One of the aspects that most enriches a game like poker are its variants. Although Texas Hold’em is by far the most popular on major circuits and tournaments, there are many more to discover. If you visit our lobby, you will discover a wide range of different games from which you can choose the one you like the most. But among all these different variants, it is possible to meet some even more surprising than the others, and this is the case of poker with dice.
The dice in poker
The cards have always been the main protagonists in poker, but there may also be secondary players who will be able to make the game even richer and more interesting. As an exotic ingredient can give a special flavor to a classic dish, dice can be used to play poker. The dice themselves are widely used in the United States thanks to craps, one of the most popular games in the country and whose tables can be found in all American casinos. Even on online casinos, it is possible to play craps, so there is a strong point in common with poker because it can also be played online or in live. If poker and dice are fantastic when separated, are they always fantastic when combined? The answer is certainly subjective, but definitely in the affirmative.
How to play poker with dice?
There are dice that are designated designated for poker. On their 6 faces are displayed values ranging from 7 to Ace, through 8, Jack, Queen and King. These dice are shuffled together in a cup and must be rolled in the center of the table or mat. Above all, there will first be a first round of betting where players can use the same chips as those in a traditional poker game. And from there, the players will take turns rolling the dice.
Each person is allowed two throws. She rolls all the dice first, then chooses which ones she wants to keep and which ones she wants to reroll before the second roll. The objective is for the player to finish with the highest possible hand, before passing the dice to his neighbor. And so on until all players have rolled the dice. A winner is then declared, and this one wins the betting pot. So it’s a very simple game, not as strategic as poker, but just as entertaining. And with the particularity that the Ace can be used as a joker.
We also have to say that the formation of the hands changes a bit in this version of poker because, with only six different values on five dice in all, the options are obviously more limited. Having the same value on all five dice is the strongest hand, followed by four identical dice. Then, the classification continues with the full house, the continuation, the brelan, the two pair and the pair, as in classic poker. But just like card poker has different variations, dice poker also has several distinct ways to play.
The most famous poker games with dice
Undoubtedly, the best known is The liar, a game that can also be played with cards. In this one, the objective is to roll all five dice but only show two to the others and keep the remaining three hidden. The player then announces his hand to his neighbour, and the latter must decide if his opponent is telling the truth or if he is lying. If he believes it, it is his turn to roll the dice, but he now has the obligation to obtain a hand at least equal to or greater than that of the previous player. If he does not believe, he then uncovers the hidden dice. If the first player told the truth, the point goes to this one, if he lied, the point goes to the second player who discovered the pot-aux-roses.
The goal is to gradually eliminate the liars until there is only one left, in this game where the art of bluffing is expressed in all its splendor. The variant called Kiriki is quite similar, except that only two dice are used here instead of five. The mechanics of the game are otherwise the same, except for two details. The first is that it is not mandatory to reveal any dice, because the game is played completely blind. And the second is that, since there are only two dice, we don’t use the poker hands but only the numbers of the dice to designate the winner.
There is yet another slightly more complex variant called The Three Majors. Poker hands are also no longer used there, but only the numerical value of the symbols. Players must achieve the highest score possible, and the results of each round are noted on a piece of paper until a point limit is reached which will designate the winner. The progressive elimination system is therefore abandoned here.
Of course, these variants of poker with dice are not the most recommended variants for amateur players. It will be better to master the rules and codes of poker with cards before embarking on the one with dice if you are interested, while keeping in mind that there will be many changes compared to normal poker. It is nevertheless useful to know that this version of poker exists, as an additional possibility of entertainment. Because everything that comes close or far to poker is a good thing for our community.
