Topic · 92 guides

Games of chance guides

Kitchen-table and bar games carry real probabilities. These guides give the rules, the scoring and the odds behind each one, then show how the same maths looks in a hashed PvP round.

No individual author is named. These pages are explainers from the site, not a specialist review and not legal, tax, or betting advice. The editorial policy says what the date and the sources mean. Send corrections to contact@pvpspinarena.com.

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The 52 card deck: composition, history and the odds of common draws

A standard 52 card deck has four suits (clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades) of 13 ranks each: ace, 2 through 10, jack, queen and king. Half the cards are red and half black, and 12 are face cards. Most packs add two jokers. Because every card is equally likely on a fair shuffle, the odds of common draws follow from simple counting.

Pool rules

8 ball pool rules on a call-shot table and on this one

8 ball pool rules split by the book you use. WPA call shot does not award a legal break 8. This table calls only the 8, and a break 8 can win.

Pool scratch rules for the cue ball, the 8, and the break

Pool scratch rules change with the room. Bars often lose the game on a scratch with the 8. A WPA legal break 8 is not a loss. Here, that scratch loses.

9 ball rules for order, the break, and the push out

9 ball rules play the balls in order, and a legal 9 wins the rack. The push out is only the second shot after a clean break. This site does not stake 9-ball.

10 ball pool when the 10 counts only as a called last ball

10 ball pool is call shot played in order. The 10 wins only when it is last and that pocket was called. This site does not run 10-ball for money.

Straight pool as 14.1 continuous, with points that can fall below zero

Straight pool scores one point per called ball legally pocketed. Fouls subtract points, and the score can go negative. This site does not stake it.

Cutthroat pool for three players, without a fake official card

Cutthroat pool is three players with five balls each, shooting the others. Last with a ball left wins. House rules vary, and this site does not stake it.

One pocket as a race to eight balls in a chosen foot pocket

One pocket gives each player a foot pocket and a race to eight. Side and head pockets are spotted. A scratch stays in the kitchen. This site does not stake it.

Bank pool scored only when the bank was the shot you called

Bank pool scores only a called bank. A short rack races to five and a full rack races to eight. Extra balls are spotted. This site does not stake bank pool.

Killer pool as a lives game with house rules that differ

Killer pool gives each player a set of lives, often three. A miss or a scratch can cost one. House rules vary, and this site does not run killer for money.

Pool vs snooker on the table, the balls, and the missing book

Pool vs snooker means a different table, smaller balls, and fifteen reds plus colours. Geometry is not 8-ball. This site does not book snooker or print odds.

Push-your-luck dice

Farkle rules: scoring, farkle odds and when to bank

Farkle rules in plain English: the scoring table, hot dice, the exact odds of farkling with 1 to 6 dice, and when to bank points versus roll again.

Pig dice game: one die, a turn total, and the race to 100

Pig dice game rules: one die, take turns, roll and add, bank or continue. A 1 wipes the turn, not the score. First to 100. Hold-at-20 is the known points rule.

Shut the box: rules, the real shut odds and a usable strategy

Shut the box rules for tiles 1 to 9: how to close numbers, when one die is allowed, published shut rates near 4%, and the move that stays closest to optimal.

Dice races and scorecards

Yahtzee rules: the scorecard, the bonuses and the odds

Yahtzee rules explained: 13 rounds, three rolls, every scorecard box, the 35-point and Yahtzee bonuses, Joker rules and the real odds behind each category.

Bunco: party dice rules, six rounds and how scoring works

Bunco rules for a party: 12 players, six rounds, 21-point buncos, baby buncos, table rotation, and the exact odds of rolling three of a kind.

Tenzi rules: ten dice, one number, and a shout

Tenzi rules from Carma Games: 10 dice each, everyone rolls on Go, set aside your most common number, and shout Tenzi when all 10 match.

Horse race dice: eleven paper horses and two dice

Horse race dice is a party game: horses 2–12, two dice, and the matching total moves one space. See equal lanes and the fairer staggered track.

Street and casino dice

Liars dice: rules, bidding and how likely a bid is

Liars dice rules explained: cups, bids, calling liar, wild ones and spot-on calls, plus binomial odds tables that show when a bid is likely to be true.

