Big Two

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The Big Two, when used in the context of American comic books, refers to the two dominant American comic book publishers, Marvel Comics and DC Comics. In relation to the Big Two American nonalcoholic beverage manufacturers, it refers to the Coca-Cola and Pepsi companies.

The card game Big Two (Chinese: 大二; pinyin: dà èr; Cantonese: 鋤大D) is a card game similar to the game of President, Crazy Eights, I Doubt It, Winner, and other shedding games. It is sometimes called "Chinese poker" because of its Chinese origin and its use of poker hands, though there is actually a different game by that name; see the Chinese poker article.

This card game has many names, including Big Deuce, Deuces (Names used mainly in Australia and USA), Da Lao Er (Mandarin Chinese), Choh Dai Di, Dai Di (both Cantonese), Bu Bu Gao Sheng (Name used in Taiwan) and Pusoy Dos (a variant of the game).

The game is very popular in East Asia, where it originated, especially Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. It is played both casually and as a gambling game. It is usually played with two to four players, the entire deck being dealt out in either case (or sometimes with only 13 cards per player). The object of the game is to be the first to get rid of all of your cards.

Contents

[edit] Rules

Note: Like many other popular card games, there are a wealth of variations to these rules. Rules with variations are noted.

[edit] Cards

The game uses a standard 52-card deck, with thirteen cards in four suits. Spades is the highest suit, followed by ♥, then clubs, then diamonds (var. 6). As the name of the game indicates, barring several exceptions (var. 3), twos rank high, and the rest of the deck ranks as usual: aces above kings, kings above queens, and so on, with threes being the lowest.

[edit] Valid Combinations

Cards may be played as singles or in groups of two, three, or five (var. 1 and 8), in combinations which resemble poker hands. The leading card to a trick sets down the number of cards to be played; all the cards of a trick must contain the same number of cards. The combinations and their rankings are as follows.

  • Single cards: Any card from the deck, ordered by rank with suit being the tie-breaker. (For instance, spade ace beats diamond ace, which beats spade king.)
  • Pairs: Any two cards of matching rank, ordered as with singular cards by the card of the higher suit. (A pair consisting of the king of spades and clubs beats a pair consisting of heart king and diamond king.)
  • Three of a kind: Any three cards of matching rank, ordered by rank, twos rank high, as usual.
  • 5-card hand: There are four (var. 2) different valid 5-card hands, ranking, from low to high, as follows:
  • Straight: Any 5 cards in a sequence (but not all of the same suit). Rank is determined by the last card, counting up. Therefore, the lowest straight is A-2-3-4-5 and the highest is 10-J-Q-K-A. Suit of the highest card is a tie-breaker. Note: The ace can only be used to start or end a straight. A combination of K-A-2 would be illegal.
  • Flush: Any 5 cards of the same suit (but not in sequence). Ranked by suits, with rank of the high card a tie-breaker. ♠3-4-5-6-8 flush can beat a ♥A-K-Q-10-8 flush (var. 4).
  • Full House: a composite of a three-of-a-kind combination and a pair. Rank is determined by the value the triple, regardless of the value of the pair.
  • Four of a kind + One card (nicknamed King Kong or Bomb): Any set of 4 cards of the same rank, plus any 5th card. (A 4 of a kind cannot be played unless it is played as a 5-card hand) Rank is determined by the value of the 4 card set, regardless of the value of the 5th card.
  • Straight Flush: A composite of the straight and flush: five cards in sequence in the same suit. Ranked the same as straights, suit being a tie-breaker. The highest possible straight flush is referred to as a Royal Flush, which is a composite of A-K-Q-J-10 with the same suit.

A higher type of 5-card combination can beat any lower type, so 3-3-3-3-5 ranks higher than 2-2-2-A-A.

[edit] Dealing and Playing

The dealer (who may be chosen by cutting the cards, as usual) shuffles the deck to begin with and begins dealing out the cards singly, starting with the person of his right, in a counter-clockwise manner around the table. The cards are dealt out among the players as far as they can go while retaining an equal number of cards for each player. Leftover cards (not possible if there are 4 players) are then given to the player holding the 3♦. If this card is in the kitty, then the holder of the next lowest card adds them to his pile (var. 5).

At the beginning of each game, the player with the 3 of diamonds (var. 6 and 9) starts by either playing it singly or as part of a combination, leading to the first trick. Play proceeds counter-clockwise, with normal climbing-game rules applying: each player must play a higher card or combination than the one before, with the same number of cards. Players may also pass, thus declaring that he does not want to play (or does not hold the necessary cards to make a play possible). A pass does not hinder any further play in the game, each being independent, referred to as jumping-back. (var. 7).

