""Western Gambling Rules"" Topic

I had problems with this in TSR's Boot Hill. Why not just get out a deck of cards and play a damn game of poker? Rely on YOUR skills. Cheat if you must, but don't get caught.
Not everything is a D20 roll.

Drink too.

If you are doing Western gambling you might want a factor covering the additional fear your opponents have a derringer up their sleeves, a bootgun up their boots, or a hogleg pointed at your back. If I were a gambler then that would certainly influence my game. Other than that sounds like you've got it pretty well covered. Look forward to what anyone else says and of course the results.

ALV

How about Pressure? How much is riding on the game? Is this a casual game of penny ante or is the homestead or someone's life at stake? Different people cope with stress different ways so a less experienced player might be less prone to bluff. This could be partly included in the 'tells' section.

Kids today. Can't play poker. They think that abomination they see on TV is poker.
Can't even shuffle cards.

You just reminded me about a Faro game I made to use with Six Gun Sound. I'll dig it out and dust it off and post it for free online.

Distractions such as scantily clad ladies?

OFM, RPG's are all about pretending.

Maybe you aren't as good a card player as The Gambler.

Maybe you aren't as good a shot as Blondie.

Maybe you aren't as smart as Artimus.

The rules have to allow for your character to be better at things then you.

Why not just have a real punch up in the brawl that follows the game?

Nonsense. An RPG is played by a bunch of guys sitting around a table. So is poker.
A character who is smarter than the guy who is playing him is a contradiction in terms. All RPG players have superior intelligence. Didn't you get the memo?

This is one of the main problems I have had with detailed RPGs from the beginning of time, back in the last century. People have to roll for everything, including whether you can stay on a walking horse without doing yourself an injury.

Very well.

As someone who has never used rpgs for more than setting up a skirmish game I may have this wrong.

Still can't help feeling that the nebbish who fancies himself Brett Maverick would get his clock cleaned by the barely tolerated Indian scout who in real life has some gambling skills.

I thought the point of RPG's was to let people explore characters with different skill sets from their own?

I cannot believe you had to ask this.

Poker probably #1

Roulette in a fancy joint -- just use a multi-sided die.

mjc

For those not in the know, and I wasn't myself until just a couple weeks back. Here is how TSR's Boot Hill does poker.

If none of the player characters are gamblers, then play a real hand of poker.
If 1 or more characters are gamblers then roll 1d100 per player. High roller wins. Gamblers add +15 to their roll. If the gambler character wins "3 hands" in a row roll against his gambling skill (rated 1-50), if you roll less no one accuses him of cheating. If you roll higher then his skill he is called a cheat. Resolve the encounter as seen fit.

I asked on the other thread as to whether or not SGS:BOG handled gamblers. I was told it didn't but came up with the following based on THW's reaction rolls. Oh and as this is played solo playing real hands of poker does not work.

Roll a number of dice equal to Rep or CV + Cool. 1,2,3 pass 4,5,6 fail and are removed. Keep rolling until only one player has passing dice remaining. If two or more run out dice at the same time, higher Coolness wins. If they are tied roll a number of dice equal to just Coolness as above.
Gamblers can use the "shield dice" rule. In other words, a 6 is still removed from their dice pool, but also it cancels a pass dice for all other players (but does not remove it from their pool as long as they are not removed from the game due to no other passing dice).
Any player my attempt to cheat by adding a special color die to their pool. If this die rolls higher then the players Rep they are spotted as cheating. Other wise just count it as a passed die. But this die must be continued to roll after the player has started the hand cheating. If it rolls a 4,5,6 but still "passes" vs the characters Rep another passing die is removed instead of the cheat die.

I am not sure if I explained that well enough to make sense. The few times I have tried this so far have worked out well to jump start my encounters.

John the OFM,"Nonsense"sounds like most of your posts,get over yerself man.The question was legit. and having to do with managing a multi hour game in real time.I've been gaming forty years now and i still don't puff and pontificate,sooo relax and don't go cryin' tae have me dawghoused for pointing out that it is not "Nonsense"to ask for help from yer peers.

You also don't drink playing poker,not if ye want to stand a chance of winning or shooting straight and fast.I soldiered for years and would not advise drinkin',gamblin' and shootin' at the same table.

