Polish Poker (2 player card game)

Objective: The objective of Polish Poker is to have the lowest total value of cards in your hand at the end of the game.

Adaptation for 2 Players: Polish Poker is traditionally played with more players, but it can be adapted for two players by modifying the rules to suit the smaller player count.

Setup:

1. Use a standard 52-card deck.
2. Shuffle the deck thoroughly and deal 10 cards to each player, one card at a time.
3. Place the remaining cards face down in the center of the table to form the draw pile.

Scoring: In Polish Poker, scoring is based on the rank of the cards in each player’s hand. The scoring system is as follows:

• Aces are worth 1 point.
• Number cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value.
• Jacks, Queens, and Kings are worth 10 points each.
• Jokers are considered wild cards and have a value of 0 points.
• The total value of a player’s hand is the sum of the values of all the cards in their hand.

Gameplay:

1. Starting the Game:
   • Decide who will go first. This can be done by any agreed-upon method, such as flipping a coin or drawing cards.
2. Taking Turns:
   • Player 1 goes first and takes their turn.
   • Player 2 follows, and the players continue taking turns until the end of the game.
3. Taking Cards:
   • On their turn, a player has two options:
     1. Draw a card from the draw pile.
     2. Take the top card from the discard pile.
   • After taking a card, the player must discard one card from their hand onto the discard pile.
4. Ending the Game:
   • The game ends when one player has no cards left in their hand.
5. Scoring:
   • Once the game ends, each player calculates the total value of the cards remaining in their hand.
   • The player with the lowest total value wins the game.
   • If a player has a joker in their hand, it can be used as a wild card to substitute for any other card to achieve a lower score.

Differentiating Turns:

• Player 1’s Turn: Player 1 starts the game and takes the first turn.
• Player 2’s Turn: After Player 1’s turn, it becomes Player 2’s turn to take their action.

Summary: In Polish Poker, players aim to strategically manage their hand by drawing and discarding cards to achieve the lowest total value. Adapted for 2 players, the game retains its core mechanics of hand management and scoring while offering an engaging experience for two players. With simple rules and straightforward gameplay, Polish Poker is an enjoyable 2 player card game that can be played in a relatively short amount of time.