#HELPS 0 PLAY GAMBLE GAMBLING~ Syntax: play Syntax: play <game> Syntax: play <game> <croupier> Syntax: gamble Syntax: gamble <game> Syntax: gamble <game> <croupier> All true adventurers must take risks each day they wake up. But why risk your life when you can risk your gold? Several GAMES are available for the diversion of adventurers (and of their wealth). PLAY or GAMBLE (they are synonymous) without an argument will tell you which games you can play at your present location. Including a game name will, if possible, include you in that game. If you also include the name of a croupier, you can specify whose game you will join. To talk with the other players in your game, you can use GTALK or '-'. You can see various statistics and current information with the SHOW command. Most games have a limit to the amount of gold you are allowed to win over your lifetime. If you reach this limit but still wish to play the game, you may DEDUCT a certain amount from your winnings, so that you may play again. You may also RESET the statistics if you'd like to do so. In order to stop playing a game, type QUIT or END. You will also be forced to quit the game if you attack someone or are attacked by someone, suffer damage due to poison or other injuries, or leave the game location for most games. ~ -1 GAMES~ The current games available on EnvyMud are: Blackjack Upper-Lower-Triple ~ 0 BLACKJACK TWENTY-ONE~ BLACKJACK, or TWENTY-ONE as it is often called, is a card game played by two to ten players, one of whom is the DEALER. Each player is asked to place a BET, then is dealt two cards from a DECK face up, except for the dealer, whose first card (the 'hole' card) is dealt face down. The object of the game is to make your hand total more than the dealer's hand, but no more than 21. If both you and the dealer end up with the same total, it is called a PUSH, and your money is returned to you. If your hand totals 21 with your first two cards (an ace with either a ten or a face card), you have 'blackjack' (or a 'natural') and automatically win back 1-1/2 times your original bet. If you do not have blackjack, you can HIT to ask for another card, SPLIT identical cards to play two hands, DOUBLE your bet and receive just one card, or STAND on the hand you have. Aces can count for either 1 or 11 points, depending on which will give you the better score. The dealer must follow strict guidelines: hit on 16, stand on 17. If the dealer's up card (the one not facing down) is an ace, you may take out an INSURANCE bet against blackjack. If you keep hitting without going over 21 (which is called a BUST), you can earn special bonuses. If you stand with 5 cards in your hand, you automatically win back double your bet. If you stand with 6 cards, you win triple your bet. And if you manage to get 7 cards in your hand without busting, you automatically win 4 times your bet. But as the payoffs imply, these hands are hard to come by. ~ -1 UPPER-LOWER-TRIPLE 'UPPER LOWER TRIPLE' UPPER LOWER TRIPLE~ UPPER-LOWER-TRIPLE is a simple dice game. You place a BET with a choice of upper, lower, or triple. The dealer then rolls three dice, and their values are added up. If the result is 11 or greater, it is an "Upper", and if the resut is 10 or less, it is a "Lower". If, however, all three dice show the same numbers, it is a "Triple" and those who bet on it win back 36 times their wager! Unfortunately, all other bets are off if a Triple is rolled. ~ -1 DEALER CROUPIER~ Each gambling game must have someone in charge, and this person is traditionally known as a CROUPIER. For card games, the term DEALER is more common. The CROUPIER is in total control of the game, and can turn away unwelcome customers. Keep your eyes out, though...some of the croupiers have been known to take advantage of unwary players. ~ -1 DECK~ The standard deck of cards has four suits (spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds), with thirteen cards in each suit: A (or ace), 2 (or deuce), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J (or jack), Q (or queen), and K (or king). In games where the values of the cards are added (such as BLACKJACK), the 'face cards' (J, Q, K) are worth ten points, and the other cards are worth 'face value'. The value of the ace is usually 1, though in BLACKJACK it can also count as 11. See the helps for a particular game for additional information about any cards it may use. ~ 0 ANTE~ Syntax: ante In order to begin some games (most notably POKER), you must put in an ANTE. The amount is set by the croupier. ~ 0 BET WAGER~ Syntax: bet <amount> Syntax: bet <amount> <choice> Syntax: bet limit Syntax: wager <amount> Syntax: wager <amount> <choice> Syntax: wager limit During a gambling game, you will occasionally need to place a BET. The syntax of the wager will depend on the particular game in which you are participating. Wagering the 'limit' will automatically