Gameplay
At the beginning of a hand, each player must ante a set minimum number of coins (or appropriate currency).* This amount will usually increase incrementally during the course of the game, gradually upping the stakes to prevent a game of "penny pinching," which can last indefinitely. (See "Betting" below for more information.) If the game is being played with the Demon's Wager variant, a complete round of betting will follow the initial ante.
Players are each dealt two private cards face-down, after which there is a round of betting. Each player is then dealt two public cards face-up, followed by a second round of betting. Finally, each player is dealt two more private cards face-down, followed by a third and final round of betting.
At showdown, each player plays the best combination of cards he can make using no more than five of his six cards and announces his hand. The unused card is played face-down beneath any cards that are not part of the player's hand (the five cards being used are always played face-up, even if they are not part of the player's card combination).
Cards from the Heaven and Hell suits CANNOT be played in the same hand together without violating the Syncretic Rule, with the exceptions noted (see Rules of Note).
a. Betting
As in most card games, betting proceeds clockwise from the dealer for each hand. In Dividha, the dealer rotates counter-clockwise with each new hand, carrying with it the coveted option of betting last. Of course, his position will be reversed on the next hand - what many non-religious players often refer to as "He who was last shall be first" with a certain amount of irony.
During each round of betting, a player may raise the bet or leave it at the current level (including zero). Subsequent players must match the new level or else fold their hand, forfeiting any currency already placed into the pot. (Their Win/Lose tablet remains hidden until the end of the hand, however, when the pot is split up.)
Ante - The ante is always an even number, and is split evenly between the Win and Lose columns on the player's tablet. When a player can no longer afford the ante, he is out of the game and all remaining currency is forfeit and goes to the Winner of the next hand. When only two people remain and one can no longer afford the ante, the game is over and the Winner takes all. Rules on increasing the ante over time vary widely, depending on the region, the house rules, and the stakes involved in the game. Note: At any time, the ante may be lowered to a mutually agreed-upon level. This is rare, because the lowering must be done by unanimous consent, and a single player with a significant advantage in currency can void this option in order to more easily defeat his opponents.
Limits - Like many Dividha rules, the existence of betting limits is based primarily on local customs. Smaller games generally function on a fixed-limit basis, while higher-stake games often opt for the no-limit option. If there are no limits specified, the general custom is a pot limit, and while betting more than your opponent's maximum number of currency is considered foolish, it is not necessarily against the rules. (Many southern regions have incorporated this as an actual rule of play, but it has yet to catch on in the north, where men are more than ready to take advantage of a man's overconfidence.)
b. Basic Rules
At the beginning of each hand, all players must post an ante, the amount of which is set before the hand begins and typically increases as the game progresses. The dealer then gives two cards to each player, doling out one card at a time per person in a clockwise rotation around the table. The player may keep these "private cards" in his hand or leave them face-down on the table as he chooses. Note: Should a player be absent from the table at the beginning of a new hand, he automatically forfeits the cost of an ante and is barred from rejoining the game until the next hand begins. Cards are still dealt to the absent player as though he were present.
A round of betting follows the first deal, beginning with the player immediately to the left of the dealer and proceeding in a clockwise rotation around the table, as per standard betting order. (The dealer always has the final bet during the initial go-around.)
When all players have either matched the bet or else folded their hand, the dealer gives two more cards to each player. These "public cards" are dealt as before, but they are placed face-up in front of the player and must remain on the table. A second round of betting ensues according to standard betting order.
At this point, players have the option of trading in up to two cards from their hand. Trading begins with the player immediately to the left of the dealer and proceeds in a clockwise rotation around the table. Private cards being traded will be replaced by private cards dealt face-down to the player. Public cards being traded are first turned face-down and discarded, then are replaced by public cards dealt face-up.
A third round of betting takes place according to standard betting order. Two more private cards are then dealt to each remaining player, giving each person a total of six cards in his hand (four private cards and two public cards).
One final round of betting occurs, after which is the showdown, in which players arrange their cards to make the desired hand. A hand is made from up to five of the player's cards, so one card must first be placed face-down on the table as a discard. Any other cards not being used to make up the player's hand will be placed face-up atop the discard. If the Aural Rule is in effect, the player must verbally announce his hand, and under the Rule of Order it must match exactly with what he has played down.
