Pazaak

A Novice’s
Guide

Pazaak
A Novice’s
Guide

Written By
Fontin Nood
Written by Fontin Nood
Pazaak Professional and 3-time Bespin Cup Winner
An Ancient Game of Chance and Pazaak Etiquette
Skill… The rules of Pazaak have remained largely
unchanged throughout history, and with
Pazaak dates back the time of the Old
Republic, and has remained a highly
popular card game played for credits and
pure entertainment. In ancient times,
sanctioned pazaak cards were needed for
play, requiring serious players to travel far
and wide or part with a tidy sum of
credits to acquire the side deck that could
give them an advantage over a less-
prepared opponent.
In the modern times, more accessible
trade routes and staunch Imperial travel
regulations have led to an evolution of
the game, with most gaming houses and
pazaak players using a standardized suite
of side deck cards. However, this
standardization is not galaxy-wide, and
certain sectors and casinos may only allow
specific side deck cards or include strange
cards not found elsewhere in the galaxy.
In either case, modern pazaak players find
themselves on equal footing with their
opponent in terms of cards – putting
pazaak firmly into the realm of a game
that relies on luck and strategy, not
galactic travel. While some players resent
this, and reminisce about the glory days of
pazaak in the Old Republic, most modern
gamblers are grateful for the current
game standardization.
few exceptions, the customs of play
etiquette at the table have also endured.
The novice player should be sure to
remember these guidelines, as they might
prevent him from offending another
player or violating the customs of the
gaming establishment.
 Play always occurs between two players
in a “match”. A match consists of three
or more “sets” (individual hands of
pazaak), and continues until one player
has won three sets against his
opponent. That player wins the match.
 Prior to a match, both players agree on
the stakes. While most formal
establishments restrict stakes to credits
(sometimes with a house-limit per
table), it is not uncommon in private
games for stakes to have no limit or to
include property or goods. In any
event, it is a universal custom that both
players present their stake before the
match (this may include an equivalent
credit marker from the establishment).
 During a match, it is considered
extremely poor behavior to leave the
table, with some establishments and
local customs dictating that such an act
results in an immediate forfeit of the
match (and loss of stake) by the
offending player.
Gameplay
Each set of pazaak involves the use of two different decks: the communal main
deck (or “table deck”, as it’s called in some areas of the galaxy), and the side deck.
The Main Deck
Standard galactic pazaak convention dictates that the Main
Deck (which is shared by both players during a match)
contain four copies of cards numbered 1-10.

The Side Deck

While in the days of the Old Republic each player provided his
own Side Deck of sanctioned cards, modern pazaak players
use a communal Side Deck with 10 mutually agreed upon
cards. Some establishments mandate a house-provided Side
Deck, while others allow nearly any Side Deck cards, as long as
both players agree to it. Side Deck cards, as we will see, are
used to modify a player’s total for the set, and can radically
change a game.

Starting a Match
After stakes have been determined, and a Side Deck assembled and agreed upon
by both players, both the Main Deck and Side Deck are shuffled thoroughly. The
Main Deck is set to the side of the play area, face-down, to be drawn from easily
by both players. From the Side Deck, 4 cards are then dealt to each player to form
their hand for the match. The remaining cards in the Side Deck are set aside,
face-down, for the remainder of the match. The incumbent player (or challenger)
usually defers the first turn of the first set to his opponent, with players
alternating the first turns of subsequent sets in the match.
Playing a Set
During a set, cards will be dealt and played into a tableau in front of each player,
with the goal of each player to reach a numerical value of no more than 20 in
their tableau. Each turn, the player is dealt a single card from the main deck,
after which they may choose to play a single card from their hand to modify their
total. At the end of each turn, the player must choose to CONTINUE or to STAND.
If a player elects to STAND, they may take no more turns during that set. If a
player elects to CONTINUE, they will be forced to take another subsequent turn, in
which another main deck card is dealt to their tableau, and they have another
chance to play a single card from their hand.
When both players have elected to STAND, the set is over, and the player with the
higher total value in his tableau (that does not go over 20) wins the set. If both
players have a tied value, the set is tied and does not count as a victory for either
player.
If, however, a player ends his turn with a total card value in his tableau higher
than 20, they have BUSTED, and immediately lose the set, regardless of their
opponent’s tableau value.

Atton Rand
This notorious sabaac player and hero of the Old Republic helped popularize the game in ancient times.
 Example Play

Opponent Tableau Player Tableau

In the example above, the set is well underway, with the Opponent having just CONTINUED on
his second turn. The Opponent still has 4 cards in his hand, and his tableau total is 11. It is
now the start of the Player’s second turn, and the Player still has 4 cards in his hand (-4, -1,
+2, and +1) and tableau total of 6.
For his second turn – as seen below – the Player is forced to draw a card from the main deck,
and he draws a 4, which puts his tableau total at 10. Realizing he’s far from Busting, and not
wanting to expend any cards from his hand just yet, the Player elects to CONTINUE.

