Salas House Rules 
   

 
 THE DECK 

GREEN = Positive, RED = Negative 

 
● 30 green cards with positive values 1 through 10, three each 
● 30 red cards with negative values -1 through -10, three each 
● 2 zero-value cards known as ​
Sylops​(Old Corellian for “idiots”) 
 
The three suits, known as “staves”, are shown by the shape of the pips on the cards: 
triangles, squares, and circles. These do not have any bearing on gameplay. 
 
 
 

SETUP 
Choose a dealer. Hand the deck and dice to the dealer. Each subsequent game, the person to 
the left of the dealer will be the new dealer. 
 
Ante (​ all betting rules are optional, the game can be played without betting) 
Players must pay in to play the round, 1 credit into the Game Pot and 2 into the 
Sabacc Pot. If a player cannot afford to pay in, that player is out of the game. 
 
Dealer 
Players can look at 
1. Shuffle the deck, then deal two cards face down to each player. ​
their cards, but must not show other players. 
is is the DRAW pile. 
2. Place the remaining deck face down in the center. Th​
This is the DISCARD pile. 
3. Place the top card of the draw pile face-up on the table. ​

 
 GAMEPLAY 
Each game is played in ​ three rounds ​
(the dealer changes each round, rotating to the left). 
Each round consists of a ​ turn phase​
, a ​
betting phase​
, and a ​
spike dice​​
phase​
. 
 
The goal of the game is to have the ​best hand with a total value of zero​, which is called 
Sabacc​. If no player gets Sabacc, then the hand with the closest total value to zero wins, 
which is called ​Nulrhek​. (Positive values beat equal negative values). There is also a 
hierarchy of special named Sabacc hands that can be obtained. 
 
1. Turn Phase 
Play starts with the player to the dealer’s left and continues around the table. 
 
On your turn, you can STAND, GAIN, or SWAP. You may only choose one. 
● STAND​- Retain your current hand for this round and end your turn. 
● GAIN​- Take the top card from the DRAW pile, then choose one of the following: 
○ You may keep it or discard it. -OR- 
○ Keep it and pay 1 credit into the Game Pot to discard a different card from 
your hand. 
● SWAP​- To swap a card from the DISCARD pile, pay 2 credits into the Game Pot.  
Take the top card from the discard pile and add it to your hand, then discard a card 
from your hand. 
After you STAND, GAIN, or SWAP your turn is over. 
Once all players have had a turn, betting begins. 
 
2. Betting Phase 
Players calculate their current hand value and place their bets, beginning with the player 
to the dealer’s left. Players can ​
check, bet, call, raise, or junk​
. The cycle continues 
until all bets are equal. 
 
● Check​ : The player stays in the game, but wagers no credits. This can only be done if 
no bet has been made yet. If any player places a bet, all players must call, raise or 
junk in order to stay in. 
● Bet​ : The player makes a wager and adds it to the game pot. All other players must pay 
the same amount into the game pot (call) to stay in the round. Otherwise, they can 
raise the bet or junk. 
● Call​ : The player matches the highest bet placed so far by paying that amount into the 
game pot. When verbally declared it is often said as “I’ll see your bet.” 
● Raise​ : The player raises the highest bet so far by betting a higher amount and paying 
that amount into the game pot. All players must now pay this amount or pay the 
difference between their current bet and the current highest raise to stay in the 
round. Betting goes in a cycle until all players bet the same amount. A player can 
raise the bet only if he was not the last one to raise in this betting phase and 
can’t raise if he started the betting and no one else raised. 
● Junk​ : The player shuffles his hand and puts it on the discard pile. The top card of 
the DRAW pile is then put on top of the DISCARD pile to randomize the top card of the 
DISCARD pile. This player forfeits the round and cannot play until the next round. 

 
 Raising is limited to three raises per betting phase  
and becomes unlimited when only two players remain in the game. 
 
