Hoyle's Rules of Dragon Poker

The most complicated game on this, or any other, world

Introduction: The History of Dragon Poker

The cover of this volume boldly states that Dragon Poker is, “The most complicated
game on this, or any other, world.” This claim may seem exaggerated, sensational,
nonsense, but we believe we can back up this statement.

To fully understand Dragon Poker, one must understand it's long, bizarre and often
murky history.

According to legend, Dragon Poker was brought to this world fully formed by a demon
several hundred years ago. Most commonly the demon is said to have been a Deveel,
an Imp or possibly a Pervert, although the occasional Trollop or Klahd also get
blamed by some scholars.

As appealing as this story is- and indeed, many players profess belief in the
legend- there is no evidence to verify it's veracity. In fact, no reference to the
game has ever been found dating prior to 1985. More likely the story was developed
as a metaphor regarding the game's complexity.

In addition, although the mind naturally repels at the thought of more than one
mind mad enough to try and create such a game, it is apparent that the rules are
the effort of no less than four individuals and most likely more.

Little Myth Marker is the oldest known text to make mention of the game. In it the
storyteller Asprin describes a number of games revolving around a group of conmen.

However, Asprin's account is incomplete. While he helpfully provides near-complete

list of of hands, the cards used and enough of a description to make it possible to
determine matters of dealing, there are notable absences.

The Corps-a-Corps hand, though referenced, is never formally described because the
conditional modifiers are such that it doesn't come into the story. As to the
conditional modifiers, although Asprin indicates that there are well-over two
dozen, only a fraction of that number appear in the story. Some of them are even
incomplete, listing only the condition without the modification or vice-versus.

Finally, it makes reference to the betting term “Bump.” Despite long years of
research, no one has ever been able to answer definitively just what the word
means. Readers learned in Poker will no doubt recall that Bump means the same as
raise. However, the players in Asprin's story are shown to add to the pot, leading
most experts to believe there is a different, lost, meaning to the term.

Some have argued that it is an alternate word for “Call”, although Call also
appears in the text just prior to Bump. Others claim that it means “Check” on the
grounds that Check is never referenced. However, in the context of the story, this
theory makes no sense unless betting is different than other forms of Poker, which
does not seem to be the case.

Taken together, one has to wonder if Asprin fully understood the game at all or if
he was just using a game he had heard of.

The game passes out of mainstream knowledge at this time for about twenty years,
with one brief blip on the radar in 2001 where a university lists a Dragon Poker
club in their directory of extracurricular activities. However, while they claim to
have one of the four remaining copies of the rules, they make certain mistakes that
are impossible to ignore, the most glaring of which is the continued reference to
Gryphons, a card wholly unknown to Dragon Poker. Some have suggested that this is
an alternate name for Ogres, as many of the female persuasion have objected to
their gender's sole representation in the deck to be such a foul beast. However,
this is nothing more than mere speculation.

By 2006, the game was more fully codified. For the first time ever, prospective
players could learn the rules of the game without having to cobble it together from
Asprin's book. This would otherwise be unremarkable save for one important
addition: The Corps-a-Corps hand.

It is unknown to this day where the description of the Corps-a-Corps hand was
found. More sober scholars believe it was found by pouring over Asprin's other
works which occasionally reference the game further in passing1 , but the
prevailing theory is that a demon was summoned for the sole purpose of asking.
Then, of course, there are the cynical people who think they just made it up.
Whatever the origin, the list of hands was now complete.

Sadly, however, the conditional modifiers were still lost. In fact, the document
didn't even list all the ones that Asprin had. It began to seem as though the game
could never again be played the way game intended.
However, fortune struck us all and the full list was found.

In an excavation of Pompeii, archeologists stumbled upon a chamber containing the

skeletons of a Deveel, an Imp, a Pervert, a Trollop and Klahd gathered over a deck
of cards around a table.

Shame on you for not believing the legend.

Besides them on the table was a set of scrolls describing the game and it included
the modifiers.

What follows is the translation of those scrolls and a culmination of all prior
research. For the first time in nearly a millennium, you will be able to play the
game just as those demons did and you will be able to play fully.

With the history unraveled, it is now time to explain...

The Rules of Dragon Poker

I. The Players

As few as two and as many as five may play with a standard deck. If St. Georges are
used, a sixth player may be added to the table.

II. The Deck

Evidence suggests that proper Dragon Poker decks may have existed at one time, but
none have ever been discovered. However, a standard 52 deck may be used if the
player makes note of certain differences in terminology.
Aces equal Dragons and should be referred to as such.2 Likewise, Kings are
Unicorns, Queens are Ogres and Jacks or Knaves are Elves.

10s to 2s are the same as in regular decks.

