The Festival Series Explains: Chicago
Chicago is a poker variant that has become a true favourite in Sweden over the years. The mix of poker-style hand building and trick-taking creates a level of excitement and complexity that is hard to beat. Chicago is widely regarded as a game of both luck and strategy, where risk-taking, timing, and sharp declarations can decide everything. It is clearly more than just a game of chance – it is calculation, psychology, and tactics, combined with the thrill of winning the decisive last trick.
If you are looking for a new and challenging poker experience, you should take a closer look at Chicago. To help you understand the game and get started right away, this article will guide you through the history, rules, and strategy of Chicago – and give you the tools to master this unique poker classic.
History of Chicago
Derivation from Femkort
Chicago evolved from the classic Swedish game Femkort, a “last trick” game known as far back as 1658. Femkort tasks players with winning only the final trick to claim the pot—a concept that clearly inspired Chicago’s emphasis on the last trick.
Modern Emergence in the 1980s
The Chicago variant, blending poker-style hand building and trick-play, surfaced in Sweden during the 1980s. It’s widely believed to have originated in an underground poker club in Stockholm.
It's also noted that the game was often shared orally among friends and families, resulting in numerous local styles and tweaks.
Popularity and Spread
Over time, Chicago became a staple at Swedish gatherings—valued for its strategic balance of luck, risk, and trick play. The game's rules vary widely depending on the crowd, scoring systems, and agreed-upon variations.
Chicago in Tournament Form
The Swedish Championship of Poker, run by Svepof, has featured Chicago for several years on the initiative of Mauritz Altikardes, with evolving rules each year. The Festival plays a version based on his tournament rules, appreciated by Chicago players and reviewed by ten Swedes who gave feedback on rule variations.
Why the Name "Chicago"?
Despite its name invoking the U.S. city, the game has no American origin. The use of "Chicago" is largely symbolic—perhaps chosen to evoke the allure of poker culture and underground casinos. The Swedish variant is thoroughly domestic, having grown out of local innovation and adaptation of classic card mechanics.
Rules
The game employs a points-scoring system instead of a betting structure, similar to traditional poker games. In this context, the game refers to the point from which the players start from 0, and make 52 or more points. The game is played in rounds, where each time a new dealer deals a new hand, a new round begins. These rounds consist of phases, during which cards are discarded, scored, and played out for tricks. There are three phases per round. There will be more on that shortly.
- The game is played with 2-4 players.
- Each player receives five cards to start the hand.
- The object of the game is to score points based on the rankings of poker hands. Only the best hand scores points.
- A game is played until someone scores 52 points or more, and that player must have declared Chicago at least once. The game will immediately end at that moment, so you will not continue to play until the trick phase etc.
- One person is assigned to be in charge of the score sheet.
Additional Rules
- Special rules to keep in mind: “Discardless” which means you are in a situation where you are not allowed to discard cards… You are in this situation the EXACT moment you reach, or exceed, 45 points on the scoreboard
- To call and execute a Chicago means that in the trick play phase you intend, and must, win all 5 tricks.
- The player who executes a Chicago will start the trick play.
- Winning all five tricks after Chicago has been declared, you'll win 15 points.
- If your opponent breaks your Chicago by stopping you from winning a trick, you lose 15 points, and your opponent gains 10.
Gameflow
Like all card games, it starts with the deal. The player to the left of the dealer starts, and will have the option to discard 0-4 of their cards, then the same for the next player and so on. Here is the most basic possible rundown of the game's dynamics on how each "round" is played.
- Phase 1: Deal 5 cards, discard 0-4 cards, score the best poker hand
- Phase 2: Discard 0-4 cards, score the best poker hand
- Phase 3: The Trick Phase: Discard 0-4 cards, play for "tricks". If no Chicago is announced, the player on the left side of the dealer initiates the 'trick phase'. The winner of the last trick gets the 'trick score' (5 points). The best hand gets the 'hand score'.
- Dealer button moves one seat to the left
- Restart with phase 1
Scoring
- Hands are declared clockwise after the discards have been made.
- If a player has declared a stronger hand, weaker following players do not need to declare theirs.
- Hand scoring in the third phase is taken after the tricks.
Below is a table of the hand-ranking values. Four-of-a-kind, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush all give additional perks.
| Hand | Points / Effect |
|---|---|
| Pair | 1 pt |
| Two Pair | 2 pts |
| Three-of-a-Kind | 3 pts |
| Straight | 4 pts |
| Flush | 5 pts |
| Full House | 6 pts |
| Four-of-a-Kind | 8 pts per point phase or reset opponents to 0 and hand ends |
| Straight Flush | Immediate win at 52 pts (Even without having executed a Chicago), round ends. |
| Royal Flush | Same as Straight Flush & Opponents will reset to zero points, round ends. |
Trick Play Phase and Additional Points
- If no Chicago is declared, the player left of the dealer leads the first trick.
