Yablon

This game is also called In Between and Ace-Deuce.

a) One standard pack of 52 cards;
b) Betting chips or cash.

From two to eight.

The cards rank in normal order, with Ace high. Suits have no significance.

Each player hopes to draw a card ranking between his first two cards.

This is by deal: first Ace to appear.

Standard.

Before each deal, each player, including the dealer, puts an equal amount into the centre of the table to form a pool. This amount is known as the ante.

The dealer deals two cards face down to each player, including himself.

Play begins with the player to the dealer's left.

1) He examines his cards, and decides whether to bet.

2) If he does not wish to bet he says, "No bet," and returns his cards to the dealer to be placed on a discard pile. Play then passes to the left.

If the first player does wish to bet, he places his bet in front of him near the pool. The minimum bet is the same amount as a player's ante; the maximum is the total amount then in the pool.

3) The dealer deals him the top card from the deck, face up. This is called the player's draw card.

4) The player turns his two original cards face up.

5) If his draw card ranks between his original two cards, the player wins. For example, if he has a 5 and a 9, he must draw a 6, 7 or 8 to win; if he has a 2 and an Ace, he can draw any card except a 2 or an Ace to win. Note that, if a player holds two identical cards (e.g., two 6s) or two consecutive cards (e.g., Ten and Jack), he cannot win, and will not bet.

6) If the player has won, he retains his bet, and takes from the pool an amount equal to his bet. If he has lost, his bet goes into the pool.

7) Each player, including the dealer, has a turn of play, with turns passing to the left.

After each player has had a turn, the deal passes to the player to the dealer's left. He collects all the cards, shuffles them, and has them cut for the next hand. Any money left in the pool remains for the next hand, but players also ante again.

If the pool passes a limit agreed beforehand, it is immediately divided among the players.

Variant

Banking version

Yablon can also be played as a banking game. The dealer acts as banker, and does not deal himself a hand.

Before the hand, the dealer places in front of him the money or chips he wishes to put at risk. This can be any amount he wishes. The players do not ante.

Each player in turn bets any amount he wishes, up to the amount then in the bank. The dealer does not have a turn.

Any amount left in the bank at the end of the hand is returned to the banker. The bank and deal then pass one player to the left.

If the bank is emptied before all the players have had a turn, the hand ends, and the bank and deal pass at once.

From 'The Official World Encyclopedia of Sports and Games'
© Diagram Visual Information Ltd 1979