You wouldn't advise it. But what fun would the game be if your gamblers and gunfighters didn't get drunk playing poker. Then they shoot it out over a $10 USD pot and a bottle of spilt whiskey? :)

Poker probably #1

Nope, faro would be #1. Here's one source.

bcvc.net/faro/index.htm

It was alos the game of choice for Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp.

Here's a cool game Faro that you can play online

gleeson.us/faro

You could even use it with your western games.

It is ALL nonsense,just roll the damn dice!

Reccerat, my "nonsense" was in response to the OBVIOUSLY nonsensical "Why not just have a real punch up in the brawl that follows the game?".

You can get over yourself too.

sooo relax and don't go cryin' tae have me dawghoused

I don't do that. It sounds like you do, though.

I thought the point of RPG's was to let people explore characters with different skill sets from their own?

Maybe the way you play it. I don't see how a character you are controlling can possibly be smarter than yourself.
I always play characters that are dumber than me, since it's almost impossible to imagine anyone smarter than I am.

Dang,

All this time, I thought that Deadman's hand was Poker.

Seriously, here's an article about Helena, MT -- where I grew up:

link

They played just about anything and everything to include fan-tan.

With all due respect, Faro required a fairly large table constructed just for the game -- bearing the images of a complete suit of cards, usually the spade suit.

Not the kind of thing you would find in a bunk house, a miner's cabin, or out on the range. Perhaps Faro was more popular in certain establishments. Out in Montana, I seriously doubt it got more run than poker.

mjc

Issue everyone at the table with paintball pistols, and disallow thick, or padded clothing.

They can use them, as desired, at any time, for any reason.

That might add a bit of spice to the game, and keep them more than a bit interested in what the other players are doing at all times.

Last one not shot at the table wins.

Eye and face protection might be a good idea.

All this time, I thought that Deadman's hand was Poker.

Yep, a pair of black aces and a pair black eights. But you knew that. :)

It's what Wild Bill Hickok had when he was shot…but the real question is…What was the fifth card?

First one with the right answer wins a Six Gun Sound PDF.

As promised, the Faro game that you can add to Six Gun Sound.

PDF link

"It's what Wild Bill Hickok had when he was shot…but the real question is…What was the fifth card?

First one with the right answer wins a Six Gun Sound PDF."

Queen of diamonds?

Three of hearts?

"I always play characters that are dumber than me, since it's almost impossible to imagine anyone smarter than I am."

Hubris aside, how is being good at gambling related to your IQ?

How does whether or not you know how to cheat at cards translate to your dirty gambler character?

Skills sets do not equal intelligence.

Have you ever played a character that speaks a language you do not? Did you learn the language yourself before playing?

Your argument has more holes than a reb flag at Franklin.

He had the *mumble* of *mumble*, obviously.

I didn't come here for abuse!
I came here for an rgument!

>I didn't come here for abuse!
I came here for an rgument!<

{The innocent bystanders race for cover}

Smile when you say that…or go down the hall to complaints : )

Well since someone picked the Queen of Diamonds (which is probably right). I'll go with the Jack of Diamonds.

Seems the matter is in some dispute today.

mjc

So what card game does Dead Man's hand correspond to?

"Well since someone picked the Queen of Diamonds (which is probably right)."

As we have not seen a response yet, I guess I was wrong.

No you didn't

Thanks Terrement.

Wild Bill was playing poker, not Faro.

It is generally accepted to be either the Jack or Queen of Diamonds. To be honest, no one knows for sure.

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My reading on the subject of gambling indicates that both Poker and Faro were popular. Faro was a city game and the nicer places did use special tables. Cheap establishments would tack down some old cards on the table and other places would just use lay a second deck on the table (or ground) and use those cards as placeholders for the bets.

By my reading, it seems that POKER was a game favored out in the bunkhouse, on the trail drive, and in the mining camp. FARO was what you played when you got to the big city (you know, a place where more than 60 people lived).

You need to think of FARO as you would craps or roulette in modern society. Both are popular, particularly in casinos and gambling halls.

By the way, thanks for the link to the online FARO game. I love it!

So did anyone win the PDF?