Take a Gamble
Take a Gamble Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Quick Start
- Place the TAKE A GAMBLE Cards and Deck of Playing Cards on the game board.
- Put the Jackpot Bowl on the side of the game board.
- Divide the white, red and blue poker chips evenly amongst each Player.
- Each Player must Ante-Up to the Jackpot bowl 3 poker chips of each color:
- WHITE POKER CHIPS token value of $1.00
- RED POKER CHIPS token value of $5.00
- BLUE POKER CHIPS token value of $10.00
- Everybody pick a Playing Piece and roll one die to see who goes first.
- Begin Play; The first Player rolls two dice and advances the same number of game squares shown on dice.
- Play each game according to that particular game rule.
- Side bets are allowed on Gambler's Row and 7-11.
Setting Up
[6 steps]
- Shuffle the Take A Gamble & Playing Cards and place the decks on their respective place on the game board.
- Place the Jackpot bowl in the center or to the side of the game board.
- Choose a Colored Playing Piece and place it on the game square marked $tart.
- Divide up all 300 poker chips evenly amongst the players.
- "Ante Up" rule - place poker chips into the Jackpot bowl per Player as follows:
- 3 White poker chips (token value $1 per chip)
- 3 Red poker chips (token value $5 per chip)
- 3 Blue poker chips (token value $10 per chip)
- Prior to the beginning of play:
- Set A Time - an agreed upon time at which point the game will end. The Player with the most money in poker chips is the Winner!
- Each Player should have an equal number of turns. If the time is up, the Players who have not had their final turn, get the chance to take them OR The Game ends when one Player loses all their poker chips. At that time, the Player with the most money in poker chips is the Winner!
Jackpot Bowl
- Poker chips put into the Jackpot bowl at the beginning of the game create the initial Jackpot.
- Should a Player(s) win more poker chips than the Jackpot contains, all Players (including the Winning Player) must ante up (see page 4). The Winning Player(s) then takes the balance of their winnings.
Starting Play & General Rules
- Players roll one die to see who goes first. High number goes first and all other Players take their turn in clockwise fashion (to the Left).
- The first Player rolls two dice and advances the same number of game squares as shown on the dice. The Player must then follow the instructions for the game indicated on that particular game square.
- The Player who lands on a game square must place a wager before the start of play.
- All Card games are played for only one round (a Hand).
- After the 1st round of play, if a Player lands on the $tart game square that Player must roll again.
Side Bets
- All Players that wish to place a token side bet for or against must do so prior to the start of that game.
- For all Side bets the minimum side bet is $1 up to a maximum Side bet of $20.
- Side bets are optional and are only allowed to be placed on: 7-11, and Gamblers Row.
- Side bets are never placed by the Player that landed on the game square.
- Side bets are only placed by the Players that did not land on the game square.
- If a Player who is making a side bet wins, they receive their winnings from the Jackpot. If they lose, the Side bet is paid to the Jackpot.
Games
Gambler's Row
Object - to roll 2-of-a-kind, of each of the 6 numbers shown in any sequence in a maximum of 10 rolls.
Betting
- Hit all six numbers - you win from the Jackpot $50.
- Do not hit all six numbers - pay $25 to the Jackpot.
- Side bets Are Allowed: (Min 1$, Max $20).
How to Play
- The Player must roll all 5 Dice on each roll.
- The Player places one of their poker chips as a visual marker on numbers they hit. One of the other Players keeps track of how many times the Player has rolled the 5 Dice.
5 Dice Poker
Object - to get the highest poker hand using all 5 dice.
Betting
- The Player who lands on 5 Dice Poker sets the token $ Bet for all Players (each Player must Bet this $ amount).
- The Players are pitted against each other.
- Wins and losses are paid to the Player with the winning hand.
- Bet: Minimum $1 to a Maximum $50.
How to Play
- All poker chips bet are placed on the game board area labeled "...Place Poker Bets Here..." not in The Jackpot bowl.
- The Player who lands on this game square rolls last.
- Each Player takes their turn rolling the dice.
- Players roll the dice twice: all 5 dice the 1st roll and any or all of the dice on the second roll.
- Highest Poker Hand Wins & Winner Takes All.
Pecos-5-Card Draw Poker
Pecos-5-Card Draw Poker is an old American Western card game known to have been played along the famous Pecos Trail.
Object - to hold a better poker hand than any other Player. A poker hand consists of exactly 5 cards.
Betting & How to Play
- All Players Ante Up the token value of $5. The Players are pitted against each other. Wins and losses are paid to the Player with the winning hand.
- Note: All poker chips that are anted up or bet are placed on the game board area labeled "...Place Poker Bets Here..." not in the Jackpot bowl.
- The deck of Playing Cards is shuffled. The Player who lands on the game square is the Dealer. The Dealer always deals cards to the Players from left to right (clockwise).
- The Dealer deals 5 cards face down to each Player (including the Dealer). The cards are dealt one at a time to each Player in rotation to the left.
1st round of betting
- Each Player looks at their cards. The first Player to the left of the Dealer has the option to fold or place a bet, from $5 to $25. All Players in rotation match that $ bet or fold.
