Diamondback (game)

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Diamondback is a card game created by Canadian author/illustrator Dave Sim in his 6000-page graphic novel Cerebus the Aardvark. It is a gambling game for 2, 3 or 4 players and uses a special deck of cards. Limited quantities of the Diamondback Deck were published by Aardvark-Vanaheim press in 1981.

[edit] The Deck

A single Diamondback Deck consists of 15 cards in 5 different ranks. Lower ranking cards are more plentiful than those of higher ranks. The quantity of each card, ranked from highest to lowest, is as follows:

  • 1 Magician
  • 2 Priestesses
  • 3 Queens
  • 4 Kings
  • 5 Priests

A single Diamondback Deck is used in the 2-player game. When 3 play, a 29-card deck is formed by combining 2 single decks and removing one of the Magicians. For 4 players, 3 single decks are combined and two Magicians are removed for a total of 43 cards.

[edit] The Game

Players draw cards to determine who will be the first dealer. High card deals first. Sequence of play is as follows:

  • The deal: Dealer deals two cards face down to each player. Players may examine their cards.
  • The opening bet: Dealer makes the first bet. Each player must either match this bet or fold. All remaining players then reveal one of their cards with dealer revealing last.
  • Additional bets: Dealer initiates a new round of betting and each player must choose whether to match or fold. Dealer may then bet again, calling for remaining players to match or fold again. No one may raise the bet other than the dealer. This continues until all the players have folded, in which case the dealer wins, or until the dealer has stopped the betting, in which case the second card of all remaining players is revealed.
  • Winning: Best hand wins the pot. In cases where all players are tied for best, the pot is carried over to the next hand. If there are three or four players, and two players have the same best hand, the pot is divided among those players.

[edit] The Hands

These are the 14 possible 2-card combinations in Diamondback, ranked from highest to lowest:

  • Magician-Priestess - 70 points
  • Priestess-Priestess - 65 points
  • Magician-Queen - 60 points
  • Magician-King - 55 points
  • Priestess-King - 50 points
  • Priestess-Queen - 45 points
  • Priestess-Priest - 40 points
  • Queen-King - 35 points
  • Magician-Priest - 30 points
  • Queen-Queen - 25 points
  • King-King - 20 points
  • Queen-Priest - 15 points
  • King-Priest - 10 points
  • Priest-Priest - 5 points

The point values are simply for reference and have no actual bearing on the game of Diamondback. Also note that the chance of being dealt a higher-ranking hand is not always less than the chance of being dealt a lower-ranking hand (as in poker).

[edit] Variations

[edit] Dealer's Diamondback

Dealer sets an ante prior to the deal to be matched by each player in order to play. Additionally, players must double the dealer's bets in order to stay in the game. The winner becomes the next dealer.

[edit] Match Diamondback

A game continues until a majority of players agree to end it. Any player leaving before a game is officially ended forfeits all winnings into the pot.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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