In 30 seconds
- One 40-card deck; get as close to 7½ as you can without going bust.
- Each ordinary hand has only one card hidden from opponents; the bank's cards stay hidden until the bank's turn. If you still hold a face-down card and draw, the new card is dealt face up; if all your cards are face up, the new one is dealt face down.
- If the bank busts, every standing hand is paid; a natural pays 2:1.
- A player who busts loses, even if the bank busts too.
- 18 s to bet · 22 s to play (in solo play, the default bet applies if you don't act).
Objective and deck
Get as close as you can to 7½ points without going bust, and beat the bank. The game uses a 40-card Spanish deck (coins, cups, swords and clubs).
Cards and the bank
- Cards 1 to 7 count at face value; face cards are worth 0.5.
- The bank's cards stay hidden until the bank's turn; each player's first card is dealt face down.
- If you make 7½ and the bank does not, you may take the bank (on a second 7½ it is mandatory). No one holds the bank for more than 3 consecutive hands, and if the bank cannot cover the bets, it passes to the next player who can.
- If the bank makes 7½ with any number of cards, it beats every hand still standing.
- Seven and a half (7½) lets you take the bank; if you decline and make it again, the bank becomes mandatory.
Bets and payouts
- A standard win pays 1:1. Ties go to the bank.
- Natural 7½ (two cards) pays 2:1 on the stake.
- If the bank busts, every hand still standing is paid; a natural collects 2:1 against a busted bank.
- A player who busts loses the bet, even if the bank busts too.
- The bank pays only up to its coverage, including 2:1 on naturals.
House rules
Traditional mode adds no special rules. In house rules mode you get Dead Seven (7), the 4 discard, the secret pair on a 3, double down and split, depending on the table.
Private tables
Virtual chips within the game. Tables with friends by code or link; multiplayer requires a server connection.
Frequently asked questions
How is a hand of Seven and a Half played?
Every player except the bank places a stake in virtual chips, at least the table minimum; the bank does not bet. Each player receives one face-down card that only they can see. The bank is dealt its card too, but it stays hidden from the whole table until the last player has played. In seat order, each player draws or stands; anyone who goes over 7½ loses the hand. Once everyone has finished, the bank reveals its cards and draws or stands. The hand closest to 7½ without going over wins, and ties go to the bank.
Which deck is used, and what are the cards worth?
The game uses a single 40-card Spanish deck: coins, cups, swords and clubs. Each suit runs from 1 to 7, plus the jack, knight and king; there are no 8s or 9s. Cards 1 to 7 count at face value; the jack, knight and king are worth half a point each. Each hand holds only one face-down card: if you already have one, your next card is dealt face up. When the stock runs out, the discards are reshuffled and play continues.
What happens if I go over 7½ or tie with the bank?
If you go over 7½, you lose your stake, even if the bank also goes bust. If you tie with the bank, the bank wins. If the bank makes 7½, with any number of cards, it beats every hand that has not gone bust. If the bank goes bust, every hand still in play is paid: you recover your stake and the bank pays you the same amount (double with a natural 7½), up to the limit of its cover. If you beat the bank without going over, you are paid 1:1.
How is the bank decided, and what does it do on its turn?
The opening bank is decided by high card: from 1 to 7 the number counts, and the jack, knight and king rank above them, in that order. On a tie, the suit decides: cups, coins, clubs, then swords. After that, if you make 7½ and the bank does not, you may take over the bank; if you decline and make 7½ again, you must accept it. No one may hold the bank for more than 3 consecutive hands, and if the bank cannot cover the stakes, it passes to the next player who can. The bank plays last, draws or stands, and does not bet.
What else can I do on my turn besides drawing or standing?
With house rules enabled, the table offers additional actions. Double down: holding only your first card, and with enough chips to match your stake, you double it and receive exactly one more card. Split: if your first two cards are both face cards, you split them into two hands with a second, equal stake and play them one after the other. An opening 4 is discarded and replaced. An opening 3 is discarded and you receive two secret cards that stay hidden until the bank has finished; with that hand you may only stand. An opening 7 offers the Mort: if you accept, you receive one face-down card and, unless those two cards make exactly 7½, you lose your stake; if you decline, you continue with the 7 and may double down.
What is a natural (royal) seven and a half?
It is a 7½ made with exactly two cards, for example a 7 and a face card. It pays 2:1 on your stake, up to the limit of the bank's cover, and also collects the table jackpot in virtual chips, including when the bank goes bust. If the bank makes 7½, with any number of cards, the bank wins. A Mort that ends on 7½ also counts as a natural.
Does Seven and a Half involve real money or prizes?
No. It is a free game for adults aged 18 and over. Chips (CF) are virtual and exist only within the game. There is no real money and there are no prizes.