How to Play 31 Poker

31 Poker, also known as Scat, is a variation of poker. Unlike other poker games, it does not use traditional poker hand rankings. Instead, it more closely resembles games such as blackjack and rummy. The goal is to have a hand with a total point count in a single suit as close to 31 as possible. Games of 31 Poker with more than five players can take more than 15 minutes to complete, so players typically require large antes in this game.

Things You'll Need

• Poker table
• Chairs
• Poker chips
• Deck of cards

Instructions

1. Arrange to host a poker night for a group of friends. The 31 Poker game requires at least three players and can be played with as many as eight players. The ideal number of players is six or seven.

2. Ask each player to take three chips from his own stack of chips and place them in front of himself. These chips represent the player's lives in the game of 31 Poker. The denomination of the chip used must be agreed on by the players.

3. Deal three cards face down to each player, and place the top card from the dealing deck face up next to the deck to form the trash pile.

4. Start with the player sitting to the left of the dealer. He may take the top card off either the trash pile or the draw deck, and he then discards any card from his hand to the trash pile. Continue taking turns in a clockwise rotation around the table. The goal is to get a total of 31, or as close to it as possible, in a single suit in a player's hand. Face cards are worth 10 points, Aces are worth 11, and all other cards are worth their face values.

5. Starting on a player's second turn, she may knock if she wishes. Knocking means that a player thinks her score will not be the lowest at the table. After a player knocks, each of the other players get one more turn.

6. Reveal the cards to determine the loser or losers of the round. To determine each player's score, add up the values of all the cards in one suit in each hand. Choose the suit with the highest point value. If a player has three cards, one of each suit, the highest card in his hand is his score.

   If a player has 31 in one suit, he can reveal it at any time, and then all other players must place one of their three chips in the pot. If the game ends after a knock, the player with the lowest score, or multiple players if there is a tie, must place a chip in the pot.

7. Continue playing until there is only one player left in the game with any of her original three chips. That player is the winner and collects all the chips from the pot. Once a player has no chips remaining, she is eliminated from the game and no longer receives any cards.

Tips & Warnings

• There are only four Aces in the deck. If you have an Ace and a face card in a suit, it is a good idea to try to wait and see if you can get another face card in that suit instead of knocking. If you complete that goal, you will score 31 and require every player, other than yourself, to put a chip in the pot instead of just one player.

• If you have two face cards in a suit and draw a third card in the same suit early in the game, do not wait too long to knock. Remember, there is only one Ace in that suit, so the odds of drawing it are low. The longer you wait to knock, the more chances your opponents have to improve their hands.

References

• Pagat.com: 31/Scat/Ride the Bus/Blitz