Opponent Tableau Player Tableau

Example Play - Continued
Opponent Tableau Player Tableau

Above, the Opponent’s next turn begins and he is forced to draw a card from the main deck.
He draws a 10, bringing his total to 21 – a BUST. However, the Opponent recovers by playing
a -2 card from his hand onto his tableau, bringing his total down to 19. Not wanting to
tempt fate further, the Opponent elects to STAND. For him, this set is finished.
Below, our Player is faced with an Opponent total of 19 that he must beat to win the set. His
turn starts with a main deck draw of a 5, bringing his total to 15. There is no single card in
his hand that can raise his total to 19 or better, so he elects to CONTINUE and see what the
main deck brings him for the next card.

Opponent Tableau Player Tableau

Example Play - Continued
Opponent Tableau Player Tableau

Our player is the only one still active in the set, and trying to beat his
Opponent’s total of 19. Having CONTINUED at the end of his last turn, his
current turn – seen above – starts with a main deck draw of 9. He’s now
facing a BUST with a tableau total of 24. But he salvages his total with a
single card from his hand, a -4, which brings him back down to a 20. He
now has a perfect total, and has narrowly beat his Opponent, who –
having elected to STAND – cannot bring any new cards into his tableau
this set. Our Player STANDS, and the set ends with a Player victory.

Alternate Rules
“Filling the Table”
Though rarely practiced in the core worlds, “Filling the Table” is a commonly
accepted rule in the outer rim. Should a player manage to fill his entire tableau
with 9 cards from the Main Deck without BUSTING, the player automatically wins
the set. (Be sure to know if this is a house rule before you sit down to play!)
“Trade Negotiations”
An almost universal rule in the CSA (but found few other places), “Trade
Negotiations” allows a player – once per set – to expose one of the cards from their
hand to their opponent. The opponent then has the option to take that card in
exchange for the player randomly drawing a new card from the opponent’s hand.
Main Deck Cards
Regardless of where you travel in the galaxy, the contents of a pazaak Main Deck
are always the same: 40 cards, numbered 1-10 (4 of each).

Side Deck Cards

Below are both the common and the unusual Side Deck cards found in different
parts of the galaxy. Remember, while both players must agree on the 10 cards used
in the Side Deck – most gaming establishments will provide a slim selection of
common cards to choose from.
Common Cards +/- Cards (“Turn Cards”)
+ Cards

- Cards
These cards simply add or subtract their
value from the player’s total.
These powerful cards can either add or
subtract their value from the player’s
total. The player may choose which
when the card is played, turning the
card to represent either the + or the –
to his total.
In the days of the Old Republic, such
cards were very rare and valuable to
pazaak players.
Unusual Cards
These collections of unusual cards are
found throughout various parts of the
galaxy, and add new areas of strategy
for players who agree to having them
in their Side Deck.
Tiebreaker Cards

A Bespin Gaming Casino

Flip Cards

These cards function like normal + or –

cards (or even +/-), but have a unique
feature: if this is the last card played
by a player, and the set is tied, that
player will win the tie and the set.
Kessel 10
Subtracts 10 from the player’s total.
These strange cards (popular with
Toydarian players) switch the +/- value
of specifically numbered Main Deck and
Side Deck cards for their player. A flip
card affects 2 numbers (1 & 2, 2 & 4, 3
& 6, or 4 & 8) when it is played. All +
cards (green Main Deck and blue Side
Deck cards) become – cards (red), and
all – cards (red) become + cards (blue).
The Ringer

Found almost exclusively in Hutt Space,

this card can be played as a +/- 1 or a
After a hard day at the pazaak tables… +/- 2 card.
 Doublecard
This card doubles the value of the last
Main Deck (green) card the player
received when it is played.
The Martyr
Serious cutthroat players will often add
this to the Side Deck. It cannot be
played, and if drawn, simply serves to
waste space in a player’s hand.
Always be a fair player. Nothing is as sad as an empty pazaak table!
The Crash Card
Played on top of one of your
opponent’s Side Deck cards, it treats
that card as having a value of 0.
Hyperslip
Also played on your opponent, this card
subtracts 1 from your opponent’s total.
Though common lore is that the Crash
Card and Hyperslip Card were created
by the Defel, they are currently very
popular Side Deck cards used by
Mandalorians and other mercenaries.