Freelance Traveller
Sekhoma is a card game known primarily in the Arcturan and Sylean regions of known space. It fits into the same social niche as the Terran card game of Poker, and has many elements in common, but the degree to which the two games are related is uncertain.
Sekhoma is played by two to six players, using a 72-card deck consisting of six suits each with the numbers one to six repeated twice in each suit. One player is initially designated dealer; deal rotates through the players each hand. The objective in each hand is to achieve the highest-ranked hand.
The dealer deals six cards face-down to each player. Before picking up their cards, each player antes a mutually agreed amount (usually one or two units, where a unit is the smallest amount of money that may be wagered on the game. Social games usually use a unit size of centicredits; casinos use units ranging from one credit upward), placing it in the center of the table. Players are given an opportunity to examine the cards dealt to them (which are kept concealed from the other players), and one round of betting takes place. The first player (the one to the dealer's immediate left) announces "bet" or "no bet", and if "bet" is announced, includes the amount bet, and places that amount in the center of the table with the antes. Betting then continues to the left, with each player having the following options:
- "Call" - The player announces "call" and places an amount equal to all prior bets and raises in the center of the table, and remains in the game.
- "Raise" - The player announces "raise" and an amount of an additional bet, and places an amount equal to all prior bets and raises, plus his additional bet. Players preceding him in the round must immediately add the raise amount to the center of the table, or "fold", forfeiting all monies bet during the hand.
- "Fold" - The player drops out of the game for the remainder of the deal, forfeiting any monies wagered in the hand.
After each player has had one opportunity to bet, raise, call, or fold, the player to the dealer's left may exchange up to four cards. The discarded cards are placed face-down on the table, and the dealer deals an equivalent number from the remainder of the deck. Play proceeds to the left, with each player exchanging up to four cards. After all players have had the opportunity to exchange cards,, a second round of betting occurs, following the same rules as the first. After all players have had the opportunity to bet, raise, call, or fold, all hands are revealed, and the player with the highest ranking hand collects all monies in the center of the table. The player to the dealer's left becomes the dealer for the next hand. Play continues as long as desired. In casino play, games are generally continuous, with players allowed to drop out or enter at any time (provided that no more than six are playing at any time); home play generally allows dropping out but not joining.
Hands in Sekhoma are ranked as shown below. In case of ties, the sum of the values of the cards that make up the scoring portion of the hand are compared, and the higher value wins.
- One Pair - the player has two cards of the same suit.
- Two Pair - the player has two pairs, of different suits.
- Three of a Kind - the player has three cards of the same suit.
- Three and a Pair - the player has a three-of-a-kind, and a pair.
- Two Threes - the player has two three-of-a-kinds, of different suits.
- Three Pair - the player has three pairs, of different suits.
- Sekhoma - the player has one card of each suit.
- Four of a Kind - the player has four cards of the same suit.
- Four and a Pair - the player has a four-of-a-kind and a pair.
- Five of a Kind - the player has five cards of the same suit.
- Flush - the player has six cards of the same suit.