Telesina

I want to introduce you to a fascinating card game called Telesina. This game takes the traditional 52-card deck and gives it a twist to match the number of players at the table. The lowest card in the game is determined by subtracting 11 from the number of players. So, for example, in a game with 5 players, we use 36 cards. Since 11 minus 5 equals 6, the lowest card in Telesina is a 6, and the highest card is an Ace.

The Deal & The Betting

Now, let’s talk about how the game is played. Before we begin, each player puts an agreed-upon amount of money into the pot. Then, the dealer gives two cards to each player, starting from their left and going clockwise. One card is placed face down, and the other card is dealt face-up. After everyone has their cards, it’s time to start betting. The player with the highest face-up card gets to bet first. In case of a tie, we use the suits to determine who goes first, with Hearts being the highest, followed by Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades.

So, here’s how the game goes. Once we finish the first round of betting, the dealer gives each person playing another card facing up. Then, we have another round of betting, starting with the player who has the best pair or high card. We keep repeating this process until everyone has four cards face-up and one card face-down.

Showdown

After the final round of betting, it’s time for the showdown. This is when all the players left in the game reveal their cards, and the one with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot. In Italian poker, the hand rankings are slightly different than in American Poker. Here they are, from highest to lowest:

• Straight Flush
• Four of a Kind or Poker
• Flush or Colore
• Full House or Full
• Straight or Scala
• Three of a Kind or Tris
• Two Pair or Doppia Coppia
• Pair or Coppia
• High Card or Cara piu alta

If you want to learn more about poker hands and their rankings, you can click here.