How to Play Poker Squares Solitaire
Poker squares is played with a single, well shuffled pack of 52 playing cards. Only the first 25 to 30 cards are used and so there
is a slight element of luck involved regarding the initial shuffle. Apart from this, Poker Squares requires considerable skill and strategy.
A poker square consists of 25 cards of 5 columns and 5 rows.
Each row and each column of five cards each, form 10 winning poker hands and give a score depending on the probability of its occurance
(see
Poker Scoring). Your final score is the total of the scores for your 10 poker hands. Cards are
turned face up from the shuffled stock, one at a time. Each card has to be placed into an empty space in the poker square before the next card is dealt.
Once placed, it cannot be moved. A variation featured in Solitaire City is the introduction of a reserve where up to five cards may be stored temporarily. The top,
exposed card of the reserve is always available and may be played to the poker square at any time. This helps considerably as bad cards can be discarded completely
or reserved until circumstances change in its favour.
A Completed Poker Square
The above completed poker square would score a whopping 302 points ! Note that the 5 cards forming each poker hand may be in any order and Aces
count as high or low when involved in a straight.
Poker Squares Game Variations
Poker Squares Scoring