How to play classic Sabacc
The game of Lando Calrissian and Han Solo, played by the classic Legends rules. Build a hand as close to +23 or −23 as you can, but the cards are electronic, and a Sabacc Shift can change them at any moment. Lock the cards you want to keep in the interference field.
At a glance
| Starting credits | 10,000 each, four opponents |
|---|---|
| Antes | 100 to the hand pot and 100 to the Sabacc pot, every hand |
| Betting | No limit. Opening bets and raises are at least 100 credits |
| Sabacc Shift | Doubles on two dice, after every round and once more after a call |
| Bombing out | A total above +23, below −23, or exactly 0 |
The deck
76 cards. Four suits (Coins, Flasks, Sabers and Staves) each run from 1 to 11, then Commander (12), Mistress (13), Master (14) and Ace (15). There are two of each of the eight face cards:
- The Idiot
- 0
- Queen of Air and Darkness
- −2
- Endurance
- −8
- Balance
- −11
- Demise
- −13
- Moderation
- −14
- The Evil One
- −15
- The Star
- −17
Winning hands, best first
- Idiot's Array: The Idiot, a 2 and a 3, in any suits. It beats everything, even with other cards in the hand.
- Pure Sabacc: exactly +23, then exactly −23.
- Every other hand, by distance from zero. At the same distance positive wins, so +21 beats −21, which beats +20.
A total above +23, below −23, or exactly 0 bombs out when it's revealed. Until then you can still fix it.
A hand
- Everyone who can pay both antes (200 credits) is dealt in. The dealer button moves one seat each hand, and play starts on the dealer's left.
- Everyone is dealt 2 cards.
- Betting. Check, bet, match, raise or fold. No limit: you can go all-in at any time. A folded player's stake stays in the pot.
- Drawing. Gain a card, trade one for a new card (the discard leaves play), or stand. You always keep at least 2 cards. On the same turn you can lock one card face-down in the interference field. Locked cards still count, can't be traded, and are safe from shifts.
- The Sabacc Shift. The dice are rolled with no warning. On doubles, every card outside the interference field, in every hand, turns into a random new card.
- Calling. From the end of the first round, players may call the hand, but never on their own turn. If nobody calls, a new round of betting begins. After 10 rounds the hand is called automatically.
- After a call the dice roll once more, then every hand is revealed.
Payouts and penalties
- The best hand that didn't bomb out wins the hand pot.
- An Idiot's Array or a Pure Sabacc also wins the Sabacc pot. Otherwise the Sabacc pot keeps growing from hand to hand.
- Every hand that bombs out pays a penalty equal to the hand pot into the Sabacc pot.
- A player who calls the hand and doesn't win pays the same penalty.
- Sudden demise breaks ties: each tied player gets an extra card, up to two, and the best hand wins. A tie that's still standing splits the pot.
- Players who are all-in can win only the part of the pot they matched (side pots).
- If every hand bombs out, the hand pot goes into the Sabacc pot. If everyone else folds, the last player takes the hand pot without a reveal.
Playing with friends
Choose Play with friends to open a private table and share its link. Up to 5 people can play, and droids fill the empty seats. The table's host deals the first hand; after that a new hand starts on its own.
- You have 45 seconds for each decision. If time runs out, you check when you can, otherwise you fold, stand or let play continue.
- If you lose your connection, your seat waits 30 seconds, then a droid plays it until you're back.
- When the table is full, visitors can watch without seeing anyone's cards.