Puger

Puger or PU-GER is a card game that can be played by a maximum of four players. Standard games usually involve two players. It is also very similar to other Card games like "President" or "Seven Card Draw poker".

History

It is believed that the actual game was developed in Sweden, in East Germany or in the Czech Republic. While Puger mainly is played in the southwestern parts of Sweden, variants can be found in the locations mentioned above.

The Rules

A standard 52-card deck is used. The sixteen faced cards and the 36 non-faced cards are shuffled and sorted into two pools. Thereafter five non-faced cards and two faced cards are given to each player. The dealer of the non-faced cards guesses the color of the top card of either pool. If right, he opens the board by dealing one of his cards. If wrong, the player to the right of him begins. The card is later put in the bottom of the pool. If no cards are at play, the player who is in turn must put a card on the board and immediately pick a corresponding card up.

Example

* If a player puts a faced card into play he has to pick up a faced card from the faced card pool. Same goes for the non-faced cards.

This should result in the player constantly holding seven cards on hand. Five non-faced and two faced, provided there are cards left in the corresponding pool. The other player can only put a higher card of the same suit or a faced card of the same color (red, black) with equal or higher value. Next, the player to right of the dealer tries to counter the dealt cards. If he does not want to or can not deal a card, he checks. The dealing continues until only one player remains. He then puts the dealt cards to his pot and is allowed to deal the next card. If there are no cards left in both pools the player can put the held cards to his pot to avoid Fishing and start count his points.

The players count their points. For every non-faced card the number on the card counts. Every faced card adds 10 points except aces, which are counted as one point each. Max points 340. Most points wins.

Special Rules

Mexican Double-Unc

When a faced card is the only card in play, and any other player deals the same card in the same color and the other players check or already have checked, the two top cards from the initial dealer's pot are taken to the pot of the owner of the last dealt card. If there are no cards in the pot, no cards are taken.

Example

* Pete, Larry and Bob play. Pete deals the King of Hearts and it is the only card in play (for example if he won the previous deal). Larry checks. Bob deals the King of Diamonds. Pete checks (Larry already checked). As a result Bob takes the top two cards from Petes pot.

Cuban Double-Unc

This rule is derived from the standard Mexican double-unc. If ace is dealt the losing player has to give the higher half of his pot to the player who countered it with the other Ace of the same color.

The Golden Two Trumphe

A non-faced "2" card of any color can be put on any non-faced card. The card is later treated as a normal non-faced "2" by the other players. Consequently, they need to put a higher card of the same suit in order to counter it.

Tactics

Fishing

The player has a high-ranking card. He deals a very low card and waits for the other players to put higher cards. Finally, he puts his high card into play.

Probing

A mid-ranking card is played to force the other players to deal higher cards. This resulting in them losing important cards. The player now can play an entire suit provided he has a card of higher value than the one that initially was dealt by him.

Marginalization

The main goal of each Puger player. Marginalization is a phenomenon which occurs if the other player does not have cards of a certain flush.