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Instructions for Pokeno

Pokeno combines playing cards and Bingo.
Michael Blann/Photodisc/Getty Images

Pokeno is a multiplayer card game that is a mix of poker and keno. The game uses poker chips, a deck of playing cards and Pokeno game boards, which are made up of five rows of five standard playing cards each. None of the cards on a board are the same, and each game board is unique. Players must match the dealer's cards with the cards on their game boards to win. Up to 12 people can play Pokeno, which is suitable for ages 8 and up.

Give each player a Pokeno board and 20 poker chips. Players can choose to use more than one game board, as they can in bingo. If a board is available after all the players have claimed some, the dealer can choose to play as well.

Announce the format for the game. Choose between a standard format, "four corners" or "cover the card." The standard game is played by covering five spaces in a row either vertically, horizontally or diagonally. In "four corners" format, players must cover all the corner cards on their game boards. For the "cover the card" game, players must have a chip on all spaces on the game board to win.

Shuffle a standard deck of 52 playing cards and give them to the dealer.

Have the dealer turn over the top card on the deck and call out its suit and value to all the players.

Check your game board for the card that was called out. Use a poker chip to cover the card on the Pokeno board. The card must match in both suit and value in order to place a chip on it.

Continue to cover the corresponding spaces as they are called.

Call out "Pokeno" to the dealer when you have covered the appropriate spaces for the game format you are playing. Have the dealer verify that he called each space you covered. If so, you win the game. Collect the poker chips from the other players' boards.

Switch positions with the dealer. The winner becomes the dealer, and the dealer is now a player. Start a new game.

Things You'll Need:

  • Pokeno boards
  • Deck of playing cards
  • Poker chips
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