Pool Nap – A Fresh Twist on Napoleon

When it comes to card games, Pool Nap is a fun variation of Napoleon that’s similar to Peek Nap. But hey, what makes it special? Well, in Pool Nap, there’s a little twist – no widow! Yep, you heard me right. It’s just the dealer who puts chips in the pot. The rest of the rules stay pretty much the same as in Peek Nap.

So, here’s the deal: players will take turns bidding on the number of tricks they think they can capture. The player who bids the highest and actually wins the number of tricks they predicted gets paid by the other players at the table. Makes for some exciting gameplay, right?

One cool thing about Pool Nap is that it can accommodate a larger group of players compared to Booray. So, gather your friends and let the chips fly!

Of course, since it’s a gambling game, everyone needs to start with the same number of chips. Gotta keep it fair, you know?

All About the Cards and the Deal

When it comes to the cards, you’ll need a standard 52-card deck. Remember, in this game, the 2’s are the lowest cards, and the Aces are the big shots.

Now, let’s talk about the deal. Each player will contribute an agreed-upon number of chips to the pot at the start of the game. Then, in each round, the new dealer will add the same amount to the pot. Keeping that pot nice and juicy!

To start a game of cards, I distribute 5 cards to each player. We usually split them into packets of 3 and 2. If there are any leftover cards, we save them for the next round.

How We Play

Bidding

When it’s time to bid, the player to the left of the dealer goes first. They guess how many tricks they can win if they get to pick the trump suit. If someone bids five, we call it a “nap.” But if a player doesn’t feel like bidding, they can pass.

The highest bidder gets to choose the trump suit.

First Trick

The person who wins the bid leads the first trick and has to play a card from the trump suit. Everyone else has to play a card of the same suit, if they can. If they don’t have that suit, they can play any card. The winner of the trick is the one with the highest card in the lead suit or the highest trump card. Then, they get to start the next trick.

Let’s Keep Playing

We keep playing until we’ve finished five tricks.

The Reward

If I capture enough tricks to meet or surpass my bid, everyone at the table pays me chips equal to my bid. I don’t receive extra chips for capturing more tricks than I bid.

If I don’t capture enough tricks, I have to pay my bid amount to each player at the table.

If I bid five and successfully capture all the tricks, I receive payment from the other players and the pot. But if I can’t capture all five tricks, I have to pay the other players and double the size of the pot.

How to Win

We play for an agreed-upon number of rounds or until there’s only one player left with chips.