Jokers are, appropriately, called St. Georges and, as in regular decks, are
typically wild3 . However, unlike regular decks, there are four St. Georges to
deck, so players wishing to use St. Georges should mine two extra Jokers from a
second standard deck.

The Dragon Poker deck has four suit which are just the same as in a standard deck.
Aside from hands that depend on the cards being all the same suit, their main use
is to determine the winner between two or more otherwise equal hands. For this, the
suits are valued in descending order as follows: Spades, Hearts, Clubs and
Diamonds.

III. The Deal

Each player will be dealt nine cards across five sets. Unless a conditional
modifier (see Section VI) says otherwise, each player will be dealt one card at a
time and each should get one card before any player gets a second, and so on and so
forth.

During the first set, each player will get four cards. The first three will be face
down, while the last will be face up.

During the second, third and fourth sets, each player will get one card face up.

During the final set, each player will be dealt two cards, the first face up and
the final face down.

Betting may occur before, between and after these sets. For further information,
see Section V.

Unless the group decides otherwise or a conditional modifier is in play, each

player will take a turn at dealing. During this time, it is common for players to
invoke the rule of “Dealer's Choice.” In terms of Dragon Poker, it means that the
dealer has limited authority over the game, such as choosing wild or high cards if
there is no other rule designates one.

Special Rules Regarding Dealing

The rule book recognizes that some players have angered the Random Number God.
Rather than discourage those players, they will be allowed as many mulligans as
they want. However, there are conditions. Their first mulligan is free, but after
that they lose an additional hole card for every mulligan request. Once all of
their cards are face up, more mulligans may be purchased for one unit of bet.

IV. The Hands

Unlike most other forms of Poker, hands in Dragon Poker utilize six cards instead
of five, leaving players with three at least three extra cards. Is ascending order,
the following are the legal hands of Dragon Poker:

High Card- Where no better hand is present, the player with the card with the
highest value wins.

One Pair- Two cards of the same numeric value.

Two Pairs- Two sets of pairs. Note that a player holding four Dragons does not have
Two Pairs, they have Four of a Kind.

Three of a Kind- Similar to One Pair, this hand contains three cards of the same
numeric value.

Three Pair- Three sets of pairs.

Full House- This hand occurs when a player holds both Three of a Kind and One Pair.

Straight- A sequence of six cards, all in order. For example, a Dragon, a Unicorn,
an Ogre, an Elf, a 10 and a 9 is a straight.
Four of a Kind- When the player holds all the cards of the same numeric value.

Corps-a-Corps- The so-called “lost hand”4 , a Corps-a-Corps hand is Three Pairs

that are also two three-card flushes. For example, a Dragon, a Unicorn & an Ogre of
Spades and a Dragon, a Unicorn & an Ogre of Hearts is a Corps-a-Corps hands.

Flush- A hand containing cards of all the same suit.

Full Belly- Two Three-of-a-Kinds

Full Dragon- This hand occurs when a player holds both a Four of a Kind and One
Pair.

Straight Flush- A straight that is also a flush.

Some further explanation on hands and ranks.

Typically, one hand is beaten by a hand of the same type with higher cards. For
example, a Pair of 9s beats a Pair of 2s.

When two hands are otherwise equal in value, suits are used to determine the
winning hand. Unless a conditional modifier is in play, a flush of Spades, for
example, will beat a flush of Hearts.

Finally, hands are played as called. That is, a hand is whatever the player says it
is. If, for example, they say Two Pair, it will be rank as such even if they have
four 10s.

Under most circumstances, other players an under no obligation to the tell their
opponents that they've undersold their hand, although they may if they wish.

The player with the highest valued hand wins.

V. The Bet

1. On When and How to Bet

As was stated earlier, betting occurs around the dealing sets.

The bet that occurs prior to any cards being dealt is called the ante. This is
usually a low bet designed to get things started.

The first player in line to ante need not be the first to ante. Instead, they may
elect to check, which is, in essence, a bet of nil value. However, once a player
has anted the rest of the players must meet the ante. This may be done in one of
three ways:

First, the player may fold. This means he or she feels that their cards are not
worth betting on. A player who folds must immediately discard their cards. They
will sit out the rest of the round.

Second, they may call. A player who calls puts an equal a bet into the pot (the
accumulated bets from all players).

Finally, a player may raise. Raising means adding a bet equal to the ante to the
and adding more. If a players raises, the process continues until the bets are all
equal or all other players have folded. Equal, in most cases, means the same
amount. However, if a player goes all-in to meet a bet, it is to be considered
equal, even if it falls short.

It should be noted that pre-dealing anteing is only a requirement for professional

games and need not happen in friendly or casual games.

Betting occurs after every set of dealing (unless, of course, a conditional

modifier that says otherwise is in play), including the final one. Though it is
never called anteing, the process is the same. The only difference is that the bets
are typically larger, even the initial one.

