Seka

Full rules

1. Overview
2. The cards
3. Hand value
4. Betting in short
5. Setup and deal
6. The betting
7. Svara (a tie)
8. Playing dark
9. Winning the game
10. Tips for beginners
11. Variants

Overview

Seka is a betting game from the former Soviet Union. Everyone gets just three cards and bets chips on having the highest hand value – or on making the others believe it. A hand is counted a little like in Schwimmen (31): you add up the cards of one suit. The chips go into a shared pot. You win it if everyone else gives up, or if you show down against the last opponent and have more points. If both have the same, there is a svara – a replay for the same pot.

• Players: 2–8; best with 4–6, each for themselves.
• You need: one standard 52-card deck and chips (or counters, matches) – the same amount for everyone, e.g. 100 each. You play for chips, not money.

The cards

Take out the 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s and the jokers. You play with the remaining 36 cards: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 of each suit.

The cards are worth these points:

The 7♣ is the wild card, called shakha: it can stand for any card you like (see below).

Hand value

Your hand is worth the highest of these counts:

• One suit: add up the cards you hold in the same suit. A single card counts on its own.
• Three of a kind: three cards of the same rank count together, even though they are of different suits – 9-9-9 is worth 27, A-A-A 33.
• Two Aces: any two Aces are worth 22, whatever the suits.

The wild 7♣ counts as 11 points of any suit, or as the missing card of three of a kind. The best hand of all is 33: three Aces, or two Aces and the 7♣.

Examples: - K♠ 9♠ 7♥ – the spades make 10 + 9 = 19. - A♦ 10♦ K♦ – all diamonds: 11 + 10 + 10 = 31. - Q♥ 8♣ 6♠ – three different suits, so only the best card counts: 10. - 6♥ 6♠ 6♦ – three of a kind: 18. - A♠ A♥ 9♣ – two Aces: 22. - 10♥ 9♥ 7♣ – the wild 7♣ joins the hearts: 10 + 9 + 11 = 30. - 8♦ 8♠ 7♣ – the 7♣ makes a third 8: 24 (as a diamond it would only give 8 + 11 = 19).

Betting in short

• Ante: before each deal everyone puts an agreed stake (e.g. 1 chip) into the pot.
• Bet: to stay in, put chips into the pot – at least as much as the previous player's last bet, and at most an agreed maximum.
• Raise: bet more than the previous player; everyone after you must now pay at least that much to stay in.
• Fold: give up – put your cards face down on the pack. You lose what you have put in.
• Open: only possible when two players are left – pay the same as the other player's last bet, and both show their cards.

As in Three-Card Brag, bets are never "evened out": each turn you pay a fresh amount, at least as big as the previous player's. Agree on the ante and the maximum bet before playing (e.g. ante 1, bets up to 10).

Setup and deal

Choose a dealer; the deal passes to the left after each hand, and play goes clockwise. Everyone puts in the ante. The dealer shuffles and deals three cards to each player, face down, one at a time. Look at your cards without showing them – unless you want to play dark (see below).

The betting

1. The player to the dealer's left starts: bet (any amount from 1 chip up to the agreed maximum) or fold.
2. Going clockwise, each player in turn must fold or bet at least as much as the previous bet. The betting goes round the table as often as needed.
3. If everyone but one has folded, that player wins the pot without showing their cards. That is why bluffing – betting big on a weak hand – is part of the game.
4. When only two players are left, either may, on their turn, say "I open" and pay as much as the other's last bet. Both show their cards, and the higher hand value wins the pot.

Example: Anna, Ben, Carla and Dan each ante 1 chip. Ben bets 2, Carla folds, Dan bets 3, Anna folds. Ben bets 3 again to stay in. Dan pays 3 and says "I open". Ben shows A♥ Q♥ 6♣ (21), Dan shows 10♠ 9♠ 8♠ (27). Dan wins the pot: 4 antes + 5 from Ben + 6 from Dan = 15 chips.

If you can't afford the bet you need, you must fold.

Svara (a tie)

If the two hands have the same value, nobody wins yet: this is a svara. The pot stays on the table, the two tied players get three new cards each, and they play again for it – with a new round of betting, which adds to the pot. Repeat until someone wins.

The players who had folded may join the svara by paying half the pot. Instead of replaying, the tied players may also agree to share the pot.

Playing dark

The player to the dealer's left may play dark: put in a bet without looking at the cards. Everyone after them must then bet at least twice the dark bet to stay in. Once it is the dark player's turn again, they may look and carry on as a normal player.

Winning the game

Seka has no natural end. Play until an agreed time; then the player with the most chips wins – or until one player has all the chips.

Tips for beginners

• Know the numbers. 31 or more is a very strong hand, 25–30 is good, under 20 is weak. With 8 or more players, expect higher hands.
• Bluff now and then – but a bluff only works while several players are still betting; against the last opponent, they can simply open.
• Two Aces are good but not great: 22 beats every two-card suit (at most 21), but loses to three cards of one suit worth more, or to three 8s or better.
• Think before joining a svara. Half the pot is a lot to pay for three unknown cards.
• Keep bets modest. The betting can go round many times, so the pot grows fast.

Variants

All optional – agree on them before playing.

• Black Sevens: both the 7♣ and the 7♠ are wild – according to the Russian Wikipedia the usual choice. Some tables play with four wild cards, or with none at all.
• Two cards (dva lista): everyone gets only two cards.
• Trynka: popular in Crimea and southern Russia. The Kings, Queens and Jacks are taken out, so you play with 24 cards (A, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6).
• Opening with more players: at some tables you may open against the previous player at any time, not only when two are left. The weaker hand drops out and the betting goes on; with equal values the player who opened drops out.