- Next, in turn, each Player may elect to discard up to 3 cards in their hand and have those cards replaced by the Dealer with new cards from the playing deck.
2nd round of betting
- Starting from the Dealer's left, the next Player who is still in the game decides to fold or place a bet, from $5 to $25. If the Player folds, the rotation continues and each Player in the rotation has the same option.
- Once a Player places a $ bet in the 2nd round of betting, then each Player in turn must either fold, match that $ bet or raise the bet.
- When you raise the bet, you add the raise to the previous bet. Limit (max) raise is $25.
- Per Pecos rules only one Player in the round can raise. The other active Players can either see (match) the new bet or fold. Once everyone has taken their turn, the hand is over.
- If all Players fold their hands, the winning Player need not show their poker hand.
- The winner is the Player left standing (if everybody else folds) or the remaining Player with the highest poker hand.
- The winner of the hand collects all the poker chips anted and bet.
7-11
[also known as Craps]
Object - Roll two dice and get either 7 or 11 on your first roll and win, or achieve your point.
Betting
- Shooter Bets: Min. $1 to Max. $50.
- Side bets Are Allowed: Min. 1$ to Max. $20.
How to Play
- The Player landing on this game square is called the Shooter. Bets must be placed before the Shooter rolls the dice. The Shooter is pitted against The Jackpot. Wins and losses to The Jackpot are paid to or received from, the Jackpot bowl.
- First roll... Shooter Wins if 2 dice thrown equals a 7 or 11 (known as a Natural).
- First roll... Shooter Loses if the 2 dice thrown equals 2, 3, or 12, (known as Craps).
- If either of the above happens, then all bets are settled. If neither of the above happens then the shooter continues rolling.
- If the Shooter on the 1st roll shoots a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 then the Shooter must roll again and achieve that number rolled (know as The Point).
- Example: 1st thrown dice equals 10, then the Shooter must roll a 10 (The Point) for a win. If the Shooter rolls a 7, they now lose (Craps Out) and if any other number is thrown then the Shooter rolls again until they either win by rolling a 10, or craps out. All bets are settled.
- Winnings are paid from The Jackpot and losses are paid to The Jackpot.
BlackJack
[All Players Play]
Object - to beat the Dealers hand.
- The highest hand a Player can achieve is a BlackJack, a score of 21 in their first 2 cards dealt. Example: a face card and an Ace, or a 10 and an Ace. BlackJack is also known as a Natural.
Betting
- The Dealer does not place a bet. The other Players place an individual bet between $1 and $50.
- All Players receive their winnings from the Dealer and all losses are paid to the Dealer.
How to Play
- When a Player lands on BlackJack, all Players must play, with the Player who landed on the game square acting as the Dealer.
- Each Player is playing against the Dealer and not against each other.
- All bets are placed before any cards are dealt. The Dealer always deals cards to the Players from left to right.
- The Dealer deals the 1st card face down to all Players (including the Dealer). The 2nd card is dealt face up to all players (including the Dealer). Each Player looks at their cards.
- The Dealer then deals additional cards one at a time upon the request of the 1st Player (to the Dealers left). The Player either takes a card (hits) or holds (no longer requests additional cards) or the Dealer stops dealing cards to that Player if they go bust (a Player must tell the Dealer if they bust).
- The Dealer then deals to the next Player. When the last Player has been dealt to and has completed play, then it's the Dealer's turn.
- The Dealer immediately turns all their cards face up and may proceed to deal cards to themself (face up) until the Dealer hits 21, holds or goes bust. The Dealer must hit on 16 and stand on 17 or higher.
- A score above 21 results in a loss, also known as a bust (busted).
- A score that is 21 or lower may be a winning hand depending on if that hand (the score) is better than the Dealer's hand.
- An Ace can count as one or eleven. Face cards are worth ten and all other cards are worth their number value.
What happens if someone gets 21 in their first 2 cards?
- Case 1. If the Dealer hits BlackJack on their 1st two cards drawn (a Natural), then the game is over and winnings are paid to the Dealer at twice the amount that the Players' bet. If another Player also has hit BlackJack on the 1st two cards drawn, that Player has tied with the Dealer (a Push) and bets between the Dealer and that Player are cancelled.
- Case 2. If a Player hits BlackJack on their 1st two cards drawn (a Natural), and The Dealer has not hit a Natural, then the Dealer pays that Player twice the amount of that Players bet, and that Players hand is over. The remaining Players continue playing according to the How to Play rules.
Roll for the Jackpot
Object - to win all the poker chips in the Jackpot bowl.
Ante Up
- The Player landing on this game square must ante up $10 to the Jackpot before play.
How to Play
- When a Player lands on a Roll for the Jackpot game square the Player moves directly to the 1st level of play where the 2 sets of red cherries are displayed on the game board.
- The Player is pitted against The Jackpot. Wins and losses to The Jackpot are paid to or received from, The Jackpot bowl.