2. On What to Bet
In short any and everything.

While money is the most common bet, for many reasons (lack of funds, moral reasons,
legal issues, etc.) some people find this unappealing. Chips may also be used, but
aside from casinos where they serve as a temporary stand in for actual money, they
hold little attraction for the casual player.

Beyond that, any item may placed into the pot. The guide recognizes very few rules
regarding what may be gambled. However, it is up to the better to convince his or
her opponents that the item they are betting should be allowed in the pot and is as
valuable as claimed.

Also, while usually not required, it is considered proper etiquette to not allow
players to lose too much in friendly games.

3. Special Rules and Guidelines Regarding Gambling

Dependents- If the group agrees, players may bet their dependents, but only if they
can fend for themselves. A time limit must be imposed at the start of the session
at the discretion of the players, but it should be less than the amount time it
would take for it to become a matter for the authorities.

Drunkenness- While the following has never been an official rule, it is considered
customary to make the most drunk player be the first to ante and bet.

Names- If a player bets their name, cheating is allowed for all players.

Anti-gambling Rules- If players elect to play in an area that forbids gambling, the
players should have a plan in place to hide their actions. Commonly, a Bible is
brought so they can pretend to be holding a Bible study, however any tactic may be
imployed.

Side Bets- Side bets are permitted at the gaming table at all times, but if there's
no winner, the bet will be added to the pot.

Pop Culture References- Any player who makes a pop culture reference may be made to
donate the smallest betting unit to the pot if none of the other players laugh.

VI. The Modifiers

At long last, we come to the oft-referenced conditional modifiers. Conditional

modifiers are what separates Dragon Poker from regular Stud Poker. Conditional
modifiers are why Dragon Poker is the purview of the brilliant, the skilled and the
mad.

The concept of conditional modifiers is deceptively simple. It is a modification

based on the condition. That is, the rules of the game change depending on outside
forces. These can be practically anything from the phases of the moon, to details
about the room the game is played in, to how many hands have been played, etc.

What makes the conditional modifiers so daunting is three-fold.

First, the modifiers for the most part stack and there is no limit to number of
modifiers that may in play. For example, several modifiers change the order of the
cards. If the order is reversed because it's the fifth hand (Conditional Modifier
#5) and player tears their sock, dictating the card order inverts from the center
(Conditional Modifier #162), the reversed order will be the one that is inverted.

Second, several of the modifiers are vague and very little in the rules details how
to clarify them, only that the players must determine them, as they must do for the
modifiers that come in conflict5 . As one or two of rules makes absolutely no
sense, most scholars agree that this was deliberate on the part of the game
inventors to make it even more confusing.

Third, there are are well over two hundred conditional modifiers. What follows is
the full list of known conditional modifiers, compiled with the oldest at the top
of the list and the younger following. We recommend that anyone who still wishes to
play familiarize themselves with all modifiers before they begin, because players
are under no obligation to inform their opponents of modifications that benefit
them.

Any omission of the conditional modifiers must be determined at the beginning

of the night. Players may determine this in any way they choose.
 Unicorns are wild on Tuesdays

In months with the letter “M”. Ogres are at half value.

Red Dragons are wild on even-numbered hands.

Once a night, a player can change the suit of one their “up” cards.

Every five hands, the sequence of the cards is reversed, so the low cards are
high and vice-versus.

Once a Four of a Kind is played, that card value is dead and blank for the rest
of the sessison.

If a Four of a Kind is played with all wild cards, it ceases to be wild and can
be played normally.

If there is a 10 showing in the first two face-up cards in any hand, then 7s
will be dead.

If another 10 appears, rule 31 will be canceled out.

If the first card turned up in a round is an Ogre, the round will be played
with an extra hole card (four up and five down).

On Tuesdays, the dealing reverses every seven hands.

When all players are of the same gender, the Corps-a-Corps hand is invalid.

Once a night, a south facing player may withdraw their bet at no penalty.

When played with spectators, 3s will be dead and considered blank.

 If there are an odd number of players, hands totaling an even number beat hands
totaling an odd number of the same rank. The reverse is also true.

In every hand after the forty-second, the player facing north can discard one
of another player's face card at anytime.

If the sun is out, Hearts become Spades and Diamonds become Clubs for Elves
only.

If there is at least one female at the table, Ogres and Unicorns may switch
names.

In played indoors, the declaration of a new wild cards renders the previous
wild card tame.

If the moon is full, no silver or silver-colored money, chips, etc. may be bet.

If a player is caught lying, they must play their next hand with all cards face
up.

If any sort of alarm bell rings, the players must switch positions (after the
emergency has been managed) and play their new hands until the end of the round.
Afterward, they may return to their original seats.