When all but one of the players have passed in succession the trick is over, and the cards are gathered up and a new trick is started by the last player to play. When a player plays the 2 of spades either as a singleton or as part of a pair of 2s, it is often customary for that player to re-start play immediately by leading a new card or combination, since the 2 of spades cannot be beaten whether as a singleton or as part of a pair of 2s, and the passes are mere formalities.

It is often courteaous for a player to warn others when he/she is one playing combination away from winning. The goal is then, for the other players to play (and get rid of) as many cards as possible while avoiding the combination that would allow the calling player to win the game. For example, if the said player has one last single card, the other players would play doubles or other combinations to force him/her to pass.

The game continues until one player runs out of cards. He is then declared victorious, and wins the game.

[edit] Immediate Win

In 4-player game, when a player is dealt 13-card straight (A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2, which is called a "Dragon", and they need not be of the same suit), the player is deemed to have won the game immediately (var. 12). The scoring will be done as if the player has cleared all his cards while the opponents are still holding 13 cards each. Thus if the triple for 13 cards rule is enforced (see Scoring), the winner will have won the highest possible 3x3x13 = 117 points. These rules may be voided for it is not widely accepted.

[edit] Reshuffling

If a player receives a hand with only 3 points or less, he may declare his cards, and the cards shall be reshuffled and dealt again. Point counting rules: J=1, Q=2, K=3, A=4, 2=5, others=0. This pointing counting rules may vary from place to place, or may be voided. A variation states that a player holding a hand with no cards with faces on them (namely Jacks, Queens, and Kings) may request a reshuffle.

[edit] Scoring

Scoring varies from place to place. The most common version is that after a game each player with cards remaining scores -1 point for each, unless they have 10 or more remaining, in which they score -2 for each. If they didn't get to play any cards at all, they score -3 for each. Then the winner of the hand scores +1 for every -1 his opponents got. (So, for example, if North won, and East, West, and South respectively still had 3, 11, and 8 cards left, East would score -3, West would score -22, South would score -8, and North would score +33.)

Likewise for a 3-player game, a player with 17 cards remaining is deducted triple points. A player with more than 11 cards and less than 17 cards remaining is deducted double points.

An alternative scoring method to deduct one point per remaining card, then double the count for each unused #2 card.

[edit] Penalty for assistant

If a Player B won a game by playing one card (the case of more than one card is excluded) after Player A has played his or hers and Player A could have prevented this from happening by playing a higher card, he is deemed to have assisted Player B.

There are several ways to penalize Player A. The most common way is Player A be deducted the total points that the other 2 losers have lost on top of his own so that the other two lose no point.

This rule can vary between styles of play. If the scoring system is by ranks (e.g. who finishes first, second, third or last), then this rule doesn't apply!

