1. 2008-02-22 06:26:31

   The Game of Pips

   One of my favorite games to play in those dealer's call home games is called Pips. Here's a run down of the game.

   It is a 7-card-stud game with a pot that is split between the best poker hand and the most pips on all 7 cards. What is a pip? A Pip is a suit symbol down the center of the card. Face card, fours, and sixes have zero pips. Aces, fives, sevens, and nines have one pip. Twos, eights, and tens have 2 pips. And the coveted threes are the best pip card with all 3 symbols on the card being pips.

   This 7-stud game is also played Philadelphia style. That means that plays will "purchase" their four up cards by selecting from one of two cards that are shown to them, or by taking the top card off the deck. The cost of each varies. Basically you set a price for each up card (arbitrarily saying the first card turned over costs xx and the second costs double xx). So let's say the cost of the two up cards is 10 cents and 20 cents. The top card of the deck is free because it's a gamble. You have no idea if the card will help you. The exception is that people can purchase deception and buy the top card of the deck face down for a price that is usually 2.5 times as much as the highest up card. In this case, purchasing the top card of the deck face down would cost 50 cents. This is how the flow of the game will go...

   The dealer deals 2 cards face down to each player, like any 7-stud game starts, but no more. The first up card will be purchased. He then turns up the 10 cent card and the 20 cent card. The player on his left now has first choice. Let's say he takes the 10 cent card. He puts the 10 cents in the pot, takes the card as his first up card, and a new card is turned up in it's place for the next person to choose from. This goes around until the dealer has chosen a card as well. Now that everyone has their 3rd card, a betting round ensues, starting with the player on the dealers left. If the dealer took one of the up cards, the card should not be replaced until betting is over and it's time to select a 4th card. The 2nd round (or 4th card round) starts with the person 2 to the left of the dealer, meaning the first selection and first to bet in any given round rotates each time. The same process happens until everyone has 6 cards. For the final card, the dealer will deal them face down off the top of the deck. There is a betting round after each selection round and after the final card is dealt. Having a betting round after dealing the first two cards, before selecting a third, is optional and in my opinion is a pointless pot builder.

   One important rule along the way is that if any player comes to a decision where he is looking at the same two up cards as last time, meaning nobody took an up card in between... only top decks, then the up cards get swept and two new cards are turned up for them to choose from.

   Strategic notes: Generally 11 or more pips will win for the pips. Generally a full house will win the high hand, but oftentimes a good flush can win as well. Something to watch out for is that person who keeps taking all the pips ending up with a full house of eights over threes or something like that and scooping the whole pot. That is the ultimate coup in Pips. If you start with alot of pips down, it is often best to just take one-pip cards instead of drawing off the top of the deck and risking a zero pipper. It's also important to be defensive. If you can choose between two diff cards with 2 pips on them, pay attention to the suits or the ranks in terms of how they could help the players after you and steal the more beneficial card from them. And sadly the biggest advantage in Pips is sitting to the dealer's left. This is because you get the first choice of two freshly turned over up cards. Not a huge advantage, as the game is generally fair, but it does make a difference over time.

   If there are any questions, please post them so I can make things more clear in the original post.

   Posted by WeezerMoo at 2008-02-22 06:26:31

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Comments on “The Game of Pips”

1. • Posted by Graham g 2008-03-10 02:53:01
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   • Word. Or maybe we can just play drunken 1/2 at the Venetian, get 2-3 of us at a table and profit-share. Regroup at that cafe you guys jizz all over at 4 and then pass out. That would be fun. Man, I'm stoked for Vegas... =P

2. • Posted by Jason M g 2008-02-27 07:55:33
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   • Oh I know this game very well - no questions here. I've spread it to my group in SLO and now in SF. It's probably my favorite 7 Card Stud variation, right after Grand Slam Baseball (NOT). Thanks for the post - now I have a good place to tell somebody to read about it before a scheduled dealer's call night. Maybe we should leave out the strategic help, though - where's my advantage? Heh.

     BTW, we really should play some dealer's call with everybody in Vegas in March. Maybe we can send the girls shopping or whatever it is they like to do.

3. • Posted by Ethan g 2008-02-23 19:18:25
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   • Looks like fun - I always like split pot games. Your explanation is pretty clear. Jason - we'll have to do a dealer's call round next time we play.

4. • Posted by uzjedi g 2008-02-22 22:55:57
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   • You paid to have ALL your cards down? You are SILLY.

5. • Posted by Weezermoo (unverified) g 2008-02-22 09:09:21
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   • Yeah well i have quad eights and trip tens with all 7 in the hole and you have two fours and a six to go with yours.

6. • Posted by uzjedi g 2008-02-22 08:39:41
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   • k, now I'm verified.

7. • Posted by uzjedi (unverified) g 2008-02-22 08:38:48
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   • I have quad 3s with 3 of them in the hole.