If a romance novel tops the New York Times Best Seller list, a hand must
contain at least one Ogre and one Unicorn.

If the game is played on a drinking holiday, the players must participate.

Every round will be followed by the players chugging a glass of their drink of
choice. This will continue only so long as all players may safely do so. Betting
may continue as normal, but exorbitant losses will be considered void in the
morning.

If a St. George is played, Dragons are blank for the rest of the hand.
 On Valentine's Day, couple may show each other their hands.

If a player plays the Dead Man's Hand, they may not play for the rest of the
night.

If a player leaves the table, their opponents are allowed- nay, encouraged- to
peek at their hole cards.

If there is a sports match occurring during on the day of the game and the
group consists of supporters of both teams, the players must divided into two teams
(they need not consist of equal numbers) where they will pool cards and money,
chips, etc. for the session. If there is a discrepancy between the winning sports
team of the above and the winning Poker team, the winnings are void. If both
winning teams are the same, the winnings are doubled.

If the players are in constant and consistent motion for the duration of a
hand, the values of the face cards are reversed.

If a session is held on the day of the end of the world or imminent death for
the group, chips will be worth $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000. (Local currencies
apply)

If the world doesn't end or the group doesn't die within 24 hours, chips will
be worth 10¢, 25¢ and 50¢. (Local currencies apply)

On weekends, which may extend to Friday nights upon agreement of the players,
Unicorns are wild.

The overall loser of the hand has the option to change a rule for the next
hand.

If, when playing, a Weird Al song broadcasts on the radio, the value of the
hands reverses.

If a cat walks by and sneezes, the betting must cease for the remainder of the
hand.
 During a blizzard, suits reverse value.

In months without an “R”, on dates with two numbers, the card values
corresponding to the date switch places (e.g. On August 26, 2 become 6s and vice
versa).

A power outage shall be considered a free-for-all to grab cards from the other
players. Good luck.

In the event of an election and a politician wins, cards will be dealt from the
bottom of the deck.

If a player wears a purple dress shirt, betting will only occur after all cards
have been dealt.

If male players outnumber female players, Ogres and Elves switch places. If
female players out number male players, Ogres and Unicorns switch places.

If any of the players' countries are at war, Elves are high.

If a game is played on a player's birthday, the card with the value

corresponding to the date becomes high. If there is no corresponding value, the
player chooses the high card.

If there is a mirror in the room, Dragons are low cards.

St. Georges are dead and blank on the Sabbath.

If a hand is in play at the changing of the hour, all hole cards must be
gathered up, shuffled and redistributed.

In months with two moons there are only two suits, determined by color.

On the fourth of July, the face cards and St. Georges are dead and blank.
 If a commercial plays with an animal mascot, any player with that animal as a
pet must immediately fold and sit out the rest of the hand.

If a play has a relative they call “Auntie”, instead of ante-ing they must cry
uncle.

If the local radio station allows requests during the session the loser of a
hand must call in “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers to continue playing.

If a table or space has to be cleared for play, then the initial ante does not
need to be met.

If any sort of cooling system is in use, Red Dragons are demoted to Unicorns.

If a player finds themself in debt, they may only use Clubs until such time as
they are out of debt.

If extra chairs are required, Full House becomes the highest valued hand.

If four lights are on in the game room, 3s are wild.

If a player's significant other calls to ask when they're coming home, all
dealing and betting must cease and the hands shall be played as is.

If a player smokes, they may only make hands with black cards.

The overall loser of a game or session will be rechristened by their betters

and keep their name until the next new moon.

On the Chinese New Year, all Dragons are dead and blank.

A player who wins with six Unicorns must relate the loss of their virginity.
Their compatriots are forbidden from questioning the veracity of the story nor
details relating to it during or afterward.

If a player takes two aspirin, a round of drinks will be served, a toast will
be called and Dragons are wild.

If a player coughs, 7s and Unicorns trade places.

If a snack run becomes necessary mid-session, the Full Belly and Full Dragon
hands will be invalid until the next session (after the current one) that ends with
leftovers.

If a lightning strike is visible, table cards are gathered up and replaced.

If players are using folding chairs, the players may not fold for the number of
betting rounds equal to the number of players divided by the number of folding
chairs (rounded to the nearest whole). If that number is greater than the number of
betting rounds, no player may fold until the final round.

If a player who was barred from folding wins, they may trade spots with another
player.

When a person sits down at the head of the table, they may dictate the initial
order of dealers, dealing and betting.

If an adult shorter than five foot plays, all cards under 5 will be considered
dead and blank.

If there is a ceiling fan in the game room, the value of all cards shift one to
the left.

If the game is played in a room with hardwood, diamonds and hearts switch
value.

If the deck is found to be missing cards, St. Georges are the high cards.
 If the walls in the game room are declared to be pink, the value of odd number
cards are reversed.

