Instructions: (Right mouse click to print)
DEAL: 2-8 players. Each player is given two tokens (buttons/coins). Shuffle and deal 7 cards to each player.
CARDS: Arrange the unique dual purpose cards with the blue letters in the upper left corner. Analyze the letters for the best possible (longest) word. Then turn your hand upside down and analyze the hand for the best possible 5 card poker hand. We have included a poker rankings card for use by beginners. A vowel only card (SPPOKERTM card) is a wild card for the poker hand. 5 of a kind beats a straight flush or royal flush.
DECLARE: Decide to play a poker hand, a spelling hand, or both. It is recommended you do this under the table so others cannot see how you are declaring, you just bring one hand up with your decision: To play poker only, put an empty closed hand on the table. To play the spelling hand only, put one token (button/coin) in a closed hand on the table. To play both the poker hand and the spelling hand, put two tokens (buttons/coins) in a closed hand on the table. (This is called Double Down).
Once the next to last player puts their hand on the table, the last player has 10 seconds to declare or automatically loses. Once all fists are outstretched, the hands are opened to reveal their declaration.
A player competes against only those who declare the same type of hand, unless the player is playing both hands. (Double Down)
PLAY: No Double Down: If no one declares Double Down, those Declaring Poker determine who wins the poker hand. Those Declaring Spelling determine who has the longest word. In the case of a tie for spelling, the word that starts with a letter closer to the end of the alphabet wins. (i.e. WALL beats BEST). Words must be spelled correctly. No proper names. Only the word declared will be accepted.
Double Down If a player Declares Double Down, the player MUST WIN BOTH the poker hand and spelling hand against ALL other DECLARED hands. A Double Down Declarer who ties or loses with either hand loses both ways.
A Double Down winner ends the hand.
If more than 1 person Declares Double Down, they should compare their hands first. If one has the best poker hand and another has the best spelling hand, they BOTH LOSE. If only one Double Down Declarer has the best poker and spelling hand, that player continues against the remaining players. ANYONE who ties or beats the Double Down player's poker hand or spelling hand eliminates the Double Down player(s), Then ALL non-Double Down players determine the winner(s) of the hand per the previous No Double Down rules.
SCORING: Winning a hand gives the player 1 point, for either the best poker or spelling hand (longest word). Losing a hand has no impact unless that Double Down is declared.
In the case of a tie, all tied players each get 1 point.
A Double Down winner gets 4 points. A Double Down loser loses 2 points.
The game is played to 12 points/2 players, 11 pts/3 players, 10 pts/4 players, 9 pts/5 players, 8 pts/6 players, 7 pts/7 players and 6 pts/ for 8 players.
PLAYOFF: If two or more players reach the designated points in the same hand, there will be a sudden death playoff between those players until one player has more points than the other.
SPPOKERTM: If at any time a player can spell the name of the game with their hand (SPPOKERTM) the player automatically wins the game regardless of the score.
Variations: The game can also be played with any variation of conventional poker games, including the popular Texas Hold 'em. Any pot is to be split evenly between the Poker hand and Spelling hand. Any odd chips are left in the pot go the Poker winner. In the case where there is no winner of the Poker pot, all chips go to the Spelling winner(s). In the case where there is no winner of the Spelling pot, all chips go to the Poker winner(s). The number of points to win can be changed if agreed upon before the start of the game.
DEAL: 2-8 players. Each player is given two tokens (buttons/coins). Shuffle and deal 7 cards to each player.
CARDS: Arrange the unique dual purpose cards with the blue letters in the upper left corner. Analyze the letters for the best possible (longest) word. Then turn your hand upside down and analyze the hand for the best possible 5 card poker hand. We have included a poker rankings card for use by beginners. A vowel only card (SPPOKERTM card) is a wild card for the poker hand. 5 of a kind beats a straight flush or royal flush.
DECLARE: Decide to play a poker hand, a spelling hand, or both. It is recommended you do this under the table so others cannot see how you are declaring, you just bring one hand up with your decision: To play poker only, put an empty closed hand on the table. To play the spelling hand only, put one token (button/coin) in a closed hand on the table. To play both the poker hand and the spelling hand, put two tokens (buttons/coins) in a closed hand on the table. (This is called Double Down).
