Cody Casey
Pan Poker, also known as Panguingue, is a gambling card game that originated in the Philippines and gained popularity in the American Southwest during the early 20th century. It is a rummy-type game played with multiple decks of cards, typically removing the 8s, 9s, and 10s. Each player is dealt a set number of cards and must either meld or discard them during their turn. The objective is to be the first player to meld a certain number of cards, usually eleven. Players can also “go out” by folding their hand or completing a specific combination of cards. The game has various rules and strategies, including the concept of “fouling” a hand, where a player breaks the rules and faces penalties. Pan Poker is a social and engaging game that has entertained players for decades and continues to be enjoyed by many.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 2-15 players, best for 6-8 players |
| Cards used | 8 decks of regular cards with 8s, 9s, and 10s removed. Cards ranking in descending order: K, Q, J, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A |
| Objective | Meld 11 cards, get rid of all your cards |
| Gameplay | Play a single card that is higher than or equal to the top card of the play pile, play three cards that are equal to the top card, play four equal cards that are higher in rank than the top card, or pick up the top cards from the play pile |
| Fouls | Drawing from the discard pile after touching the stack, playing invalid melds, having more or less than 10 cards, discarding two cards or failing to discard, throwing a card on the floor |
| Penalties | Player must throw their hand in, repay all active hands any collections received, pay the winner the value of the hand plus 2 chips, and take the next letter in "PAN" |
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What You'll Learn
How to play Pan, the Polish card game
This guide will explain how to play Pan, a Polish card game that is unrelated to the American game Panguingue (often abbreviated to 'Pan').
Setup
The game is best played with 2 to 4 players, but up to 6 people can join. Each player is dealt a certain number of cards depending on the number of players: 2 players get 12 cards each, 3 players get 8 cards, 4 players get 6 cards, and 6 players get 4 cards each. If there are 5 players, one player is dealt 4 cards and the others get 5 each. The player who has the 9 of hearts starts the game by placing it face-up on the table to start the play pile. If they also have the other three nines, they can play them immediately on top of the 9 of hearts.
Gameplay
The player to the left of the person who started the play pile now has the following options:
- Play a single card that is higher than or equal to the top card of the play pile. For example, if the top card is a Queen, the next player can play a Queen, a King, or an Ace.
- Play three cards that are equal to the top card of the play pile. For example, if the top card is a Queen, and the next player has the other three Queens, they can be played at once.
- Play four equal cards that are higher than the top card of the play pile. For example, if the top card is a Queen, the next player may play four Kings or Aces.
Play continues clockwise around the table. Each player in turn must either play a card or cards from their hand on top of the play pile, or pick up cards from the play pile and add them to their hand. When players play their cards and they run out of cards, they are skipped as they no longer have cards in hand.
Winning
The objective of the game is to get rid of all your cards. The last player left holding cards is the loser of the deal and is given one letter of the name of the game, 'P-A-N'. The first player to lose three times and collect all three letters loses the game.
Variations
Some variations of the game allow a player to play any three equal cards that are higher in rank than the top card of the play pile, but others dislike this option as it makes the game too easy. There is also a version of the game played with 15 cards, where players receive 15 cards to begin with and going out requires 16 cards.
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How to play Panguingue (Pan), the Rummy-type game
Panguingue, also known as Pan, is a Rummy-type card game for two to eight players, although it can be played with up to 15 players. It is believed to have originated in the Philippines and was popular in the American West and Southwest in the early 20th century, especially in casinos in Las Vegas and California. The game is traditionally played with eight decks of standard 52-card decks, removing 8s, 9s, and 10s, resulting in 40-card decks. Some variations use five, six, or even ten decks, and players can also use the original 40-card Spanish deck.
To set up the game, shuffle the decks together to form a large pack. Each player pays an ante of one chip, which sets the value of all payments in the game. Players then receive ten cards, dealt in two batches of five. The remaining cards are placed face down to form the stock, and the top card is turned over to start the discard pile.
The goal of Panguingue is to be the first player to meld eleven cards and collect points by forming card combinations and emptying your hand. Melds are combinations of cards that follow specific conditions. They can be sequences of three or more cards in the same suit or groups of three or more cards of the same rank. For example, three 6s or a sequence of 3, 4, 5 (called ropes or stringers). Players must immediately meld drawn cards or discard them on the same turn, and they cannot hold onto the cards they draw.
During their turn, players draw a card from the stock or the discard pile and must use it in a valid meld or discard it. If a player melds all ten cards in their hand, they continue to draw and discard until they can meld or lay off the drawn card. Players can split or borrow cards from previous melds to form new ones, as long as the remaining melds are still valid. The first player to meld eleven cards wins the round and collects a predetermined sum from the other players.