If the glasses are made of plastic, the second round of betting is canceled.

If there are more book cases than players, 5s are the low card.

If a player spills a drink the hands will be gathered and redistributed at

random.

If a canvasser knocks at the door, half the pot will be removed and equally
redistributed.

If two players share a name, they must trade hands after the second round of
betting every other hand.

If a Four of a Kind of Unicorn is played on Christmas, that player wins and

Diamonds become high.

If anything breaks during a hand, the dealing and betting order reverses.

If birds can be heard, the 3s and 8s trade spots.

If the weather, changes in any way, the new high card will be chosen from the
top of the deck.

If the heat is commented on more than twice, the most valuable hand will been
invalidated. This will continue with each additional comment until no more hands
are valid.

If the window has blinds, the first bet must also be blind as a show of
solidarity.

In a haunted house, Ogres become the lowest ranking face card.

 If one player is a godmother, she may not use Elves in her hand.

If the deck contains cards from another deck, that card is the low card.

If a player provides high-quality snacks, they will be allowed an extra hole

card. If a player provides low-quality snacks, they will be dealt an extra up card.

If all players a drinking warming beverages, Dragons gain value equal to the
number of drinks.

In Spring and Fall, Hearts are the high suit.

If the facilities are under construction, the game will begin with only
thirteen cards. Thirteen more cards will be add the next hand and so on until the
deck is complete.

If played in view of a swamp, black Dragons are wild.

If played on a border, betting will only occur on odd-numbered dealing rounds.

It the weather is unseasonable the cards will be set out according to current
value (e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.), even numbered cards will be put at the back of the
order line and odds at the front. Once completed, players will have the new order
(e.g. 0, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, E, U, D).

A player wearing a jacket at the table bets after players without jackets.

If there are boxes in the room, four consecutive numbers be used in hands.

98. If a romantic couple plays with other, single players, they may not use
pairs.
 99. If two players arrive wearing the same clothes, the next hand will be
played just between them. They will have to share the same cards up cards, but
their hole cards will be there own.

100. If anything comes through the window, everyone folds and the pot is held
over until the next hand.

101. If a player sits down at the table wearing a hat, the money, chips, etc.
will be pooled into it. The hat will be passed around and the players will pick
one unit out at a time until it's all distributed.

102. If the game room has weapons on display, St. George's replace Elves.

103. Once a Four of a Kind with Dragons is played, the Full Dragon Hand is
invalid.

104. If the day number (by year) is divisible by a card value that card is
high. If the day number is divisible by more than one card value, the card
is low if the number of divisible card values is even and high if it's
odd.

105. If there is a poster of a musician on the wall, three cards are

sufficient to make a straight.

106. If the wind blows to the east, then one set of even number of cards will
be gathered, shuffled and flipped over one at a time. The order in which
they are revealed, is the order they are valued.

107. If an infomercial is playing on the TV at the time of the dealing

begins, betting will occur after every card is dealt.

108. In months where the first day of the month is a Wednesday and the last
day is a Tuesday, every other player may only use Spades and Hearts.
The rest can only use Clubs and Diamonds.

109. Every 19th round (cross session), up to six left over cards will be used
as table cards for everyone.
 110. When only family members are playing, no hand is valid that doesn't
utilize at least two face cards.

111. On the equinox, the number of hole and up cards must also be equal. In
the Spring, one extra face card will added and in the Fall, one will be
excluded.

112. When playing in sight of white pines, there is only one suit.

113. If you are within seven miles of a body of water, then 4s are promoted
to St. Georges.

114. In months where there is a blood moon, the values of even numbered card
is doubled and the values of odd numbered cards are halved.

115. If any player saw a foreign flag on the day of the game, there will be
no wild cards.

116. If all sides of the table are occupied, players may discard their hole
card in an attempt to build a better hand. However, this may only be done
once all other cards have been dealt.

117. If the leaves have begun to fall from the trees, the high suit becomes
the low suit.

118. If an error is made in dealing, hands will be valued based on the sum of
the card values. However, the hands must still be valid Dragon Poker
hands.

119. If the dealer owns a car made by the Big Three, hands must repeat no
suits or they will be invalid.

120. If there is a rainbow in the sky, flushes and straight flushes are
invalid.

121. When a game is played on the last or first day of the season, the order
of hands must be rearranged for the session. How this is done is left to
the discretion of the players, but it must be completely random.

122. If any of the players have facial hair, all hands dependent on the
number of cards must be divisible by the number value of the card (e.g. a
pair must be divisible by two).