Once the next to last player puts their hand on the table, the last player has 10 seconds to declare or automatically loses. Once all fists are outstretched, the hands are opened to reveal their declaration.
A player competes against only those who declare the same type of hand, unless the player is playing both hands. (Double Down)
PLAY: No Double Down: If no one declares Double Down, those Declaring Poker determine who wins the poker hand. Those Declaring Spelling determine who has the longest word. In the case of a tie for spelling, the word that starts with a letter closer to the end of the alphabet wins. (i.e. WALL beats BEST). Words must be spelled correctly. No proper names. Only the word declared will be accepted.
Double Down If a player Declares Double Down, the player MUST WIN BOTH the poker hand and spelling hand against ALL other DECLARED hands. A Double Down Declarer who ties or loses with either hand loses both ways.
A Double Down winner ends the hand.
If more than 1 person Declares Double Down, they should compare their hands first. If one has the best poker hand and another has the best spelling hand, they BOTH LOSE. If only one Double Down Declarer has the best poker and spelling hand, that player continues against the remaining players. ANYONE who ties or beats the Double Down player's poker hand or spelling hand eliminates the Double Down player(s), Then ALL non-Double Down players determine the winner(s) of the hand per the previous No Double Down rules.
SCORING: Winning a hand gives the player 1 point, for either the best poker or spelling hand (longest word). Losing a hand has no impact unless that Double Down is declared.
In the case of a tie, all tied players each get 1 point.
A Double Down winner gets 4 points. A Double Down loser loses 2 points.
The game is played to 12 points/2 players, 11 pts/3 players, 10 pts/4 players, 9 pts/5 players, 8 pts/6 players, 7 pts/7 players and 6 pts/ for 8 players.
PLAYOFF: If two or more players reach the designated points in the same hand, there will be a sudden death playoff between those players until one player has more points than the other.
SPPOKERTM: If at any time a player can spell the name of the game with their hand (SPPOKERTM) the player automatically wins the game regardless of the score.
Variations: The game can also be played with any variation of conventional poker games, including the popular Texas Hold 'em. Any pot is to be split evenly between the Poker hand and Spelling hand. Any odd chips are left in the pot go the Poker winner. In the case where there is no winner of the Poker pot, all chips go to the Spelling winner(s). In the case where there is no winner of the Spelling pot, all chips go to the Poker winner(s). The number of points to win can be changed if agreed upon before the start of the game.
Ranking
of Poker Hands
(A Poker Hand Consists of 5 Cards Only)
(A Poker Hand Consists of 5 Cards Only)
Card RANK: Highest to lowest:
Card SUITS: Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades
FIVE OF A KIND: The best hand, with five aces (the four natural aces plus a SPPOKERTM card).
ROYAL
FLUSH: The best possible straight flush. Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the
same suit.
STRAIGHT
FLUSH: Cards of five consecutive ranks, all in the same suit. (Ex: 8, 9,
10, J, Q of Clubs)
4 OF
A KIND: Four cards of any one rank. (Ex: 8 of Clubs,
8 of Hearts ,8 of Diamonds, 8 of Spades , and any other card
FULL
HOUSE: Three cards of one rank and two cards of a second rank. (Ex: 6 of Clubs, 6 of Hearts ,6 of Diamonds, Queen
of Spades , and Queen of Diamonds. The full house with 3 higher ranking cards
beats a lower ranking 3 card full house)
FLUSH:
Five cards of any rank in the same suit. If there are two flushes, the highest
ranking card determines the winning flush. If both flushes have the same
high card, the next highest card is used, etc.
STRAIGHT:
Cards of 5 consecutive ranks when not all five are in the same suit. Aces can
be used as the highest card in a straight A-K-Q-J-10 or the lowest
5-4-3-2-A.
THREE
OF A KIND: Three cards of the same rank.
TWO
PAIR: Two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. In the case where
there are multiple TWO PAIRS, the highest ranking pair wins.
ONE
PAIR: Two cards of one rank. In the case of multiple ONE PAIR's, the highest
ranking pair wins.
HIGH
CARD: Five unrelated cards, none of the above categories. The high card wins
with Ace being the highest card. In the case of a tie for highest card, the
next highest card is used to determine the winner, etc.
Video: (copy and paste into your browser)
https://youtu.be/1u800UHh4Gc