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How to meld 11 cards in Pan
The aim of the game Pan, also known as Panguingue, is to be the first player to meld eleven cards. Pan is a gambling card game that originated in the Philippines and is played with eight decks of cards, with 8s, 9s, 10s, and Jokers removed. Each player is dealt 10 cards, and the remainder of the pack is placed face down to form the stock, with the top card turned face up to start the discard pile.
To meld 11 cards in Pan, players can form two types of melds: spreads (or squares) and ropes (or stringers). Spreads consist of three or four cards of the same rank in different suits, or three identical cards. Aces and Kings are exempt from suit restrictions, so any three Aces or Kings can form a valid meld. A rope consists of three or more cards of the same suit in sequence. For example, 5-6-7 of hearts is a valid rope. Since 8s, 9s, and 10s are removed, 7s are considered consecutive with Jacks, so 6-7-Jack of diamonds is also a valid meld.
Players can also split or borrow cards from previous melds to form new ones, as long as they leave valid melds. Certain melds, called conditions, allow players to collect from all other players. These include groups of 3s, 5s, and 7s (called "vales") of one suit, groups of non-vales of one suit, a low sequence of 3-2-Ace, and a high sequence of King-Queen-Jack. In some games, conditions in spades collect double.
When a player melds 11 cards, they receive the tops, additional payments from active players for their valid conditions, and two points for going out. Players who go out are paid an additional two antes worth of money, and the hand ends.
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How to avoid a foul hand in Pan
Pan, or Panguingue, is a gambling card game that originated in the Philippines and is similar to rummy. The game is played with eight decks of regular cards, with 8s, 9s, and 10s removed, and each player is dealt ten cards. The objective is to make enough melds or spreads to win or "pan" the hand.
To avoid a foul hand in Pan, players should be aware of the following rules:
- A player must have exactly ten cards after touching the deck in the normal rotation of the draw. Having more or less than ten cards is a violation.
- A player must discard only one card at a time. Discarding two cards or failing to discard can result in a foul hand.
- Players should not throw cards on the floor to correct the number of cards in their hand.
- Players must spread valid melds. A "Primary Meld" can be corrected after discarding, while a "Secondary Meld" can be corrected by replacing it with cards from the hand until the next draw.
- Players should not put a card from the deck into their hand, except when going out.
- Players should not incorrectly declare themselves out, as this can cause another player's hand to be fouled.
It's important to note that any active player can call a hand foul, and the player with the foul hand must discard their hand and repay all active hands any collections received. Additionally, they must pay the winner the value of the hand plus two chips.
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How to play Pan with different numbers of players
The number of players in Pan Poker can vary, with some sources suggesting it is best played with 6 or 7 players, while others state it can be played with up to 15 players. The game can also be adapted for smaller groups, with rules accommodating 2 to 4 players.
Playing with 6 or 7 players
For a larger group of players, the standard rules of Pan Poker apply. Each player is dealt 10 cards in two batches of 5, from a deck of 8 standard 52-card decks with 8s, 9s, and 10s removed. The dealer rotates clockwise, and the game proceeds with players either staying in the game or dropping their hand.
Playing with 2 to 4 players
When playing with fewer people, some variations in rules and scoring methods are introduced. Each player is dealt a different number of cards depending on the number of participants: 12 cards each for 2 players, 8 cards each for 3 players, and 6 cards each for 4 players. An alternate scoring method, called the "set over" method, is used. Instead of paying beans to each other, each player starts with a stack of beans to their left and transfers them to the right as they play melds. The first player to move their stack from left to right wins.
Playing with 15 players
A variation of the game called "Fifteen" or "Pip" is played with 15 cards dealt to each player, and the game ends when one player melds 16 cards. This version is particularly popular in Minnesota.
Playing with smaller groups
While the traditional game of Pan Poker is best suited for larger groups, it is possible to adapt the game for smaller numbers. One example is the Polish version of Pan, which is best played with 2 to 4 players but can accommodate up to 6. In this version, a 24-card French-suited pack is used, and the objective is to get rid of all your cards. The player who is last holding cards is given one letter from the word "Pan," and the first player to collect all three letters loses the game.
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Frequently asked questions
Pan Poker, also known as Panguingue, is a gambling card game that originated in the Philippines and is similar to rummy. It is played with eight decks of regular cards with 8s, 9s, and 10s removed, and the objective is to be the first player to meld eleven cards.
Pan Poker can be played by two to fifteen players, but it is best suited for six to eight players.
Each player is dealt ten cards, and the objective is to make enough melds or spreads to win the hand. A meld consists of three or four cards of the same rank or in sequence. Players must immediately meld drawn cards or discard them on the same turn.
The first player to meld eleven cards—their original ten plus one more—wins the deal and collects a pre-established sum from all players who did not drop. They also collect additional payments for their valid conditions and receive two points for going out.