123. If the players are eating Chinese take out, 3s are wild and Three of a
Kind is the highest hand.

124. If the majority of players have seen the movie the group is watching, 6s
will be considered dead and blank.

125. If two separate rules make a card dead and blank, that card is a zombie
card. If it appears in a players up cards, it must be removed from the deck.
If it's in a player's hold cards, their hand is dead (However, the player
can still win by bluffing)

126. If a cover of a classic rock song plays on a commercial 5s, 6s, 7s and
8s are dead and will be considered blank.

127. If a child under the age of seven is in or enters the perimeter, a

player may ask one of the other players if they have any of a specific cards
and the other players must surrender the card.

128. For the entire duration of February, in lieu of money, player will bring
clothes to bet. Gambling will continue until such time as at least one
player is capable of surviving the winter.

129. If there is road work in underway in the immediate vicinity, 10% of the
pot must remain behind when the pot of a hand is won. Any money left over at
the end of the session will be held until the next session.

130. When there's a fog or mist, first two rounds of betting must be blind
and there shall be seven hole cards.

131. For three weeks after Labor Day, no card will be made blank.
 132. When DVDs out-number books in the facilities, the rules are locked down.

133. If the dealer arches the cards in both directions equally, the value of
all cards is doubled.

134. If the facilities are messy, the dealing and betting will proceed in an
alternating order.

135. If the home the session is being held in is part of a home owner's
association, Four of a Kind is the winning hand.

136. If the game is played above the third floor, 2s are wilder.

137. If anyone playing is wearing brown shoes, 10s are promoted to face
cards.

138. If a card slides off the table, the dealing and betting order reverses
immediately.

139. If played outdoors, all face cards are Elves.

140. If the wind changes direction, the player with most betting units must
trade hands with the player with the least betting units and fold.

141. If the game is played with a non-Dragon Poker deck, raising prior to the
second round of betting is forbidden.

142. A player who goes above and beyond the call of duty to hide the game
from disapproving authority figures can change the rules the next hand.

143. If one player stakes another player, the staked player plays with one
less card.

144. If a card flips facing up in the deck, it must remain so. If the
aforementioned card is dealt as an “up' card, it can be played as normal. If
it's dealt as a hole card, it must be flipped over with the rest at the end
and the back is the card's value.

145. On Leap Day, all conditional modifiers are invalid.

146. If a song repeats on the radio, the players must, on the next hand, bet
the exact same way they did on the hand they played the last time the song
played.

157. If cloud cover prevents the stars from being seen at night, Diamonds are
dead and blank.

158. In a month where the 6th is a Friday, players must donate as many
betting units to the pot as their cards as their have suit symbols.

159. When an airplane can be heard overhead, 4s become 7s for the purpose of
Three-of-a- Kinds.

160. In the Year of the Dragon, St. Georges are defeated by Dragons.

161. If there's good news on the front page of the local paper, half the pot
will be given to the winner and the rest will be divided between any player
who had a flush.

162. If a nationally covered trial is under way, every player is required to

tell other players if they undervalued their hand.

163. If alliteration appears in the game room, 2s & 3s equal 2.5, 4s & 5s
equal 4.5 and 6s and 7s equal 6.5.

164. At Sunrise, the value order of the cards is Hearts and Diamonds. All
other cards are blank. At Sunset, the value order of the cards is Spades and
Clubs. All other cards are blank.

165. If a player arrives late, the sequence of cards will reverse every seven
hands instead of every five.
 166. If a player claims or is determined to be supernatural creature by other
players, they are banned from using face cards.

167. If all players are wearing costumes, each can change the identity of one
of their cards once during the session.

168. If the facilities are made of brick, one player during a session may be
forced to fold once and one may be barred from folding once.

169. If there is turntable in the room, the players' betting units will
rotate at an interval of hands equal to the the number of players until each
has their original holdings.

170. If any player is wearing clothes with a tear in them, the order of cards
inverts from the center (e.g. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 8, D, U, E, 10, 9).

171. A player wearing glasses is forbidden from using 4s or hands that

utilize Four-of-a-Kinds.

172. A player with more than 12.5% Irish ancestry can win with clubs over an
otherwise equal hand. Other players may rightfully demand proof.

173. If two or more players go for the same seat at the start of the session,
Spades are demoted to Diamonds.

174. If the dealer has an odd number of teeth, the order in which hole and
face cards are dealt is reversed.

175. If the game table is round, the game must be played on the floor.

176. If the game session is held in facilities that have pillars anywhere on
the premises, 9s become 4s.

177. If two or more players make physical contact, they must play the next
hand against each other without any other players.

178. If more than ten buttons are present, the value of the cards is based on
the number of suit symbols on the card (e.g. Ogres become 2s, 8s become 10s,
etc.).

179. If the players spot a UFO, all face cards are equal.

180. A player with two different colored eyes may call a straight a straight
flush if every suit is represented.

181. A player with facial hair may not use St. Georges.

182. If the lawn outside needs mowing, Spades are high. If Spades are already
the most valued suit, each Spade is worth double.