- Players must follow suit if possible. If a player fails to follow suit and it is not corrected before the next card, their hand is dead. They may still score the poker hand points but cannot continue in the trick play. The points you received in that hand in earlier phases, for example 1 point for a pair, will be removed as part of the penalty for not following suit in the trick phase.
- Winner of the last trick scores 5 pts (or 10pts if he wins the last trick with a deuce). Not valid in Chicago play, since a successful Chicago always scores 15 points.
- If a player has Four-of-a-Kind and intends to reset opponents to zero points, this must be declared immediately—not after hearing Chicago has been declared.
- Whenever you are dealt a Straight or Royal Flush, the game ends and you score accordingly.
Other points:
- Last trick won = 5 pts
- Last trick with a deuce = 10 pts
- Chicago won = +15 pts
- Chicago broken = –15 pts; breaker gets +10 pts
- Discardless at 45 pts or more
- No negative scores—lowest possible is 0
Four-of-a-Kind must either score 8 pts continuously or reset opponents immediately. You cannot score it for a couple of phases and then reset opponents to zero. You have to choose either/or the moment you declare you have four-of-a-kind.
Declaring Chicago
- A player may declare “Chicago” once they have reached 15 pts or more. You must have declared at least once in a round to win the game. You may declare multiple times.
- After the final discard, the dealer asks clockwise: “Do you say Chicago?” to players who have 15 pts or more. Eligible players must answer yes/no—answers are binding.
- For a successful Chicago, the player must win every trick. Only Chicago points, +15 for winning, -15 for losing and +10 for opponent breaking apply; no hand scoring for pair, flush, etcetera.
- Breaking a Chicago. The first player to break scores +10 pts, regardless of who has the highest card.
- Once Chicago has been broken, trick play ends immediately, score +15, or -15, and +10, a new round commences (remember: since Chicago was executed, there are no hand scores)
- If a player reaches 52+ pts without having executed Chicago, they automatically lose that game (or in tournament format that round). Score the player zero points, and the player sits out the remainder of the game (or in tournament format that round).
Additional Discard Information
- Once cards are placed down for discard, the action stands—they cannot be picked back up.
- All players must place the cards they want to exchange in front of them before the dealer begins the exchange, in order.
- If discarding one card, the exchange is open: the player first gets an open card. If declined, the player then gets a closed card.
- If an open card is mistakenly shown (e.g. dealer thought player wanted one but player wanted two cards), the shown card is shuffled back into the deck and a new random card is given to the player.
- If cards are missing for the final exchange, the dealer reshuffles the muck pile and deals from it. Players will not be able to receive the cards they discarded, as they are not yet in the muck.
- If a player that is discardless by mistake or on purpose is discard cards, then that player is immediately reduced to zero points. And is not anymore seen as discardless, he or she can score new points from this moment onwards, as well as normally participating in the discard phase.
- Even if a player is discardless, a volunteer discard might be tactically correct, to accept the punishment of going down to zero points and thus avoiding the chance of exceeding 52 points without having said 'Chicago'.
Let's Play a Round!
Phase 1
The dealer deals five cards.
- Player 1: K K Q 7 2
- Player 2: J 9 6 4 3
- Player 3: 10 10 A J 6
Player 1 goes first, discarding two cards, 7 2 . And received from dealer A A .
Player 2 discards the 6 3 . and receives the 7 4 .
Player 3 discards two, the J and 6 and gets the 7 4 .
Declaration
- Player 1: A A K K Q
- Player 2: J 9 7 4 4
- Player 3: 10 10 A 7 4
Player 1 declares two pair. Player 2 and 3 pass as their hands aren't as strong. Player 1 wins two points.
| Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 |
Phase 2
- Player 1: A A K K Q
- Player 2: J 9 7 4 4
- Player 3: 10 10 A 7 4
Player 1 discards the Q . Player 1 is dealt the 3 face up and declines it. Player then receives the 5 .
Player 2 discards the 4 7 and gets the 9 and 2 ..
Player 3 discards the 7 and 4 and gets the K and 6 .
- N.B. If you are breaking a hand that won points in the first phase to draw more, you have to declare it to the table and show that the hand is being broken.
Declaration
- Player 1: A A K K 5
- Player 2: J 9 9 4 2
- Player 3: 10 10 A K 6
Player 1 still has the best hand and scores two more points, bringing the total to 4 points, and his opponents have 0.
| Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 |
Phase 3 - The Trick Phase
The Draw
- Player 1: A A K K 5
- Player 2: J 9 9 4 2
- Player 3: 10 10 A K 6
Player 1 discards 5 and draws one, and gets the 7 face up, declines, receives Q face down.
Player 2 discards the 9 and 2 , and gets the A and 9 in return.
Player 3 discards the K and the 6 , and receives the 10 and 5 .
