Overview

Deal Me In is a board game combining elements of poker and Scrabble. Players collect card tiles (representing playing cards) and lay them on an 11x11 grid board to form poker hands. The hands interlock on the board the same way words do on a Scrabble board, allowing players to score for multiple hands in a single placement. Players compete for the highest total score using poker chips.

Components

• 1 game board with an 11x11 grid (some spaces have bonus card images)
• 56 playing card tiles
• 30 No Entry tiles
• 4 playing tile racks
• Poker chips in various denominations (each player starts with 150 worth)
• Tile bag or draw pile
• Rules booklet

Setup

1. Place the board in the center of the table.
2. Place all 56 card tiles and 30 No Entry tiles in the draw bag or face-down pile.
3. Each player takes a rack and draws 7 tiles.
4. Distribute poker chips (150 per player).
5. Determine the starting player.

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Place Tiles: Lay one or more tiles on the board to form or extend poker hands (straights, flushes, pairs, full houses, etc.).
2. Score: Calculate the value of all poker hands formed by your placement. Collect that value in poker chips from the bank.
3. Draw: Refill your rack to 7 tiles.

Actions

Placing Card Tiles

• Place tiles on empty spaces of the grid to form poker hands (rows or columns of tiles forming valid poker combinations).
• Tiles can be placed to extend existing hands or create new intersecting hands.
• No Entry tiles block spaces, preventing placement in those squares.

Forming Poker Hands

• Valid hands follow standard poker rankings: high card, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, royal flush.
• Hands can be formed horizontally or vertically on the board.

Interlocking Hands

• Like Scrabble words, poker hands can intersect. A single tile can be part of multiple hands (one horizontal, one vertical).
• When you complete multiple hands with one placement, you score all of them.

Bonus Spaces

• Some board spaces have card images printed on them. Landing on these may provide bonus scoring or wild card effects.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Players earn poker chips based on the poker hands they form on the board. Higher-ranking hands earn more chips. When all tiles have been drawn and placed (or no more legal placements exist), the game ends. The player with the most poker chips wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Interlocking: The key strategic element. Placing tiles to score multiple hands simultaneously is how skilled players pull ahead.
• No Entry Tiles: These block grid spaces, constraining placement options and creating strategic obstacles.
• Rack Management: Deciding which tiles to play and which to hold for future turns adds a hand-management dimension.
• Scrabble-Style Grid: The 11x11 grid with intersecting placements creates a familiar spatial puzzle for Scrabble players.
• Starting Chips: Each player begins with 150 in chips; all scoring adds to this total.

Player Reference

Turn: Place tiles on the grid → Score all poker hands formed → Draw to 7 tiles

Poker Hands (low to high): Pair, Two Pair, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, Royal Flush

Board: 11x11 grid; hands interlock horizontally and vertically

Win: Most poker chips when all tiles are placed

Components: 56 card tiles, 30 No Entry tiles, 4 racks, poker chips (150/player start)