A standard deck playing card game played with a special layout (or board) and poker chips. It is a modern version of the game of Poch. Each hand has three phases: "Hearts", "Poker", and "Michigan Rummy". All cards are dealt out, including one extra hand which remains unseen. Players place chips in the spaces for the special combinations on the playing mat/board, the "Poker" pot, and the "Kitty". The first phase pays off for holding certain cards or combinations (that match the combinations on the playing layout/board). The second phase is a hand of poker; each player selecting five cards from his hand to play. A hand of Poker betting takes place, with bets added to the "Poker" pot, and the winner wins the "Poker" pot. In the third phase, players play a slight variation of the game of Michigan (similar to Fan Tan), and the first to go out wins the chips in the "Kitty".

The book Games We Play pictures a version of Poch published in ~1830 in Nuremberg by Verlag Fr Scharrer. From this illustration we can see the evolution of Pope Joan to Poch, which was further refined into the Tripoley we see today.

This game is a Public Domain game known as Michigan Rummy. This name comes from the third phase where the standard deck playing card game of Michigan ("Stops Family") is played. Michigan Rummy should not be confused with the game of 500 Rum and its variation called Michigan Rum from the Rummy Family.

The spots on the board are 10-J-Q-K-A of Hearts (5 spots), 8-9-10 all one suit (one spot), Q-K of Hearts (one spot), and the Kitty.

Re-implements:

Pochspiel

Also see:

Michigan Rummy

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