ATARI GAME PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS
COMPLETE GAME PLAY INSTRUCTIONS
ONE TO FOUR PLAYER GAMES
INCLUDING:
BLACKJACK
STUD POKER
POKER SOLITAIRE
| NOTE: Always turn the console power switch off when inserting or removing an ATARI® Game Program™ cartridge. This will protect the electronic components and prolong the life of your ATARI Video Computer System™ game. |
1. USING THE CONTROLLERS
2. CONSOLE CONTROLS
3. GAME VARIATIONS
BLACKJACK, GAMES 1,2STUD POKER
POKER SOLITAIRE
1. USING THE CONTROLLERS
Use your Paddle Controllers with this ATARI Game Program cartridge. Be sure the Paddle Controller cable is firmly plugged into the LEFT CONTROLLER jack at the back of your ATARI Video Computer System game. For one players games, use the Paddle connected to the left controller cable. (Another set of Paddle Controllers is necessary for three or four player games.) Hold the controller with the red button to your upper left toward the television screen. See Section 3 of your owner's manual for further details.
2. CONSOLE CONTROLS
GAME SELECT
Use this switch to select the game you want to play. Press the switch until the number of the particular game appears in the upper left corner of the screen.
Game 1-BLACKJACK
1 or 2 players
Game 2-BLACKJACK
1 to 4 players
Game 3-STUD POKER
1 to 4 players
Game 4-POKER SOLITARE
1 player
GAME RESET
Use this switch to reset each player's score to 1000 (the number of betting chips each player initially receives).
DIFFICULTY SWITCHES
The difficulty switches affect the CASINO game variations as follows:
BLACKJACK
LEFT DIFFICULTY SWITCH
When the switch is in the b position, the computer will shuffle the cards after each hand. With the switch in the a position, the computer will shuffle the cards after 34 cards are dealt.
RIGHT DIFFICULTY SWITCH
This switch determines the rules of the games. When in the b position, Casino I Rules are used:
In the a position, Casino II Rules are observed:
STUD POKER
LEFT DIFFICULTY SWITCH
When this switch is in the a position, the dealer's first card will be dealt face down.
RIGHT DIFFICULTY SWITCH
The player's first card will be dealt face down when the switch is in the a position.
Note: When both difficulty switches are in the b position, both the player's and the dealer's cards are dealt face-up.
TV TYPE SWITCH
Set this switch to color if you have a color television set. Set it to b-w if you are playing the game in black and white.
3. GAME VARIATIONS
BLACKJACK
GAMES 1, 2
This Game Program cartridge includes two games of BLACKJACK:
All players compete against the computer dealer. Each card is worth points. The object is to score 21 points or as close to 21 points as possible without "busting" (exceeding 21 points).
Note the following point system for cards:
Number Cards = Face Value (i.e. 5 = 5 points)
Ace (A) = 1 or 11 points
Jack (J), Queen (Q), and King (K) = 10 points
Hard and Soft Hands
A card hand is called soft when the Ace is used as 11 points. A card hand is hard when the Ace is used as 1 point. For example, a soft 17 is an Ace (11 point) and a 6. A hard 17 could be 10, 6 and an Ace (1 point).
To Begin Play
Press the red controller button once to get into the game. Press the controller button again to place your bet.
Betting
Each player receives a "bank" of 1000 chips. When it's time to bet, a question mark will appear to the right of your bettings digits. Turn the controller knob to select the amount of your bet, which can range from 20 to 200 chips. Enter your bet into the computer by pressing the red controller button.
If there is more than one player, the last player to make his bet erases any cards from the previous game on the screen. The computer then deals the hand.
Each time you win or lose a hand, your bet is automatically added to or subtracted from your total number of chips.
Hit or Stay
The computer deals two cards face-up to each player. It then deals two cards to itself, one face-up and the other face-down.
If you are satisfied with the number of points in your first two cards, turn the Paddle Controller knob until the word to the right of your bet reads STAY: then press the red controller button
If you want more points, turn the controller knob until the word to the right of your bet reads HIT and press the red button. The computer will deal you another card. Continue to take hits until you are satisfied with your hand and STAY, or you exceed 21 points and BUST (lose the hand).
Note: Accepted Blackjack strategy is to STAY on 18, 19 or 20 points.
Doubling Down
You may double your bet after the first two cards are dealt. Turn the controller knob until the word to the right of your bet reads DBLE and press the red controller button. One more card will appear. No more hits are allowed.
Note: Doubling is not allowed when the original bet is more than half the number of remaining chips.
Winning
When you win a hand, you win the amount of chips you bet. You win whenever:
When you score Blackjack, you win 1 1/2 times your bet.
Note: A tie game (called PUSH) occurs when the dealer's card points equal your card points. In a push you do not win or lose your bet.
