The game of Panguingue is the rage in areas of California and Southern Florida. It is a product of the Rummy family, but it is a gambling game, too. Imagine large round tables that seat up to 15 players, plus 320 playing cards, and hundreds of betting chips! Pan has a lot of action and a lot of devotees.

Number of Players. Any number of players, up to about 15 people can play, but the game is best played with six, seven, or eight people.

The Pack. Eight standard 52-card packs are used with the eights, nines and tens removed from each pack. (In some localities, as few as five packs are used.) Chips are used for settlement.

Rank of Cards. The cards in each suit rank: K (high), Q, J, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. The jack and seven are considered to be in sequence.

The Draw. A portion of the pack is shuffled and spread face down. Each player draws a card. The lowest card deals the first hand and has the choice of seats; if two or more players tie for low, they draw again. Other players take seats at random.

Rotation. The rotation of dealing and playing is to the right, not to the left as in most games. The first hand is therefore the player on the dealer's right. The winner of each hand becomes the first hand for the next, and the opponent on his left deals and deals first to that player.

The Shuffle. The player on dealer's left shuffles. Before the first deal, the eight packs are shuffled together thoroughly. After each hand, the discards are shuffled with a packet from the "foot" (bottom of the stock), to which they are then restored.

The Deal. The dealer gives each player 10 cards, in two rounds of five at a time, beginning with the first hand. For the deal, he should take from the top of the pack only such cards as he needs as nearly as can be estimated, taking more if needed or returning any excess to the top of the pack. After all hands are complete, the rest of the pack is placed face down on the table to form the stock, which is usually cut in two portions; the "head" is used in play, and the "foot" is set aside to be used if the head becomes exhausted. The top card of the stock is turned face up and set beside it to start the discard pile.

Going on Top. Before play begins, each player, starting with the first hand, declares whether he will stay in the play or retire. If he retires, he pays a forfeit, which is his Ante (Top), One Chip. The player who retires is said to "go on top" because the forfeits are by custom stacked on the foot of the pack. Hands discarded by retiring players are not returned to the stock, but are kept separate, so that they may not be drawn in play. The "tops" (chips thus deposited) go to the player who goes out.

Object of the Game. The goal is to be the first player to meld 11 cards.

The Play. Each player in turn, to the right, either must take the top card of the discard pile or the top card of the stock. A player may take from the discard pile only if the card 1) was drawn from the stock by the preceding player, and 2) can be immediately melded with the cards in the taker's hand. When a player draws from the stock, he must immediately meld the card or discard it (he may not put it in his hand and discard another at any time -- this would constitute a fouled hand and would require the player to retire the hand, return all chips collected during hand, and to continue paying out chips till the hand is completed). To complete his turn, a player discards one card face up on the pile.

After drawing and before discarding, a player may meld as many sets as he holds or may add to his existing melds.

Melds. Each meld (or spread ) must comprise at least three cards and may consist of as many as 11. The melds may be classified for convenience as sequences and matched sets, or just "sets." (Sequences are often called "stringers" or "ropes.")

Sequence. A sequence is a run of any three cards of the same suit, as Q©, J©, 7©.

Set. A set is three cards of the same rank and of different suits, as 4§,4©, 4¨, or all of the same suit, as three Q§. In addition, any three aces or any three kings form a valid set regardless of suit, as A§,A§, A¨. (Aces and kings are called "non-comoquers.")

Qª  Jª  7ª         6©  5©  4©

Pan Sequence Examples

Conditions.  Certain melds are conditions. On melding a condition, a player immediately collects chips from every other player. All 3's, 5's, and 7's are valle (pronounced "valley") cards. The conditions are:

1. A set of three same ranked but different suite valle cards collects a chip from each player.
   
2. A set of three valle cards of a single suit collects 2 chips, 4 chips if the suit is spades. Also, 1 additional chip is collected for each additional valle card of the same suit added beyond the initial three cards, 2 chips if the suit is spades.
   
3. A set of three non-valle cards of a single suit collects 1 chip, 2 chips if the suit is spades. Also, 1 additional chip is collected for each additional non-valle card of the same suit added beyond the initial three cards, 2 chips if the suit is spades.
   
4. A sequence starting with an Ace or ending with a King, e.g. (3, 2, A) or (K, Q, J), collects 1 chip, 2 chips if the suit is spades.

Splitting.  Through the addition of cards, one meld may be split into two, provided that each new part forms a valid meld in itself. For example: J©, 7©, 6©, 5© may be made into two melds by the addition ofQ©/ 4©.  If splitting a meld creates a condition, payment is duly collected. A player may take a card from one of his melds to complete a new meld, provided he leaves a valid meld. Example: From 7©, 6©, 5©, 4©, either the 7© or 4© may be borrowed, but not the 6© or 5©.

Forcing Cards. If the top of the discard pile can be added to a meld of a person playing in turn, he is forced to take the card and meld it if another player demands that he do so.

Going Out. When any player shows 11 cards in melds, he collects 2 chips from every other player and also collects all over again for each condition in his cards.

If a player goes out by melding a Condition ("Busting Out" or "Going Out Good"), he gets double the value of the Condition, he collects all over again for each Condition, plus 2 chips for Going Out.

After the pot has been won, all the players put in chips for the next hand.

Irregularities. Wrong number of cards. If a player finds that he has more or less than ten cards before drawing for the first time, the dealer must withdraw any extra cards and put them with the discarded hands of retired players, or he deals the short hand right number of additional cards from the center of the pack. If, after a player's first draw, his hand is found to be incorrect, he must discard and retire from that deal, return all collections he has made for conditions, but continues to make payments due to others for conditions and winning.

Foul meld. If a player lays down any spread not conforming to the rules, he must make it valid on demand. If he cannot do so, any collections must be returned because of the improper spread and then legally proceed with his turn. If the player has already discarded, he must return all conditions made on that hand, and then he must discard his hand and retire from the play until the next deal. He must nevertheless continue to make payments due to others for conditions and winning. Exception: If the player has made the meld valid before attention is called to it, there is no penalty.

TNPanMan Comment: For a fuller understanding of the rules, I suggest that one play Online to see the rules in action and that one read the books suggested under Books on Panguingue.  Take the Beginners and Advanced Pan Tests on this site under BONUS FEATURE. 

ANSWERS FOUND FOR PAN TEST QUESTIONS UNDER 2N.