Robert Cantrell, the author, is a professional strategist and a client of Atchity Editorial/Entertainment International

Sun Tzu Poker   Crazy Aces       Sun Tzu Poker brings the spirit of the original Wild West game to the table, when a losing hand might be made into a winning hand by the Colt 45 on your belt.  Play is as per any poker convention you decide but with the following additional rules.   Ace of Spades – If you hold the Ace of Spades, at any time, up to and including a called bet when cards are laid on the table, you can eliminate another player’s hand.  That player draws new cards and plays those new cards as is.  If this move causes a presumptive winning hand to lose, the pot goes to the next highest hand that has not already folded.  When the Ace of Spades is played, it also continues to hold its value in the enacting player's poker hand as an Ace of Spades.  This means that if the played Ace of Spades was also necessary to maintain a full house in the enacting player's hand, it still can be used to maintain that full house.   Ace of Diamonds – If you hold the Ace of Diamonds, up to and including a called bet when cards are laid on the table, you can isolate another player from the pot.  If that player holds the presumptive winning hand, he cannot collect the pot, and the entire pot is included in the stakes for the next round.  When the Ace of Diamonds is played, it also continues to hold its value in the enacting player's poker hand as an Ace of Diamonds.  This means that if the played Ace of Spades was also necessary to maintain a full house in the enacting player's hand, it still can be used to maintain that full house.   Ace of Clubs – If you hold the Ace of Clubs, up to and including a called bet when cards are laid on the table, you can pick through all discarded cards at that point to make up a better hand.  This license to pick through discarded cards does not include cards that make up the hands of players that fold, but does include any cards discarded by them prior to their folding.  At the conclusion of the above action, you may retain the Ace of Clubs to play as an ordinary Ace of Clubs along with the other cards you choose to keep or discard it for another choice.  Your final hand has the appropriate number of cards for the poker convention selected for that hand.    Ace of Hearts – If you hold the Ace of Hearts, you or any other player you declare are invulnerable to the Ace of Spades or the Ace of Diamonds.  The Ace of Hearts neutralizes the effects of both the Ace of Spades and the Ace of Diamonds.  However, the Ace of Hearts may only be used once per hand, meaning that if one or more players plays both the Ace of Spades and the Ace of Diamonds against you, you are only invulnerable to one or the other.  After the Ace of Hearts neutralizes the Ace of Spades or the Ace of Diamonds, play proceeds, with the inclusion of those Ace cards in their respective player's hands, as if those cards had no other special value.    Three of Spades (Optional Rule) – If you hold the Three of Spades, at any time before bets are called, you can trade your hand for the hand of another player.  The Three of Spades becomes an ordinary Three of Spades for the remainder of the hand.    Other Cards (Optional Rules) – Select another strategy card and make your own rule to play it that is in the spirit of the strategy written on the face.  For ease of play, it is best not to have more than two optional strategy cards in play on any given hand.      Home | Leadership Styles | Description | FAQs | Study Guide | Core Value | Purchase | Companion Book | Project History | Seminars   Copyright © 2004 Center For Advantage – All Rights Reserved