- 1st level, the Player must get at least 2-of-a-kind with only one roll of the five dice. Should they achieve this feat, the Player moves on to the 2nd level.
- 2nd level, the Player must roll at least 3-of-a-kind with only two rolls of the five dice. Players may roll the dice up to two times, all 5 dice the 1st roll, and any or all of the dice on the 2nd roll. Should they achieve this feat, the Player moves on to the 3rd and final level of play.
- 3rd level, to win, the Player must roll 5-of-a-kind with only 5 rolls of the dice. Players may roll the dice up to five times, all 5 dice the 1st roll, and any or all of the dice on the 2nd through the 5th roll.
- A Player that achieves 5-of-a kind in the 3rd level wins The Jackpot.
- Win or Lose, the Player goes back to their original game square on the outside of the board to resume play when their turn comes again.
Player's Pick
- A Player landing on this square can choose to play any game on the game board with the exceptions of Roll for The Jackpot and Lucky Win.
Note: the printed text names "Lucky Win" as an excluded game, but this guide has no section describing it. It is transcribed as printed.
Take A Gamble Cards
- A Player who lands on this game square must take the top Take A Gamble card from the pile of cards and do what the card explains.
- All poker chips that are lost or won during this play are paid to or received from The Jackpot, unless otherwise stated.
- After the round, the card is placed on the bottom of the card deck.
Poker Rankings
5 Dice Poker Rankings
[best to worst]
- Five of a Kind - 5 dice of the same rank. If two or more Players roll five of a kind then the highest ranked roll wins. Or if all dice are equal then roll again until there is a clear winner.
- Four of a Kind - 4 dice of the same rank. If two or more Players roll four of a kind then the highest ranked roll wins. If there is a tie, then the remaining die determines who wins. Example one Player rolls 4 threes with a five high. The other Player rolls 4 threes six high. The Player with the six high wins. Or if all dice are equal then roll again until there is a clear winner.
- Straight - 5 dice in rank order. The highest ranked straight wins. Or if there is a tie, then roll again until there is a clear winner.
- Full House - Is a roll of three of a kind plus a pair. With two or more Players showing a full house then the tie is broken with the three of a kind with the highest ranked roll winning.
- Three of a Kind - 3 dice of any rank (for example 3 sixes). Highest rank 3 of a kind wins. Or if a tie then the next highest die determines the winner.
- Two Pair - Two distinct pairs of dice, for example five dice rolled result in 2 ones (also known as Snake Eyes) and 2 sixes (also known as Box Cars) with the remaining die displaying a two. Or if a tie then the next highest die determines the winner.
- One Pair - For example 2 twos. In case of a tie, highest ranked pair wins or if still a tie then the Player with the high die wins.
- High Die - One die in which the rank order is from a high of number six, five, four, three, two, to a low of number one. If the dice thrown result in a tie then the next high throw of one die determines who wins. If that also results in a tie, then you continue to roll the die until the tie is broken.
Pecos-5-Card Draw Poker Rankings
[best to worst]
- Royal Flush - Highest possible hand. Five cards, same suit in sequence for example a 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace (suit is diamonds).
- Straight Flush - 5 cards in sequential order, such as an Ace, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the same suit. An Ace can be played either high as in Ace, King, Queen; or low as in Ace, 2,3,4,5. But, an Ace cannot be used as a wraparound, for example King, Ace, 2, 3, 4.
- Four of a Kind - 4 cards of the same rank, such as a hand of 4 Tens. If two or more hands have four of a kind, then the highest ranked hand wins.
- Full House - Is a hand of three of a kind plus a pair. With two or more Players showing a full house, then the tie is broken by the hand with the highest three of a kind.
- Flush - A hand where all the cards are the same suit. Such as 2, 3, 5, 9, Jack of spades. When a flush ties, then the Player with the high card wins.
- Straight - 5 cards in rank order, but not of the same suit. Ace can be played either high, or low, but wraparounds are not allowed. When straights tie, the highest ranked straight wins, or if the same value, then the pot is split between the winners.
- Three of a Kind - 3 cards of any rank (for example a 10 of spades, 10 of hearts and 10 of clubs) with the remaining cards not a pair. Highest rank 3 of a kind wins.
- Two Pair - Two distinct pairs: for example 2 Aces and 2 Tens with a Five. Highest rank 2 of a kind wins.
- One Pair - For example two Tens. In case of a tie, highest ranked pair wins or if still a tie then the Player with the highest card wins.
Player's Pick Reference
Player's Pick offers tremendous, unlimited options. Try some of the following games and variations and add some of your own twists and turns.
- Try a few of our favorite games:
- Texas Hold'em Poker
- 7 Card Stud Poker
- Omaha 8 Poker
- 5 Card Stud Poker
- Gin Rummy
- War
- Spades
- The Player is responsible for teaching the game they select to the other Players.
- Try changing the games' betting limits:
- Limit... change the game square max limit to another set max (limit).
- Poker Pot Limit... a Player can bet up to what is in the "Place Poker Bets Here" area.
- Play No Limit Poker... a Player can bet all their poker chips as a maximum bet.