Poker dice: rules, hand rankings and the odds of every hand

Poker dice rules, the hand rankings, exact odds for all 7,776 rolls of five dice, and which dice to keep on a reroll, with worked probability examples.

Cee lo rules: 4-5-6, points, banker vs player and the odds

Cee lo rules for the three-dice 4-5-6 game: winning and losing rolls, points, banker vs player play, and the exact odds, including the banker's real edge.

Chuck a luck: the birdcage dice game, its payouts and its 7.87% edge

Chuck a luck explained: birdcage dice rules and payouts, why it feels like a 50/50, the exact 7.87% house edge, and its links to sic bo and crown and anchor.

Hazard dice game: medieval rules, main and chance, and how it became craps

The hazard dice game explained: how the main and the chance work, nicks and outs, the caster's odds for each main, and how hazard was simplified into craps.

Mexico dice game: rules, the scoring order and how lives work

Mexico dice game rules: how to read a two-dice roll, the full scoring order from 21 down to 31, lives, roll limits and the odds of beating any roll you face.

Left right center rules: chips, dice and who wins by seat

Left right center rules in full: three dice, chip flow to L, C and R, how many dice you roll, and why later seats win slightly more often.

Ship captain crew: rules, cargo scoring and qualifying odds

Ship captain crew rules: bank a 6, then a 5, then a 4 in three rolls, score the two cargo dice, and the real odds of qualifying at all.

The deck

High card game: rules, odds, and a 1v1 draw for money

High card game rules, odds of drawing the higher card, ties and house rules, plus how to play high card draw 1v1 for money with provably fair results.

Trick-taking

How to play Spades: rules, bidding, nil and scoring

How to play Spades: the deal, trick rules, bidding, nil and blind nil, bags, scoring to 500, worked hands and sensible rules for adult stakes games.

How to play euchre: trump, bowers, bidding and scoring

How to play euchre: the 24-card deck, dealing, ordering up trump, right and left bowers, going alone, scoring to 10 points and the odds behind each call.

Oh Hell card game: exact bids, changing deals and scoring

Oh Hell card game rules: the changing deal, exact-trick bidding, the dealer constraint, trump from the leftover card, scoring and adult stakes.

Pitch card game: High, Low, Jack, Game and setback scoring

Pitch card game rules: auction bidding, high low jack and game points, setback scoring, partnership play, and how adults stake a table to 7 or 21.

Hearts card game rules for passing, penalty cards and the moon

Hearts card game rules for four players: pass three cards, avoid hearts and the queen of spades, shoot the moon, and lose at 100 points.

Pinochle rules for partnership auction: bid, meld, then tricks

Pinochle rules for partnership auction: a 48-card deck, 12 cards each, a bid, trump, the classic meld sheet, and 250 points in the tricks.

Bourré card game: rules, the growing pot and strategy

Bourre card game rules: the deal, trump, the draw, forced play and why a bourréd player matches the pot, plus trump odds and when to stay or pass.

Cribbage rules: the crib, pegging and the show to 121

Cribbage rules for the six-card game: the crib, the starter, pegging to 31, the show, nobs and heels, and the 121-point board.

Italian cards

Briscola rules: trump, points and how a trick is won

Briscola rules for two or four players: the 40-card deck, a face-up trump, no requirement to follow suit, card points, and why 61 wins.

Scopa rules: captures, sweeps and primiera

Scopa rules for the Italian capturing game: the 40-card deck, matching and sums, a sweep for one point, primiera, and the race to 11.

Rummy and melds

How to play rummy: rules, melds, scoring and variants

How to play rummy: deal sizes, sets and runs, drawing and laying off, going out, scoring, draw odds and the main variants from Rummy 500 to Indian rummy.

How to play gin rummy: knocking, gin, undercuts and scoring

How to play gin rummy: the deal, upcard, deadwood, knocking, gin and undercut bonuses, scoring to 100, Hollywood and Oklahoma gin, and playing for stakes.

Canasta rules: melds, canastas, the pile and scoring

Canasta rules for the classic partnership game: the 108-card deck, wild cards, red and black threes, the frozen pile, initial melds, canastas and scoring.