Splitting
Only Game 1 allows splitting. When your first two cards have identical value (i.e. two 5's, or a Jack and King) you can split your cards into two hands. Turn the controller knob until the letters SPLIT appear. Press the red controller button, and the computer deals a card to each of the SPLIT cards. Now you play the two sets of cards as separate hands. Your original bet is also duplicated for the second card hand.
Note: Splitting is allowed only if the bet is less than half of your remaining chips.
Insurance
Both Game 1 and 2 allow insurance. The need for insurance occurs when the computer dealer's hand shows one face-down card and an Ace... a possible Blackjack combination.
An i will appear on your set-up. If you wish to protect your bet from a possible dealer Blackjack, turn the controller know to INSR and press the red controller button. If you wish no insurance, turn the controller know until the word PASS appears and press the red controller button.
The price of insurance is half you bet. Each player must decide on insurance. If the dealer has a Blackjack, the dealer's face down card is shown. All players lose their original bets. Players with insurance win twice the amount of their insurance bets, which is equal to their original bets.
If the dealer does not have a Blackjack, the players with insurance lose their insurance bets. The game play continues as each player decides to hit, stay or double down.
STUD POKER
GAME 3
Game 3 is STUD POKER for one to four players. Players compete against the computer dealer. The computer deals five cards to each player and five cards to itself. Before the first card is dealt and after the second, third, fourth and fifth cards are dealt, players must place bets of fold (drop out of the game). The object is to beat the dealer's five-card hand. The following chart shows the ranking of possible card hands starting with the highest valued hand:
5 K Q J 10
Royal Flush - All five cards are the same suit and are sequential, with the Ace being the highest card.
5 6 7 8 9
Straight Flush - All five cards are the same suit and are sequential.
3 3 3 3 4
Four of a Kind - Four out of the five cards are the same value.
A A A 2 2
Full House - Three cards are the same value and the remaining two cards are the same value.
A 10 5 7 9
Flush - all five cards at the same suit.
5 6 7 8 9
Straight - All five cards are sequential.
10 10 10 Q K
Three of a Kind - Three of the five cards are the same value.
Q Q J J 2
Two Pairs
7 7 A 6 5
One Pair
Club - (circle shape)
Diamond - (plus shape)
Heart - ('v' shape)
Spade (upside-down 'v' shape)
To Begin Play
Press your red controller button once to get into the game.
Betting
Before the first card is dealt, an i will appear next to your chip score. You must make your initial bet (ante). Turn the controller knob to select the amount. Bets must be between 10 and 100 chips. Enter your bet into the computer by pressing the red controller button. The computer deals two cards to each player and two cards to itself. Bets are made again using the same betting procedure. Players continue to make bets after the third, fourth and fifth cards are dealt. A player can fold (drop out of the hand) at any time after the ante.
Winning
If your hand ranks higher that the computer dealer's, you win an amount equal to what you bet. If the computer's hand beats yours, you lose your bet.
If your hand and the dealer's hand rank the same, the hand with the highest value cards wins. If all five cards match in numerical value, it's a time game and no one wins.
To play again, place your ante bet.
High Card - Example: If a hand has an Ace, 5, 6, 7 and 2, the high card is an Ace. This beats a hand that has no higher card combinations. A hand with an Ace and an 8 (or higher) would beat this hand.
Leaving the game
If you want to leave the game temporarily and save your bank, press the game select switch four times. Each of the remaining players must then press his red controller button to continue the game.
To return to the game, press your red controller button before a deal. The computer will then "deal you in" and display your previous bank total.
POKER SOLITAIRE
GAME 4
Game 4 is a one-player game, POKER SOLITAIRE. The object is to score as many points as possible by building the best 12 poker hands in a matrix of five rows and five columns. The computer shows the cards one at a time at the top of your television screen. You must select a matrix position for each card. After you fill each matrix position, you will have 12 poker hands: 5 horizontal hands, 5 vertical hands, and 2 diagonal hands.
The flashing cursor marks the matrix positions. To set a card in the matrix:
1 - Move the cursor to the matrix position by turning the Paddle Controller.
2 - Press the red controller button to set the card in the matrix.
Hand are worth points as follows:
| Royal Flush (Ace High Card) |
500 Points
|
| Straight Flush |
300 Points
|
| Four of a Kind |
160 Points
|
| Straight |
120 Points
|
| Full House | 100 Points |
| Three of a Kind |
60 Points
|
| Flush |
50 Points
|
| Two Pair |
30 Points
|
| Pair |
10 Points
|
| All other Combinations |
0 Points
|
The maximum number of points you can score is 3340:
| 4 - Royal Flushes |
2000 points
|
| 5 - Four of a Kind |
800 points
|
| 2 - Straights |
240 points
|
| 1 - Straight Flush |
300 points
|
| 12 - Hands |
3340 points
|
For a description of poker hands, see STUD POKER (GAME 3)