The players each turn in their betting tablets, on which their Win/Lose tallies have been recorded during the game. The player with the most powerful hand is awarded currency from the pot equal to the combined amounts under the Win columns of the tablets. The player with the least powerful hand is awarded the currency from the pot equal to the combined amounts under the Lose columns of the tablets.
c. Trading
As stated in the previous section, after the second round of betting (when each player has two private and two public cards), each player has the option of trading in cards from their hands. A player may trade 0, 1, or 2 cards from his hand - when trading two cards, they may both be private or public, or one from each. Private cards are replaced by private cards and public cards replaced by public cards.
If the Pay-to-Trade rule is being used, then the player must pay currency equal to the ante for each card he wishes to trade in. The payment may be split into the Win/Lose columns as with all bets and is added to the pot.
Trading is a key technique in bolstering a player's hand to win, or else getting rid of unwanted power cards when the player is attempting to lose.
d. Winning and Losing
Note that "winning" and "losing" refers initially to which players have the most- and least-powerful hands. Players are awarded currency for having the least-powerful hand as well as having the most-powerful, based on the Win/Lose tallies on the players' tablets. If the majority of currency placed into the pot was bet in the Lose column of the tablet, a player may "win" the hand with a powerful combination but end up being awarded less currency than the player who "lost" the hand.
When a player can no longer afford to pay the ante for a hand, his remaining currency is forfeit and automatically placed in the pot for the next hand and is awarded to the player with the most powerful hand. Winning the game refers to being the player with the most currency when no other players can afford to pay the ante for a hand.
The initial strength of a player's hand is determined using the basic ranking system (see Ranking Hands). If two players have the same basic hand (e.g. - each has a Three-of-a-Kind), the winner is determined based on which person has more cards in play from an immortal suit (the Immortal Majority rule). Note: If one of the players uses a wild card (God or Satan) to create their hand, the Providence rule supercedes the Immortal Majority in determining a winner. Should both players possess a wild card, the resolution proceeds as normal. If there is an equal amount of immortal cards in each hand, then the winner is determined based on the Majority Sum rule. If this still fails to break a tie, the player with the highest card value in play wins (High Card). In the unlikely even the tie has still not been broken, the two players simply split the awarded currency.
Players are each dealt two private cards face-down, after which there is a round of betting. Each player is then dealt two public cards face-up, followed by a second round of betting. Finally, each player is dealt two more private cards face-down, followed by a third and final round of betting.
At showdown, each player plays the best combination of cards he can make using no more than five of his six cards and announces his hand. The unused card is played face-down beneath any cards that are not part of the player's hand (the five cards being used are always played face-up, even if they are not part of the player's card combination).
Cards from the Heaven and Hell suits CANNOT be played in the same hand together without violating the Syncretic Rule, with the exceptions noted (see Rules of Note).
a. Betting
As in most card games, betting proceeds clockwise from the dealer for each hand. In Dividha, the dealer rotates counter-clockwise with each new hand, carrying with it the coveted option of betting last. Of course, his position will be reversed on the next hand - what many non-religious players often refer to as "He who was last shall be first" with a certain amount of irony.
During each round of betting, a player may raise the bet or leave it at the current level (including zero). Subsequent players must match the new level or else fold their hand, forfeiting any currency already placed into the pot. (Their Win/Lose tablet remains hidden until the end of the hand, however, when the pot is split up.)
Ante - The ante is always an even number, and is split evenly between the Win and Lose columns on the player's tablet. When a player can no longer afford the ante, he is out of the game and all remaining currency is forfeit and goes to the Winner of the next hand. When only two people remain and one can no longer afford the ante, the game is over and the Winner takes all. Rules on increasing the ante over time vary widely, depending on the region, the house rules, and the stakes involved in the game. Note: At any time, the ante may be lowered to a mutually agreed-upon level. This is rare, because the lowering must be done by unanimous consent, and a single player with a significant advantage in currency can void this option in order to more easily defeat his opponents.