Phase 10 rules: the ten phases, Skip cards and scoring

Phase 10 rules from the Mattel deck: all 10 phases, Skip and Wild cards, how hitting works, and the point values that decide a tie.

Tonk card game: deadwood, spreads and how to go out

Tonk card game rules: five-card hands, deadwood values, spreads, knocking, what an equal count does, and how player stakes are usually settled.

31 card game: Scat rules, knocking, lives and odds

31 card game rules explained: dealing, card values, knocking, lives and playing Scat for quarters, with real hand odds and a simple knock strategy.

Hand and foot rules: books, melds and scoring

Hand and foot rules cover two piles, books of seven, and a score that rewards red threes. House minimums differ, so agree before the deal.

Rummy 500 rules: melds, score and going out

Rummy 500 rules race to 500 points with melds you can lay off. See the deal, the score for aces, and how going out ends the hand.

Solitaire layouts

Solitaire rules: Klondike columns, stock and foundations

Solitaire rules for Klondike: seven columns, a 24-card stock, four suit foundations, turn one or turn three, and how many times you may redeal.

Double solitaire: two layouts and shared foundations

Double solitaire rules for two players: two Klondike layouts, shared ace-to-king foundations, stock turns, and the race to empty your own cards.

Nertz rules: the pile, the race and the score

Nertz rules for the multiplayer solitaire race: each player's pile, shared ace-to-king foundations, stock turns, the shout, and common scoring.

Kings corner rules: the layout, the kings and going out

Kings corner rules for 2 to 6 players: the eight-pile layout, hands of seven, kings in the corners, ace-to-king foundations, and how you go out.

Golf card game: six-card scoring, knocking and nine-card golf

Golf card game rules for the six-card layout: card values, replacing a card, knocking, column pairs, and how nine-card golf differs.

Trash card game: Garbage rules and the race to one card

Trash card game rules, also called Garbage: the 10-card layout, wild jacks, what a king does, and the race down to one card.

Shedding and slap

Crazy eights rules: match a suit or rank, and eights are wild

Crazy eights rules for 2 to 7 players: match suit or rank, eights are wild, draw when you cannot play, and score 50 for each eight left.

President card game: ranks, shedding and the card exchange

President card game rules: 2s or aces high, how sets are beaten, who is president and scum, and the card exchange before the next hand.

Palace card game rules, also called shithead and karma

Palace card game rules for 2 to 5 players: three down, three up, three in hand, play equal or higher, and the last player with cards loses.

Skip-Bo rules: stock piles, building piles and the wild

Skip-Bo rules for 2 to 6 players: the 162-card Mattel deck, stock piles of 30 or 20, building from 1 to 12, and how the wild works.

Speed card game: Spit, Slam and the five-card race

Speed card game rules for two players, including Spit and Slam: the five-card hand, center piles, one-up one-down play, and who sheds first.

BS card game rules, also called bullshit and cheat

BS card game rules, also called bullshit and cheat: deal 52 cards, play face down from aces upward, and call a bluff or take the pile.

Slapjack rules: deal, turn, slap the jack

Slapjack rules for 2 to 6 players: deal the deck face down, turn cards to a center pile, slap the jack, and learn the usual penalty for a wrong slap.

Egyptian ratscrew: slaps, doubles and the face-card challenge

Egyptian ratscrew rules for 2 to 5 players: slap jacks, doubles and sandwiches, the face-card challenge as a variant, and penalties for a wrong slap.

Go Fish rules: books of four, the deal and how to ask

Go Fish rules for 2 to 6 players: how many cards to deal, how to ask for a rank, what Go Fish means, and how books of four decide the winner.

Old Maid card game: pairs, the draw and the odd queen

Old Maid card game rules: remove one queen or add a joker, deal every card, pull from a neighbor, discard pairs, and the odd queen loses.

War card game rules for the children's deck, not the casino

War card game rules for the home deck: split 52 cards, higher card takes both, a tie plays three down and one up. Not the casino table.

Sequence rules: five chips in a row on the Jax board

Sequence rules from the Jax board: two decks, five chips in a row, one-eyed jacks remove, two-eyed jacks are wild, and dead cards are discarded.

