Objective of the Game
Pharo, also known as Faro, is a traditional card game often played in casinos. Players aim to bet on card outcomes and end up with more money than they began with.
Setup
- Equipment: A complete French deck of cards (52 cards) and chips or tokens for betting.
- Players: A dealer or banker and any number of players.
- Betting Layout: In front of the players, there is typically a felt board featuring the card values that can be bet upon.
Gameplay
- Betting:
- At the start of a round, players place their chips on the card values they believe will win.
- Players can bet on individual cards or combinations.
- Dealing:
- The dealer draws two cards and places them face up on the table.
- The first card is called the losing card, and the second is the winning card.
- Payouts:
- If a player bet on the winning card, they receive twice their wager.
- If a player bet on the losing card, they lose their wager.
- Bets on cards that are neither winning nor losing remain for the next round.
- Repeat: The process is continued until the deck is nearly exhausted.
Special Rules
- Splitting:
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Players may split their bets among multiple cards to spread risk.
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Calling the Turn:
- Some players bet that the last card in a certain batch of three cards of the same number will be drawn, which is very risky but potentially highly rewarding.
Strategic Considerations
- House Edge:
- Like many casino games, Pharo has a significant house edge.
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It's important to be aware of this in order to play responsibly.
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Card Tracking:
- Successful players may count cards to better predict future rounds.
Pharo is a game of chance where strategy plays a limited role since success heavily depends on luck. However, experience-based betting and keen observation can increase the likelihood of profit.
