Sunday, November 06, 2005

A game at Post and Pair

Four players -Alfred, Benjamin, Christopher and Daniel sit down.

The players stake for the Post and Pair Pools, and the first two cards are dealt.

Alfred           - Ace Spades, Ace Clubs
Benjamin      - Queen Hearts, Queen Diamonds
Christopher   - 7 Hearts, 2 Diamonds
Daniel           - King & 6 Spades

Christopher promptly abandons his stakes and throws in his worthless hand. The other three players stake for the Seat and all receive a third card. The hands are now :

Alfred           - Ace Spades, Ace Clubs, 4 Diamonds
Benjamin      - Queen Hearts, Queen & 9 Diamonds
Christopher   - 7 Hearts, 2 Diamonds, 4 Clubs (folded)
Daniel           - King 6 & 2 Spades

Alfred exercises his option as eldest hand of checking by saying "pass". Benjamin decides to vye on his Queen pair and his two card flush of 19 in Diamonds. Daniel with a 3 card flush of 18 in Spades matches the bet.
Alfred now uses his privilege as eldest hand to re-enter the betting even though he previously passed, and re-vyes, i.e he matches and raises the bet. After some thought Benjamin and Daniel both match Alfred's bet without re-raising.

Settlement:
Benjamin now optimistically suggests that perhaps they should all "part stakes", i.e divide the money evenly among themselves without showing down their cards. Alfred and Daniel both refuse and insist on "showing best card for it".

Benjamin puts down his Queen pair, but loses the Pair stake to Alfred's pair of Aces.

Benjamin now puts down his 2 card flush of 19 points in Diamonds for the Post, but it loses to Daniel's three card flush of 18 in Spades ( a three card flush is intrinsically superior).

A pip count of all the cards originally dealt by suit (including Christopher's folded hand) gives:
Spades        -  A.K.6.2  =  29
Diamonds   -  Q.9.4.2   =  25
Hearts         -  Q.7        = 17
Clubs           - A.4         = 15

Spades is now established as the Triumph suit, unfortunately for Daniel he doesn't hold the highest trump in show. Daniel's King of Spades is beaten by the Ace of Spades in Alfred's hand which is the "best card" for Seat and Vyes.

Alfred wins the Pair Pool, Seat and Vyes
Daniel wins the Post Pool
Benjamin wins nothing.

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