place the maximum bet, if you have enough gold. ~ 0 CARDS~ Syntax: cards Syntax: cards all Syntax: show cards Syntax: show all The CARDS command shows you the cards you are currently holding, if any. If appropriate, it will also give you the score of your current hand(s). Adding "all" will show you the cards that all players are holding. ~ 0 CALL SEE~ Syntax: call Syntax: see If you want to stay in a hand when you owe money, you may CALL or SEE the bets placed by other gamblers. See also: CHECK, FOLD, and RAISE ~ 0 CHECK~ Syntax: check In rounds of POKER where you do not wish to (or cannot) RAISE, you may CHECK to stay in the hand. Once someone has raised after the current deal, however, you will have to CALL, RAISE, or FOLD. See also: CALL, FOLD, and RAISE ~ 0 DEDUCT~ Syntax: deduct <amount> <game> Sometimes players win so much money at a particular game that the CROUPIERS refuse to let them gamble. If you would like to play the game again, you may DEDUCT some money from your winnings and give it to "the house". If you deduct enough, you will be allowed to join in once again. ~ 0 FOLD~ Syntax: fold If you think that you do not have a chance to win the current game, you may FOLD and cut your losses. Don't FOLD if no one has made a bet yet, though; simply CHECK and wait to see if you are forced to put in more money. See also: CALL, CHECK, and RAISE ~ 0 RAISE +~ Syntax: raise <amount> Syntax: + <amount> If you feel that your hand warrants putting more money into the pot, you may RAISE the stakes. Heck, your hand doesn't even have to warrant it. That's what bluffing is all about! '+' is a synonym for RAISE. See also: CALL, CHECK, and FOLD ~ 0 DOUBLE 'DOUBLE DOWN'~ Syntax: double In BLACKJACK, if you feel confident that one more card will give you an unbeatable total, you may DOUBLE your bets. This card will be the only one you receive, and you may only do this as the first hit. ~ 0 END~ Syntax: end Syntax: quit In order to stop playing a gambling game, simply type END or QUIT. Because of the syntax, you will be unable to leave EnvyMud until you stop gambling. ~ 0 GTALK -~ Syntax: gtalk <message> This command is similar to GTELL, except that whatever you communicate is shared only with the other players currently playing a gambling game with you. '-' is a synonym for GTALK. ~ 0 HANDS~ Syntax: hands Syntax: show hands If you are trying to decide how good your current poker hand is, you may type HANDS to see the ranking of all poker hands. ~ 0 HIT~ Syntax: hit If you want another card dealt to you while playing BLACKJACK, you can ask for a HIT. If it is your first chance for a hit, and you think that the next card is all you will want, you may DOUBLE your bet and automatically STAND on the result. See also: DOUBLE, SPLIT, and STAND ~ 0 INSURANCE~ While playing BLACKJACK, occasionally the DEALER'S up card will be an ace. Since there is a significant chance that the dealer has blackjack, you are offered the chance to take out an 'insurance' bet against this occurring. If you decide to INSURE, you automatically wager 1/4 of your original bet, saying that you think the dealer has a natural. If you are correct, you win your insurance bet (but lose your original bet). Otherwise, you lose your insurance bet. ~ 0 INSURE YES NO~ Syntax: insure yes Syntax: insure no Syntax: yes Syntax: no If you are offered the chance to buy INSURANCE, you may do so by typing YES or NO, or INSURE YES or INSURE NO if you feel like you need the exercise. ~ 0 PLAYERS~ Syntax: players Syntax: show players If you would like to know who else is playing your current gambling game along with you, PLAYERS will show you. ~ 0 RECORD~ Syntax: record Syntax: show record If you would like to bask in the glory of your gambling record, or perhaps find out how much more you need to break even, you may type RECORD. This will tell you your status in all games you have played. ~ 0 RESET~ Syntax: reset <game> This command will reset the statistics for the chosen game. It will not, however, even your winning or losing balance...you must DEDUCT to do that. ~ 0 SHOW~ Syntax: show all Syntax: show cards Syntax: show hands Syntax: show players Syntax: show record These commands will tell you information on the current game you are playing, or on your overall gambling record. 'Show all' shows you the cards every player is holding. See also: CARDS, HANDS, PLAYERS, and RECORD ~ 0 SPLIT~ Syntax: split In BLACKJACK, if you are dealt a pair of cards of the same type (for example, the queen of diamonds and the queen of spades), you may SPLIT them into two separate hands, wagering the amount of your original bet on both hands. See also: DOUBLE, HIT, and STAND ~ 0 STAND STAY HOLD =~ Syntax: stand Syntax: stay Syntax: hold Syntax: = If you are satisfied with your current hand, you can STAND and refuse further cards. '=' is a synonym for STAND. See also: DOUBLE, HIT, and SPLIT ~ 0 $~ #$