TANTRIX HOLD ’EM POKER

 

 

by Dr. Jay Dunbar

author of Tantrix and the Yi Jing: A Correlation of Binary Systems in Color

(http://www.magictortoise.com/tantrix.htm)

 

 

“Tantrix Hold ’Em Poker” is a new way to play with the 56-tile set of Tantrix* tiles, closely modeled after the popular poker variant Texas Hold ’Em; in fact, the order of play and betting are identical.  However, Tantrix “hands” do not mimic poker hands, but substitute the line and loop-making ability of the tiles for the set and run-making ability of playing cards.

 

Fig. 1: “Mandala,” one of the best hands in 7-tile Tantrix Hold ’Em poker.

 

Poker hands using playing cards begin with a single “high card,” and progress through a pair, two pair, and three of a kind up to a royal flush.  Tantrix poker “hands” begin with “longest line” and progress from a three-tile loop up to the most complex looping pattern that may be formed using the total number of tiles permitted by the game.  In Tantrix Hold ’Em, all seven tiles (two personal tiles and five community tiles) may be used to make a hand, unlike its Texas counterpart where only five cards are selected from the seven available.  Certain other changes to the “deal” and the showdown phase were dictated by the nature of the tiles and the pattern-recognition skill required of Tantrix Hold ’Em players.

 

Object

The object of Tantrix Hold ’Em is to form the highest scoring three- to seven-tile “hand.”  Beginning players may choose at first to limit the total number of tiles from which a hand may be formed to five, then progress when ready to six, before playing with the full range of patterns allowed by seven tiles.

 

Choose the Starting Dealer

Tantrix Hold ’Em begins with each player, up to eight, drawing one tile from the bag.  The player who draws the highest numbered tile is the first dealer.  Thereafter the dealer position rotates clockwise after each hand.  Players return these tiles to the bag.

 

Post the Blinds

Before the first draw, the two players to the left of the dealer put a predetermined amount of money (or chips) in the pot before any tiles are drawn, ensuring that there’s something to play for on every hand.  The first blind (the

 

 

© 2007 by Jay Dunbar, Ph.D.

* Tantrix is a trademark of Tantrix Games Ltd.  (www.tantrix.com)