Going All-in​
: If a player does not have enough credits to call the highest bet, the player 
can go “all-in” and stay in the round by putting all his or her remaining credits in. Any 
bet made by other players (including any raise after this) exceeding the bet of the person 
who is all-in is put into a side pot that cannot be won by a player who is all-in. If only 
one player remains who is not all-in, the betting is capped at the amount of the latest 
all-in player’s bet. If a player who is not all-in wins the round, he wins the game pot and 
side pot(s). If an all-in player wins the round, he only wins the game pot. The side pot 
goes to the player who has the best hand among all players who are not all-in. 
 
Once all players have equaled the highest bet or junked (or all players checked), 
move on to the spike dice phase. 
 
 
3. Spike Dice Phase 
The dealer rolls both Spike dice. ​
If the symbols are different, the 
round ends​
. If the symbols match, everyone must note the number of 
cards in their hand and then place their cards onto the discard pile 
face up, starting with the player to the dealers left. 
 
The dealer then deals each player the same number of cards they 
discarded. The player to the left of the dealer is always first to 
receive new cards. Deal each player all the needed cards before dealing to the next player. 
 
The top card of the DRAW pile is then put on top of the DISCARD pile to randomize the top 
card of the DISCARD pile. 
 
If at any point the draw pile is depleted, shuffle the discard pile to create a new one, 
then turn over the top card to start a new discard pile as usual. 
 
Repeat phases 1-3 for two more rounds to complete a game. 
 
 
NOTE: 
The maximum hand size is 5 cards. The minimum hand size is 2 cards.   

 
 SHOWDOWN 
At the end of the third round, players reveal their cards in order of play starting at the 
dealer’s left. Hands are compared with respect to the scoring hierarchy and a winner is 
determined. 
● The winning player collects the game pot. 
● If a player wins with ​Sabacc​(any hand totaling zero) that player also collects the 
Sabacc pot. 
Otherwise, the credits in the Sabacc pot remain in the pot for the next game. 
 
To begin a new game, the player to the left of the dealer collects the deck and dice, 
shuffles the cards, and is the new game’s dealer. 
 

SCORING 
At the end of the third round, players reveal their cards in order of play starting at the 
dealer’s left. Hands are compared with respect to the scoring hierarchy and a winner is 
determined. 
 

1. Pure Sabacc 
Both sylops and no other cards, totaling zero 
 

2. Full Sabacc 
A sylop and four tens 
(two positive, two negative) totaling zero 
 

3. Fleet 
A sylop and four of a kind that are not tens 
(two positive, two negative) totaling zero 
 

4. Prime Sabacc 
A sylop and a pair of tens 
(one positive, one negative) totaling zero 
 

5. Yee-haa 
A sylop and a pair that are not tens 
(one positive, one negative) totaling zero 
 

6. Rhylet 
Positive three of a kind and a negative pair 
(or vice versa) totaling zero 
 
 
7. Squadron 
Four of a kind 
(two positive, two negative) totaling zero 
 

8. Gee Whiz! 
1, 2, 3, 4 and -10 or -1, -2, -3, -4, and 10 
totaling zero 
 

9. Straight Khyron (Straight Staves) 

A sequential run of four cards, totaling zero. 
 

10. Banthas Wild 

Three of a kind 
(plus one or two other cards)totaling zero 
 

11. Rule of Two 

Two pairs with a total hand value of zero 
(may or may not contain a fifth card) 
 
 
12. Sabacc - any other hand with a total value of zero 
Ranking if tied: 
1) most cards 
2) highest total value of all positive cards 
3) highest single positive card value 
 
13. Nulrhek - hand closest to zero 
Ranking if tied: 
1) hand includes a Sylop 
2) positive score 
3) positive score with most cards 
4) positive score with highest total value of all positive cards 
5) positive score with highest single positive card value 
 
Single Blind Draw​- In the event of a complete tie, deal a card to each tied player. The 
card closest to zero wins. A positive card beats an equal value negative card.