183. If the game is held below sea level, only Diamonds are in play every
eight hands.

184. If there is fresh fruit in the facilities, the deck must be cut by every
player.

185. If a phone rings, Hearts are dead and blank for the remainder of the
hand.

186. If a player gets cut and stops the bleeding within 60 seconds, they may
only use black cards. If a player gets cut and fails to stop the bleeding
within 60 seconds, they may not use hearts.

187. If the session starts during the day and continues into the night, the
rules reset.

188. A floral table cloth means the players must play Australian rules Dragon
Poker.
 189. If any player is wearing pins, the value of Full House, Full Belly and
Full Dragon hands reverse order.

190. Military personnel can use St. Georges as high cards.

191. If the table has ring stains, 6s, 8s, 9s, 10s, Ogres and Dragons are
dead and blank every time dealing duties return to the original dealer.

192. During the Witching Hour, every player plays with all hole cards.

193. Every time the light flickers, the dealing and betting order reverses.

194. If there is an aquarium in the game room, Three Pair is the winning
hand.

195. During the high tide, every player must raise during betting.

196. If a bug walks across the table, every player takes their middle card(s)
and gives them to the player three spaces down.

197. If the building has old-fashioned locks, 5s are wild.

198. If the pot exceeds $500,000, the player have the option to eliminate
half the rules.

199. After a rainstorm, Straights and Straight Flushes are invalid.

200. Fraying carpet means dealing and betting alternates every other player
(starting with the dealer), until everyone is done.

201 If two players share a birthday and there is a difference in age, they
must each draw 6 cards at the beginning in the session. Whoever has
the best hand may veto one action of the other player once during the
session.
 202. On the last day if the month, only three players may play at a time.

203. Every twelve hands, the order of the suits is the order they appear in
the up cards.

204. If there's a maple tree in the front yard, no one may raise if the first
up card is a Spade.

205. If a player's age is equal to or less than the highest value card by
number, they may not bet cash.

206. If the first up card of every player is upside down, no one may raise.

207. If the window panes form a cross, the deck shall not be shuffled on the
first day of odd number week (by year). Instead, the cards will be gathered
up and dealt to players in a different order every time until all possible
options are exhausted.

208. If any player wears a short shirt in winter, the low card and the high
card switch places.

209. In the event of flooding, the value of the cards of the two lowest suits
will increase by one every hand until either the flooding stops or the
players are forced to moved to higher ground.

210. If there is a genuine filibuster in the senate, the session may not end
until the filibuster ends.

211. If two different styles of chairs are used, the odd numbered cards will
trade places with the immediate lower even card.

212. If the road outside is not paved, the sequence of the cards shifts three
places to the right.

213. If there is glitter on the floor, Diamonds are high.

 214. If there is a red sky at night, shuffling will be done by taking the top
and bottom cards from the deck and placed at the bottom of the new deck
(This does not need to be exact).

215. If a player drinks from the wrong glass for the beverage, he or she
deals every third hand.

216. If a procession goes by, betting ceases until the road is clear.

217. If a player uses ice in their drink, the session must end before it all
melts or the winnings are void.

218. If the ceiling is slanted is, 6s or 7s are wild, depending on whether

Dragons are high or low.

219. The presence of pinstripes means Spades & Diamonds and Hearts & Clubs
are the same suits.

220. During Midterms or Finals Week, the game should be held in a place of
study out of respect.

221. During harvest time, players will take half their bets back from the pot
before the winner takes the rest.

222. A player who wins seven hands in a row must play the next hand blind.

223. When the Dragon sings, players must switch seats by moving to the right
every hand until the get back to their original seats.

224. On days when Good Friday falls on Friday the 13th, the card with value
equal to number of players shall be dead and played as blank.

225. If the game is played on the eclipse every other player must play only
red cards. The rest must use only black cards.
 226. On the day of the Buick Open, Clubs are dead and blank.

227. On days with horse races, 3 Ogres or Elves equal a Unicorn.

228. If the Detroit Lions play in the Superbowl, all face cards are wild. If
the Detroit Lions win the Superbowl, all non-face cards are wild.

229. On alternate Thursdays, Clubs are the high suit.

230. If a card from another game is successfully snuck in after the session
has begun and one round played, the card is valid and must be used in the
manner intended by the original game.

231. If there is a rainbow in the sky, Flushes and Straight Flushes are
invalid.

232. On St. George's Day, St. Georges can only form pairs with Unicorns.

233. If anyone makes a pun, St. Georges cease to be wild.

234. If there is a wobbly chair leg, the low card is dead and blank.

235. If played on a even-numbered parallel line, once during the session one
player may make the value of their card numbers equal to that of another.