Trick Time and Declaration
- Player 1: A A K K Q
- Player 2: A J 9 9 4
- Player 3: 10 10 10 A 5
Trick Time
- Player 1 plays the Q as the first trick. Player 2 follows suit with the A . Player 3 plays the 10 . Player 2 wins the first trick with the highest card of the lead suit, so leads again the next trick.
- Player 2 leads the 9 . Player 3 can't follow suit and plays the 5 . Player 1 plays the K , since he cannot follow suit. Player 2 wins again as it is the highest card in the lead suit.
- Player 2 then leads with the 9 . Player 3 can't follow suit and plays the 10 . Player 1 plays the A , and wins the trick with the highest card in suit.
- Player 1 then leads the A . Player 2 can't follow suit and plays 4 . Player 3 can't follow suit and plays the 10 . Player 1 wins with the highest-ranking lead suit.
- The fifth and last trick, Player 1 leads with the K . Player 2 can't follow suit with the J , and Player 3 plays the A . Player 3 wins the last trick, meaning Player 3 scores 5 trick points for winning the final trick.
Player 3 has the best hand with a set of tens, and scores three points.
Summary Of Round Points
- Player 1 has 4 points (2+2) from having two pairs in the first two phases.
- Player 2 has 0 points.
- Player 3 got 8 points (5+3) from winning the last trick and having a 3-of-a-kind in the last poker hand score.
These would then be added to the player's tally. This is how the scorecard would look.
| Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 8 |
N.B. In scoring Chicago games, points are recorded in a five-fenced tally formation.
These rounds continue until one player has reached or exceeded 52 points and has executed at least one Chicago, successful or not.
Chicago at The Festival Rules
Read the rules carefully, act clearly, and above all—keep a good tone and show sportsmanship when you play Chicago, the best poker game ever.
The game is built on honesty. If mistakes or direct cheating occur, there are consequences. For mistakes, a warning or a penalty is given. For cheating, the player is disqualified, and the buy-in is not refunded. Non-negotiable.
Flow and Roles
- The Festival Series Chicago tournament will be played over two days. (Several day 1s in individual Heat-format, and the 2nd day is played by play-off format)
- During day 1, each heat is played with a maximum of 4 players and a minimum of 3 players. From each heat, one player qualifies for day 2.
- A player is allowed to re-enter in subsequent heats, but can only qualify once to day 2.
- There is no possibility to register directly for Day 2.
- For each heat select a common scorekeeper, called the Auditor, for the entire heat.
- Each Heat plays 3 games.
- After each game, players will be awarded with points according to their final position in that game.
- Game points are awarded as follows: 1st = 20 pts, 2nd = 15 pts, 3rd = 12 pts, 4th = 8 pts.
- Players at the table are responsible for scoring and monitoring the progress of the game. It is the players’ responsibility to track each other’s discards, open cards, etc.
- A player or dealer is not obliged to repeat how many cards, or which open card, a player has exchanged. However, the number of exchanged cards must be clearly displayed by placing them face down in front of the player, and the dealer must announce the number of cards exchanged per player. If you are not paying attention to this, the problem is yours alone.
Seat, Exchanges, and Scoring in Chicago SM
- Just like in poker, a dealer button is used to regulate which player is technically in the dealer position.
- A new seat draw is made for every game.
- The Auditor must write down all points and save the score sheet for each game and heat.
- The Auditor must use tally marks for each point and group them in blocks of five in a fence style. The tournament protocol template will show this.
- The Auditor must circle the name of any player who has executed Chicago. For each Chicago win, an asterisk (*) must be written next to the player’s name.
- If players in a Heat are tied after 3 games, the winner is decided by:
- Total points across the 3 games
- Number of Chicago won
- Tiebreak (1 round of Franke’s Flip Flop).
Progression in tournament
A player can play an unlimited number of Heats. In each Heat, one player progresses to the final rounds played on the penultimate day. On the final round, players are grouped in groups of 3 or 4 players, and a play-off structure format applies. From each heat, the top two players will advance to the next stage until there is a final table of four players.
Tournament Direction, Shot Clocks, and Penalties
- If a situation cannot be resolved at the table, the Tournament Director (TD) is called. The TD's decision is final.
- A warned player who repeats an offence may face penalties ranging from reduced points to missing one round or missing a whole game.
- Shot clocks could be enforced during The Festival for exchanges and trick play. Repeated violations result in penalties.
- Short breaks are allowed between games. During a round, breaks (e.g. bathroom) must be approved by the table. If one player says no, then no break is allowed. Hands are folded for absent players. The TD may overrule for special reasons (not for bar visits).
- Whenever someone ends the game with a Royal Flush, all remaining players will go down to zero points in that round, and will split the points of 2nd place, 3rd place, and 4th place. Meaning that the total combined points of these places according to the points ranking (20-15-12-8), the remaining players need to divide 15+12+8 points. This is 35 points in total, and will result in 11,66 points per player.
