Get as Close as You Can!

The Goal: Try to reach a total of seven and a half with the cards in your hand, without going over.

How Many Players Can Play? 4-6 players

What Kind of Deck Do You Need? You’ll need a special deck with 40 cards (the usual 52-card deck without the 8s, 9s, and 10s).

What Kind of Game Is This? This is a gambling game.

Who Can Play? This game is for adults only.

Welcome to Seven and a Half!

Seven and a half is an exciting Spanish game where you use packs of 40 or 48 cards. The Spanish deck has four suits: coins, sticks, cups, and swords. The deck also has special cards like the jack (worth 10), the horse (worth 11), and the king (worth 12). Usually, people play Seven and a Half with the 40-card deck. In this game, you play against the bank.

What Are the Card Values?

Aces: Worth 1 point each.

2-7: Worth their face value.

Face Cards: Worth 1/2 a point each.

Betting and Dealing

Before we begin the game, we need to decide on the minimum and maximum bets.

I will be the dealer, but I don’t have any special advantage. I will shuffle and cut the cards, and then deal one card face-down to each player, starting to my right. We will each place our bets within the limits we decided on earlier. The deal will go around the table counter-clockwise, so I will end up with the last card. While playing, we must keep our cards a secret.

The Game

When it’s my turn at the card game, I can choose to ask for more cards to improve my card total.

• If I’m happy with my total, I can choose to stay and not receive an extra card. Then it’s the next player’s turn.
• If I want to increase my total, I can ask the dealer for an additional card.
  • If my cards exceed 7.5 points, I’ve gone bust! I must show my cards and lose my bet.
  • If my cards add up to exactly 7.5 points, I must show my hand. My turn ends and I’ll likely win, unless the dealer has a better hand.
  • If my cards are still less than 7.5 points, I can ask for another card. I can keep asking for cards as long as I don’t go bust.

When it comes to playing card games, there is one game that always keeps me on the edge of my seat – 7.5. The rules are simple, but the strategy is anything but predictable.

Here’s how it works: additional cards are dealt face-up to each player, while the initial card remains hidden. As I take my turn, I wonder what cards lie beneath that mysterious face-down card. Will it help me secure a win or leave me teetering on the edge of defeat?

Once all the players have finished their turns, it’s time for the grand reveal. The dealer unveils their hand, and the tension in the air reaches its peak. Will they have a winning hand or will they be left wanting?

But wait, there’s more! The dealer has a chance to improve their hand by taking extra cards. However, they are still in the dark when it comes to the other players’ hidden cards. It’s a double-edged sword for them – a risk that could either elevate their chances of victory or regenerate a response from the other players that could tilt the scales.

Now, let’s talk about what happens when the dust settles and the cards have all been revealed. It’s time to determine the winners and losers.

• If the dealer goes bust, they owe each player who hasn’t gone bust their stake amount plus an additional equal amount. It’s a grand opportunity for those who played their cards right.
• On the other hand, if the dealer manages to stay at 7.5 points or lower, they claim victory over players who have hands of equal or lesser value. Those players with a higher total, though, get paid out their stake amount plus an equal additional amount. It’s a delicate balance that can make or break a player’s fortune.

Finally, we come to the rule that the dealer/banker always wins ties. It adds an extra layer of excitement and unpredictability to the game. Even when the outcome seems uncertain, the dealer has the upper hand.

If a player manages to score 7.5 points, they are declared the winner and get to control the bank in the next round. However, if multiple players achieve 7.5 points in the same round (excluding the dealer), the player closest to the right of the dealer becomes the new bank holder in the following round.

Now, let’s explore some different variations of the game:

Italian Rules:

– Seven and a Half in Two Cards (sette e mezzo d’embleé): If a player is able to score 7.5 points with just two cards, specifically a seven and a face card, they beat those who have multiple cards adding up to 7.5 points. They receive double the amount they initially wagered as their payout. However, if the dealer manages to score 7.5 points with just two cards, they don’t collect double from each player.

– Wild Card: In this version, one picture or face card is designated as the wild card. It can have a value ranging from 1 to 7, or 1/2.

– Pairs of Sevens (sette e mezzo triplé): This variation involves pairs of sevens.

When you have a hand with two 7s and nothing else, it beats all other hands. It’s important to show this hand once you make it. If you have this hand, the banker will pay you triple your stake. On the other hand, if the dealer has this hand, they will take the stakes from all the players. Those who have this hand will control the bank in the next round.

Now, let’s talk about the Spanish rules.

If you want to ask for face-down cards, you can do so. However, you can only have one card face-down at a time. This means that if you already have a face-down card, you must flip it over before receiving a new one.

Next, let’s discuss splitting pictures. When you have two picture or face cards in your hand, you can split them. This means you can separate them and play them as two different hands. If you choose to split, you need to place a stake for the second hand that is equal to or greater than the stake for the first hand. And the best part is, you can keep splitting your hands indefinitely.