[edit] Variations

  1. Some allow Quad: Any four cards of matching rank, ordered by rank, twos rank high, as usual.
  2. Some allow four-card combinations (two pairs or four cards alone, without an odd card). Four of a kind beats two pairs (this rule is extremely rare)
  3. Some allow a sixth five-card combination called "two pair-junk" or "Butterfly", consisting of two pairs (of different ranks) and one odd card ("junk"); Rank is determined by the highest pair. This combination ranks below the straight.
    Or it can be more specific, known as sisters, where two consecutive pairs are played, with any random card. This combo is lower than a straight, making it the weakest 5 card combo in the game, if it is played. An example of sisters is double Jack, double Queen and a single Nine. This would be beaten by a double King, double Ace and a three (only the 'sisters' count, not the random card.)
    3-K-K-A-A > 9-J-J-Q-Q (tie-breaker rules vary)
  4. There are many variations on ranking straights, suit of last card is tie-breaker unless otherwise stated.
    • 3-4-5-6-7 < ... < 10-J-Q-K-A < A-2-3-4-5 = 2-3-4-5-6 (Suit of 2 is tie-breaker) (Malaysian & Singaporean variant)
    • 3-4-5-6-7 < ... < 10-J-Q-K-A < J-Q-K-A-2 (Vietnamese variant)
    • 3-4-5-6-7 < ... < 10-J-Q-K-A < 2-3-4-5-6 (Suit of 2 is tie-breaker) < J-Q-K-A-2
    • 2-3-4-5-6 < 3-4-5-6-7 < ... < 9-10-J-Q-K < 10-J-Q-K-A < A-2-3-4-5 (Suit of A is tie-breaker)
    • 2-3-4-5-6 < 3-4-5-6-7 < ... < 9-10-J-Q-K < A-2-3-4-5 (Suit of A is tie-breaker) < 10-J-Q-K-A
    • 3-4-5-6-7 < ... < 10-J-Q-K-A
  5. Some rank flushes by highest card, A-6-5-4-3 of diamonds defeating K-Q-J-10-8 in spades.
    Others rank flushes by poker rules: suits are irrelevant, except as a last resort tie-breaker. The highest cards are compared, then second-highest, and so on. A-Q-J-10-9 in clubs beats A-Q-J-10-8 in spades.
  6. Some discard the extra cards. Some play that the lowest cards are consciously removed to avoid having the spade two, the highest card, in the kitty. Yet others give the kitty to the holder of the lowest diamond (not necessarily the lowest card).
    Whereas sometimes in a 3-player game, the extra card is not revealed (or is revealed), and the holder of 3D is given a chance to make a decision to or not to trade his/her 3D for the extra card. If he/she does, the starting player will be 3C holder, or the previous winner depending on the rules.
  7. Some switch diamonds and clubs, to conform to contract bridge tradition, and play begins with the three of clubs. Another variation rearranges the suit ranks from (lowest to highest) clubs, diamonds, spades, hearts. Another variation of suit ranks is (lowest to highest) clubs, spades, hearts, diamonds.
  8. A variant to discourage passing disallows a player from playing any further cards to a trick after he passes.
  9. A rare variation involves a 3-player game, where each is dealt 17 cards. A "Dragon" consists of 13 cards in straight (A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2), is considered a valid combination and may be played once the player has gained control of the game. Suit of 2 is tie-breaker.
  10. In tournaments, this is only true for the first round. In subsequent rounds, the winner of the previous round plays first.
  11. If only two players are available, deal 13 cards each and play as normal. When one player passes he is forced to pick up one card from the remaining deck and add it to his hand. This variation is taken from the card game Go Fish.
  12. If three people are playing, deal four 13-card hands as if a fourth players were present. The hand to receive the last card that would normally become the dealer's now becomes the "ghost hand". No one plays the ghost hand and its cards are not shown, play continues as normal. This is advantageous for curbing card counting.
  13. In some places, owning 4 Twos is also a condition for Immediate Win. Some play Immediate Win rule in 3-player game too. There are more cards involved, the chance of occurring and points transfer is therefore very high. On the contrary, some variations said that it's an automatic draw when 1 player has all 4 twos, as having all 4 twos gives the player amazing amount of power.
  14. In some rules, four of a kind + one card and straight flush can also be played on a pair or a single card, regardless of value.
  15. Some players rank all poker hand with traditional poker rules, except for the full house 2, which is higher than full house Ace, and you must win a hand exactly, not just by a tiebreaker of suit.

[edit] The game of President using Big Two rules

This is a major variant of President using Big Two rules. The usual rules of Big Two apply, with the following President game features:

  • The first player to clear all his cards becomes the President for the next round. The players next to the new President must follow the President's last play if possible (singleton, pair, three of a kind, 5 cards). If no one can beat the President's last play, the player next to the President gains control and may start a new sequence of his own. Eventually, this will produce the Vice-President, followed by the Vice-Asshole. The last player remaining becomes the Asshole for the next round.
  • The first game proceeds without anyone being President, Vice-President, Vice-Asshole and Asshole.
  • Subsequent games involve the following:
    • President passes his lowest 2 cards to Asshole. Asshole passes his highest 2 cards to President.
    • Vice-President passes his lowest 1 card to Vice-Asshole. Vice-Asshole passes his highest 1 card to Vice-President.

[edit] Team Play

It is possible to play in teams of two with four total players. Each player's teammate is the one opposite of him (i.e. the two players who you are adjacent to are your opponents). Teammates are not allowed to have any communication with each other regarding their cards, preferred combinations or the quality of their hands.

The winning team is determined by the total number of cards held by that team when the one player runs out of card. If one player plays his last card but his teammate has more cards left than the other team's total, his team loses. (Ex: Mike and Dave are on one team against Lionel and Brendan. Mike has 4 cards, Dave has 5, Lionel has 10 and Brendan has 1. Brendan plays his last card but Lionel has 10 cards and Mike and Dave have 9 cards total. By playing his last card Brendan has lost the game for his team.) Any player can ask what the card count is for each team at any point.

If the card count is tied at the end of a game the players proceed to a five card shootout. This is where each player receives 5 cards and the game is played as normal. The lowest card holder starts and the same team grouping is still used. Further ties lead to further five card hands; this determines the final winner of the original game.

[edit] Cheating

Players in collusion in each other have massive advantages over a non-colluding player(s). The basic strategy of colluding players is to preserve the high "control" cards against the non-colluder, and not to waste these cards amongst themselves. Other collusive techniques include signalling techniques (through the played cards, eg. odd/even as in bridge, or non-verbal cues) where the strength of the hand, number of controls, hand type, exact high cards and other features of the hands are transmitted to the partner.

Other cheating methods includes false shuffles and peaking. Cheating, especially collusive techniques, is rampant in online and higher stakes games.

[edit] External links

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