliminated. 
The game begins with the deck being shuffled by the dealer. Then, each player places a starting amount of money (agreed upon beforehand) into the pot. Each player is dealt a starting hand of three face-down cards. On their turn, a player may take one of four different distinct actions:
*LOCK: The player sets aside one of their cards, face-up, and keep the other two. This holds onto the card for use in the player's final hand. Locking is a double-edged sword however because it allows other players to see what one or two of your cards are and guess what hand you are building. 
*SWAP: The player may exchange one of their cards for a new one from the deck. 
*SET: The player locks all three of their cards currently in hand and they will become their final hand for the round. Each other player is then forced to swap an unlocked card from their hand. This is a risky but potentially powerful strategy to end the hand.
*FOLD: The player withdraws from the round and does not have to put in any more money.
After each player has taken three actions, each player who thinks they have the winning hand puts additional money into the pot. Finally, all hands are revealed. The best hand wins the whole pot. 
All of the possible hands are listed here in descending order of rank:
#Three Kings: three kings of any suit.
#Royal Court: a king, queen, and jack of the same suit.
#Court: a king, queen, and jack of different suits.
#Three Queens: three queens of any suit.
#Three Jacks: three jacks of any suit.
#Three of a Kind: three of the same non-face card.
#Royal Straight: three numbered cards in numerical order, and of the same suit.
#Straight: three numbered cards in numerical order of different suits.
#Pair: two of the same card and one other card.
#High card: If you can't make any of the other hands and no other player can either, the player with the highest numerical card wins the hand.
==Popularity==
Threecard is extremely popular and is played in virtually every tavern in the southern nations. Anyone looking to play a hand should have no trouble finding a game at their local pub.
==See Also==
*Snake Eye - another popular gambling game that uses dice instead of cards. 
Category:Games