Chilean Dice and Card Games
Since it would be a nice change of pace to take a break from trolling the Facebooks for anti-Trump memes and actually connect with real people again, here are the dice and card games I learned down in Chile while on exchange with their Navy. Gather up some friends and family, some cups and dice and get your drink on!
The author takes no responsibility for dented or broken furniture
WARNING – STRONG POSSIBILITY OF FRIVOLITY & HUMAN INTERACTION
Dudo
Dudo, which means ‘I doubt you’, was the most popular dice game in George Slight’s wardroom. When we were at anchor and had nothing better to do, we would break out the cups, dice and pisco and play until 2 or 3 in the morning. The Captain would be growly the next day and guaranteed one of the young officers would be yelled at but it passed the time.
Equipment needed was minimal but it had to be sturdy. The cups are made of thick leather and you smash the up-turned cup on to the table when you shake your dice. Apologies to Grandma Melanson for the dings in her table from our Christmas dice gaming.
Here are a few websites that list the rules, plus some clarifications from how I learned the game.
The Wikipedia site has the rules that are closest to the way I learned the game with the exception that when a player is down to one die and starts the bid, the other players are not allowed to look at their ‘hands’ and must bid blind. Also, if you’re bidding Wild Aces, the progression is at least half of the last bid plus one. The progression from Aces to the other numbers is double plus one.
Vulgarity is a regular part of the colloquial Chilean vernacular. Here is a translation of terms you will hear associated with the game.
- Cacho or Pico – these are other names for the game, translated as ‘Shit’ & ‘Dick’. The context of Cacho is ‘That’s shit or crap’ and Pico is short for Pico en el Oyo or ‘Dick in the Eye’. They are different ways of saying ‘I’m calling your bluff’ or ‘You’re full of shit’.
- The Chileans would use different slang for the pictorial representation of the dice.
- One Ace – Uno As (Ass)
- Two Twos – Dos Tontos (Dummies)
- Three Threes – Tres Trens (Trains)
- Four Fours – Cuatro Cuadras (Block or Square)
- Five Fives – Cinco Quinas (Literally a grouping of five things)
- Six Sixes – Sies Senos (Breast nipples, like on a female dog)
Dudo Inglés
Occasionally we would play Dudo Inglés (English Dice Poker) to change things up.
Carioca
Before we really got into the drinking, especially the Piscola, we still had the mental faculties to play Carioca. It was similar to Gin Rummy.
Conchesonadre
When we were blasted out of our minds on Piscola at 2 a.m. we would switch to the quick and dirty game of Cochesonadre (Motherfucker). There is no strategy but it moves fast. Perfect game for young children, drunk sailors or tipsy Acadians during Christmas get-togethers.
Salud Weons y Weonitas!
Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.