Pokeno: Poker and Keno with a Bingo Twist
November 21st, 2009 | Published in Inrodution
What happens when you merge the popular games of poker and keno together? You come out with an exciting and addictive hybrid game known as pokeno. Often referred to as poker keno and spelled po-ke-no, pokeno is a board game that can be just as exciting whether it is played for money or just for fun.
While pokeno wraps the thrill of poker and suspense of keno into a single package, it actuality mimics bingo the most. Although pokeno is currently only played sparingly online, pokeno is a big hit in the homes of families throughout the United States and beyond.
Important Game Elements
Whether the game is played online or offline, pokeno generally involves the following elements:
A variety of different game boards to accommodate 2 to 13 players
200 game (pokeno) game chips
A standard 52-deck of playing cards.
The Buy-in and Side Pots
Just like poker, the game of pokeno usually requires a predetermined buy-in. Some players like to include additional side pots to enhance the intrigue of the game. Two of the most common side pots are designated for 3-across and 4-corners.
In most cases, players are required to put up antes for these side pots in addition to the main buy-in in order to enter the game and qualify to win them. After putting up your bets, you are provided with a certain amount of pokeno chips and can select the boards you want to play with.
Pokeno Rules
The game boards in pokeno feature pictures of various cards. In the typical game, there are five squares across and five squares down, making a total of 25 squares per board. A designated player acts as the dealer and flips the cards over one at a time, calling them out while doing so.
Each player with cards on their board that match the number places a pokeno chip over the appropriate square. The first player with five squares in a row, either horizontal, vertical or diagonally wins the game, signaling their victory by chanting “pokeno!” In a standard game, the winner is designated as the dealer for the next round.
Similar to bingo and poker, pokeno has its variants, with 4-corner and cover-all being among the most popular. Another common element the game borrows from bingo is the implementation of rules that declare the winner as being the first player to forum a certain letter on the board or cover all 25 available squares.
Many groups of players choose to play other variations to add to the intrigue and excitement. One of the most common involves incorporating poker rules into the game. Therefore, instead of trying to cover five squares in a row to win the game, it can be played where all players wait until everyone have covered five squares and whoever has the best hand wins the round.
Likewise, players can also hide their cards on the board and then bet on the poker hands assembled by those cards. Just like in a game of poker, players have the option to gamble with real money and can check, fold, call, and raise.
Online Pokeno
Although pokeno is a popular hybrid game mainly played in the home setting, there are also electronic versions that can be played online in a select few virtual casinos. These variants allow you to play against computer generated hands and a larger number of players as well. Some online casinos offer games that offer 12 additional boards that allows up to 24 players to play at one time.
Conclusion
Contrary to popular belief, pokeno is not a new game. It has simply ascended into the mainstream like most things that revolve around poker these days. Despite its fast growing popularity, you probably will not see this game being played in nationally televised tournaments any time soon.
While pokeno is incredibly fun to play, just like bingo, it is not exciting to watch other people compete. This minor drawback aside, it would nice to see pokeno become more widespread in online casinos and even better if you could one day grab a few boards at a land-based facility. Time will tell.