Limits - Like many Dividha rules, the existence of betting limits is based primarily on local customs. Smaller games generally function on a fixed-limit basis, while higher-stake games often opt for the no-limit option. If there are no limits specified, the general custom is a pot limit, and while betting more than your opponent's maximum number of currency is considered foolish, it is not necessarily against the rules. (Many southern regions have incorporated this as an actual rule of play, but it has yet to catch on in the north, where men are more than ready to take advantage of a man's overconfidence.)
b. Basic Rules
At the beginning of each hand, all players must post an ante, the amount of which is set before the hand begins and typically increases as the game progresses. The dealer then gives two cards to each player, doling out one card at a time per person in a clockwise rotation around the table. The player may keep these "private cards" in his hand or leave them face-down on the table as he chooses. Note: Should a player be absent from the table at the beginning of a new hand, he automatically forfeits the cost of an ante and is barred from rejoining the game until the next hand begins. Cards are still dealt to the absent player as though he were present.
A round of betting follows the first deal, beginning with the player immediately to the left of the dealer and proceeding in a clockwise rotation around the table, as per standard betting order. (The dealer always has the final bet during the initial go-around.)
When all players have either matched the bet or else folded their hand, the dealer gives two more cards to each player. These "public cards" are dealt as before, but they are placed face-up in front of the player and must remain on the table. A second round of betting ensues according to standard betting order.
At this point, players have the option of trading in up to two cards from their hand. Trading begins with the player immediately to the left of the dealer and proceeds in a clockwise rotation around the table. Private cards being traded will be replaced by private cards dealt face-down to the player. Public cards being traded are first turned face-down and discarded, then are replaced by public cards dealt face-up.
A third round of betting takes place according to standard betting order. Two more private cards are then dealt to each remaining player, giving each person a total of six cards in his hand (four private cards and two public cards).
One final round of betting occurs, after which is the showdown, in which players arrange their cards to make the desired hand. A hand is made from up to five of the player's cards, so one card must first be placed face-down on the table as a discard. Any other cards not being used to make up the player's hand will be placed face-up atop the discard. If the Aural Rule is in effect, the player must verbally announce his hand, and under the Rule of Order it must match exactly with what he has played down.
The players each turn in their betting tablets, on which their Win/Lose tallies have been recorded during the game. The player with the most powerful hand is awarded currency from the pot equal to the combined amounts under the Win columns of the tablets. The player with the least powerful hand is awarded the currency from the pot equal to the combined amounts under the Lose columns of the tablets.
c. Trading
As stated in the previous section, after the second round of betting (when each player has two private and two public cards), each player has the option of trading in cards from their hands. A player may trade 0, 1, or 2 cards from his hand - when trading two cards, they may both be private or public, or one from each. Private cards are replaced by private cards and public cards replaced by public cards.
If the Pay-to-Trade rule is being used, then the player must pay currency equal to the ante for each card he wishes to trade in. The payment may be split into the Win/Lose columns as with all bets and is added to the pot.
Trading is a key technique in bolstering a player's hand to win, or else getting rid of unwanted power cards when the player is attempting to lose.
d. Winning and Losing
Note that "winning" and "losing" refers initially to which players have the most- and least-powerful hands. Players are awarded currency for having the least-powerful hand as well as having the most-powerful, based on the Win/Lose tallies on the players' tablets. If the majority of currency placed into the pot was bet in the Lose column of the tablet, a player may "win" the hand with a powerful combination but end up being awarded less currency than the player who "lost" the hand.
When a player can no longer afford to pay the ante for a hand, his remaining currency is forfeit and automatically placed in the pot for the next hand and is awarded to the player with the most powerful hand. Winning the game refers to being the player with the most currency when no other players can afford to pay the ante for a hand.
The initial strength of a player's hand is determined using the basic ranking system (see Ranking Hands). If two players have the same basic hand (e.g. - each has a Three-of-a-Kind), the winner is determined based on which person has more cards in play from an immortal suit (the Immortal Majority rule). Note: If one of the players uses a wild card (God or Satan) to create their hand, the Providence rule supercedes the Immortal Majority in determining a winner. Should both players possess a wild card, the resolution proceeds as normal. If there is an equal amount of immortal cards in each hand, then the winner is determined based on the Majority Sum rule. If this still fails to break a tie, the player with the highest card value in play wins (High Card). In the unlikely even the tie has still not been broken, the two players simply split the awarded currency.