Board games

Backgammon rules: setup, moves, hitting, bearing off and the cube

Backgammon rules explained: the starting setup, how dice moves work, hitting and the bar, bearing off, gammons and the basics of the doubling cube.

Backgammon strategy: opening moves, priming, blitz and cube decisions

Backgammon strategy that holds up: the best opening moves, shot counting, priming and blitz plans, race pip counts and when to double, take or drop.

Tavla: how Turkish backgammon is played and how it differs

Tavla, the Turkish form of backgammon: setup, the opening throw, mars scoring, no doubling cube, dice names, variants like mahbusa and match strategy.

Checkers rules: setup, moves, forced captures, kings and draws

Official checkers rules for the 8x8 game: setup, who moves first, forced captures, multi-jumps, kings, draws, tournament ballots and playing for stakes.

Tiles and mahjong

Mahjong tiles: the full set, suits, honours, meanings and basic rules

Mahjong tiles explained: the 144-tile set, the three suits, winds, dragons, flowers and seasons, regional sets, and the basic mahjong rules for a first game.

Mahjong gambling: stakes, fan scoring, parlours and who pays

Mahjong gambling: Hong Kong fan tables, who pays on a discard, Macau and HK parlours, Japanese riichi sticks, and how adults set a unit.

Dominoes rules: the set, block and draw games, scoring and variants

Dominoes rules for block and draw games: the double-six set, dealing, matching ends, doubles, passing, scoring hands, All Fives and popular domino variants.

Dominoes scoring: pips, multiples of five, and the point target

How dominoes scoring works: counting pips in block and draw games, scoring multiples of five in All Fives, plus Bergen, Mexican Train and Texas 42 notes.

Mexican train rules: setup, trains, markers, doubles and scoring

Mexican train rules for double-twelve dominoes: how many tiles to deal, the engine, personal and Mexican trains, markers, doubles, scoring and all 13 rounds.

Chicken foot dominoes: rules, setup and scoring

Chicken foot dominoes rules: the centre double, how a chicken foot forms, drawing from the boneyard, the 50-point double blank and scoring across rounds.

Texas 42 dominoes: rules, bidding and trumps

Texas 42 dominoes explained: four players, count tiles worth 35 points, bidding from 30 to 84, choosing trumps, following suit, marks, nel-o and plunge.

Luck and lotteries

Lucky number beliefs in gambling: 7, 8, 4, 13 and why the odds stay the same

Lucky number beliefs in gambling: why 7, 8 and 9 feel lucky, why 4, 13 and 17 feel unlucky, and what numbers really change at the lottery and roulette table.

Lucky colors in gambling: red, gold, green and the real odds

Lucky colors across cultures: why red, gold and green feel lucky, why they do not change roulette or lottery odds, and what actually does.

Horseshoe luck: up or down, the history, and the gambling link

Horseshoe luck explained: why iron shoes became charms, the up-or-down debate, the St Dunstan legend, gamblers' horseshoes, and what a charm can't change.

Quick pick vs choosing your own lottery numbers

Quick pick or your own numbers? The lottery odds are identical, but chosen numbers cluster, so a jackpot is more likely to be split. The maths, worked.

Pull tabs: printed deals, payout percentages and how to read a flare

Pull tabs explained: how a deal is printed with fixed winners, typical 70–85% payouts, flares and leftover prizes, and how they differ from scratch cards.

Bingo patterns: common shapes and how they change game length

Bingo patterns explained: lines, four corners, X, frame and blackout, how many numbers each needs, and how pattern choice sets game length.

Bingo caller guide: how to call a game, plus the calls list

Bingo caller guide: how to call a game, check winning cards, 75-ball versus 90-ball calling, and nicknames from Kelly's eye to top of the shop.

Pachislot: skill-stop reels, settings 1–6 and how halls work

Pachislot explained: Japanese skill-stop slots, how meoshi works, what settings 1 through 6 change, and how parlours differ from Western machines.

Survivor pool: NFL rules, elimination and how strategy scales

Survivor pool rules: pick one NFL winner each week, never reuse a team, last entry standing wins, plus strategy that depends on pool size.

Handicapping horses: speed figures, class, pace and form

Handicapping horses with speed figures, class, pace and form: what each factor measures, how they conflict, and why a top figure still loses money.