A fun side project, trying to recreate the old Windows 3.1 version of the game Sabacc. Uses simplified rules, at the moment. Also the code is utter crap. Just started it will hopefully be making something you can play by yourself.
Grinning, Han glanced back at Leia. “Lando used to own the Falcon,” he explained. “And he sometimes forgets that he lost her fair and square.”
-- From ‘The Empire Strikes Back’
Sabacc is a card game, played by the high-rollers of the universe. Found in casinos, cantinas, and anywhere else that slightly shady deals are made on a regular basis, this game has thrived for centuries as the true game of the gambling elite. It was, in fact, in an honest (depending on who you ask) game of Sabacc, that the smuggler known as Han Solo won the Millennium Flacon from his friend Lando Calrissian, changing history forever… after all, without the Millennium Flacon in his possession, Solo surely never would have found himself in the company of Luke Skywalker, and the Rebellion would have in fact, been doomed. (Refer to ‘The First Saga; Journal of the Whills’ for further information on this topic.)” -- From the Personal Journal of Histar, The Lord of Whills’
Sabacc is a game played with a deck of 76 cards. In the Star Wars Universe, this game is played with an electronic deck in which the cards change value due to electronic impulses.
There are four suits in the game of Sabacc. These are:
- Staves
- Sabers
- Flasks
- Coins
Each suit contains eleven numbered cards (1-11), with corresponding values.
Each suit also contains four ranked cards:
- Commander (valued at 12)
- Mistress (valued at 13)
- Master (valued at 14)
- Ace (valued at 15)
In addition, the Sabacc deck contains sixteen face cards.
These are listed below, and there are two of each. These cards are not assigned a suit. The different rule variants change the values of these cards, which can either be positive or negative. The Idiot card’s value never changes and is always zero no matter what rule variant is being played.
- Idiot
- Rancor
- Jedi Knight
- Jedi Master
- Dark Jedi
- Lord of the Sith
- Smuggler
- Bounty Hunter
The standard rules never change no matter what version of the game is being played. Sabacc is always played with a deck of 76 cards. The Idiot card always has a value of zero and the numbered cards are worth their face value (one=1, two=2, etc). The ranked cards are valued as follows: Commander=12, Mistress=13, Master=14, Ace=15. The game is dealt out like poker, except that each player has four cards instead of five. After all hands are dealt, each player may discard cards and receive new ones. The number of cards you are able to discard depends on the rules you are playing by. Add up the value of youar cards to find your total. If your total is under 23, then your hand value is the same as your total. If your total is over 23, then your hand value is equal to your total, minus 23. (ex. You have a hand totaling 29; 29-23=6, so your hand is worth six points.) If your hand totals over 46, then you automatically lose. To have a perfect hand in Sabacc, all of your cards must have a value of 23. This is accomplished by having a hand which totals 23 (Pure Sabacc) or 46 (Sabacc). Pure Sabacc always beats regular Sabacc. You can also win with an Idiot’s Array; an Idiot card, a two, and a three. An Idiot’s Array automatically wins if no one has a perfect hand. The different rule variants will list an additional combination of cards that will win if no one has a perfect hand or an Idiot’s Array. If no player gets 23, has an Idiot’s Array, or has the winning card combination, then the player with the highest hand value wins. The rest of the rules change according to what variant you are playing.
These rules will make the Jedi Knight and Jedi Master cards stronger. You can discard up to two cards, and up to four if you have a Jeddi Master in your hand. The combination of cards to have is a Jedi Knight, a Jedi Master, and any number Saber. This is called a Jedi’s Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=9
- Jedi Knight=3
- Jedi Master=3
- Dark Jedi=-14
- Lord of the Sith=10
- Smuggler=10
- Bounty Hunter=9
These rules will make the Jedi Knight and Jedi Master cars stronger. You may discard no more than three cards. The combination of cards to have is both Jedi Knights, and an ace. This is called a Force Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=7
- Jedi Knight=3
- Jedi Master=4
- Dark Jedi=12
- Lord of the Sith=-10
- Smuggler=5
- Bounty Hunter=9
These rules will make the Jedi Knight, Jedi Master, and Smuggler cards stronger. You have a choice of discarding one or three cards, and you may not discard any other number of cards besides one and three. The combination of cards to have is a Jedi Knight, a Jedi Master, and a Smuggler. This is called a Republic Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=8
- Jedi Knight=4
- Jedi Master=3
- Dark jedi=12
- Lord of the Sith=-11
- Smuggler=4
- Bounty Hunter=10
These rules will make the Bounty Hunter, Dark jedi, and Lord of the Sith cards stronger. You may discard no more or less than two cards. The combination of cards to have is a Lord of the Sith, a Commander, and an Ace. This is called a Sith Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=7
- Jedi Knight=15
- Jedi master=-9
- Dark Jedi=3
- Lord of the Sith=4
- Smuggler=7
- Bounty Hunter=3
Using these rules, you can discard two or four cards. The combination of cards to have is both Smugglers, and a Jedi Knight. This is called a Partnership Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=7
- Jedi Knight=4
- Jedi Master=6
- Dark Jedi=9
- Lord of the Sith=-8
- Smuggler=5
- Bounty Hunter=7
Using these rules, you may discard one card, or up to our if you have a Bounty Hunter or Smuggler in your hand. The combination of cards to have is a Smuggler, a Bounty Hunter, and any numbered Coin. This is called a Criminal’s Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=5
- Jedi Knight=7
- Jedi Master=8
- Dark Jedi=-11
- Lord of the Sith = 10
- Smuggler=6
- Bounty Hunter=5
These rules will make the Bounty Hunter, Rancor, and Smuggler cards stronger. You may discard no less than two cards. The combination of cards to have is both Smugglers, and any numbered Coin. This is called a Smuggler’s Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=4
- Jedi Knight=10
- Jedi Master=-13
- Dark Jedi=11
- Lord of the Sith=11
- Smuggler=4
- Bounty Hunter=3
Use these rules, you may discard three cards, no more or less than three. The combination of cards to have is both Bounty Hunters, and any numbered Coin. This is called a Hunter’s Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=5
- Jedi Knight=-7
- Jedi Master=8
- Dark Jedi=7
- Lord of the Sith=8
- Smuggler=6
- Bounty Hunter=3
Using these rules, you may discard up to two cards, but no more than two. The combination of cards to have is four Flasks, either numbered or ranked. This is called a Temporal Array. Face card values are listed below.
- Rancor=7
- Jedi Knight=8
- Jedi Master=-6
- Dark Jedi=5
- Lord of the Sith=4
- Smuggler=6
- Bounty Hunter=6
At the end of a hand of Sabacc, your score for that hand is the same as your hand’s value. If your total is over 46, then you subtract 46 from your total, and subtract the difference from your score. (ex. Your hand totals 48; 48-46=2, so you subtract 2 from your cumulative score). If you get an Idiot’s Array or another Array, then your score for that hand is 23. If you win the hand, you get a 10 point bonus added to your score.
Sabacc for Windows was written by David Sanborn. Original Sabacc Rules were written by ‘[email protected].’ Graphics (for the most part) were scanned in from books licensed by Lucasfilm LTD. All other graphics and related files were created by David Sanborn.
Permission to distribute granted, on the condition that all copyright notices are left intact.