236. If played in the Southern Hemisphere, the opposite and reverse of every
conditional modifier instruction should be followed.

237. If the backs of the cards are not blue, the dealer plays with two extra hole
cards.

238. If the wood paneling is painted, card values with angles reverse order.
239. If there is a surge protector in the room, the pot must be divisible by the
number of players times two.

240. If a player has an upturned or hooked nose, they deal third, but bet second.

241. If a baby cries, the cards must be return to the deck immediately and all
winnings must return to their original holders. The session begins again.

∞. If a player devises a new conditional modifier, they should bring it

before their group. If met with approval, it shall be added to the list and
stand as official for all time.

As was stated above, this is the entirety of the known conditional modifiers.
However, our researcher are ever-hard at work looking for lost modifiers. As they
find them, we will share them.

VII. Special Circumstances

New Players- If a new player is added to the table who is determined to be a pretty
cool dude/chick who would let you crash on their couch, the more knowledgeable
player must teach them fairly and treat them leniency while they learn the game.

If a new player is added to the table who is determined to be a total asshole/bitch

who deserves to lose their money, the more knowledgeable players may elect to
deliberately confuse, cheat and bear false witness about conditional modifiers to
the new player, provided that any and all winnings are donated to charity (We
recommend Gamblers' Anonymous). Failure to do so automatically qualifies players
for retribution via this rule.

Pinch Hitters- Any player may attempt to talk a pinch hitter to play for them,
provided the newbie has never played before. If every player successfully convince
people to play for them, a round of drinks will be bought for them from the
winnings and their pictures will be placed on the wall of heroes.
Anti-drinking Advocates- Should anyone not in the group complain about drinking, at
the end of the night, all players will leave any empty bottle in front of the
complainers door.

Lying- If a player's significant other asking if said player is there or where they
are, a small bribe from the player must be donated to every member of the group in
exchange for their silence.

Blogs- A record of the session must be made for posterity if any player has a blog.

Insults and Disagreements- If a player feels their honor, intelligence, strength,

sexual prowess, etc. has been slighted, they may challenge the offending party to a
gentlemen's/ladies' duel. The duel can be whatever (the challenged's choice), but
the winner can declare that either the odds, evens, or two suits in the loser's
hand be blank for the rest of the hand.

Conditional Modifiers- If, in one session, the players successfully bring every
conditional modifier into play, they all win. It should go without saying that
their pictures will be placed on the Wall of Heroes.

Conclusion

If you have read this guide in its entirety, then you know as much about the game
play of Dragon Poker as any living being. We can no longer help you. We wish you
the best of luck and hope you spend several hours enjoying this new game.

Acknowledgments

Though it seems rather arrogant list the creator of the game as just as an
“acknowledgment”, credit does need to go Robert Asprin for inventing the game.
Without him none of this would be possible.

Next, I would like to thank the other people who wrote about the game. They made it
a lot easier to write this manual. I think I read every article written on the
game, but I drew from ftp://ftp.spsl.nsc.ru/pub/text/asprin.r/dp.html, which seems
to be the originator of all other webpages.
I also referenced the Osric University's Dragon Poker Club. Though it may seem like
I was mocking them, I loved their page and wished we had gotten the opportunity to
play together.

I liked to thank Hoyle's Rules of Games, which I'm sure I borrowed from someone and
never returned. I used it an inspiration for the organization and style of this
guide.

Finally, I would like to give some more personal thanks:

Janet Parker, the first person I ever conned into playing Dragon Poker with me and
who, years later, helped me with some of the modifiers.

Leah Hughey, although she probably doesn't remember it, who made me invent some
modifiers on the spot when I explained the game to her.

David Crouse, who agreed to help me beta test the game.

Legal

Dragon Poker was the original idea of the late Robert Asprin. In all likelihood,
though I don't know for sure, the rights have passed to his co-writer, Jody Lynn
Nye. In any case, the game does not belong to me (except for the modifiers 0
through 2 and 18 through ∞. This is strictly a fan effort; no copyright
infringement is intended.

This is an open source game, available for use by everybody. No money will ever be
accepted for these rules. You are free to reproduce this guidebook in its entirety
as you wish, but I ask you acknowledge me as the source.

If you would like to add a conditional modifier, feel free to contact me at the
email address below. If I use it, I will of course give you credit. I would also
love to hear about any games you've played.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact me at:
theshadowedsaint@yahoo.com

These references typically include incomplete conditional modifiers. In the

whole of his work, he provides a complete modifier but once.

Like Aces, Dragons may be low or high.

When they are not wild, they are dead and will be played as if blank.

The oldest known document that refers to Dragon Poker only referenced the hand
and for years, no one knew the details of the hand. However, after years of
research, scholars rediscovered the hand.

To help on this end, many players look at other modifiers for precedent.