CalicoJack

From Stardew Valley Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

CalicoJack is one of the forms of gambling available in the Casino. It is a modified version of blackjack. There are two tables playing the game in the casino, one low stakes (100 Qi coins bet) and one high stakes (1,000 Qi coins bet).

Game Rules

The objective is to score higher than the dealer without exceeding 21.

The player and the dealer are both dealt two cards, the first valued between 1 and 11, the second between 1 and 9. The dealer's first card is hidden while the player takes their actions.

The player can then choose to stay, keeping their current total, or hit, drawing a new card valued between 1 and 9. This is repeated until the player exceeds 21, a "bust", for an immediate loss; makes a total of exactly 21, a "CalicoJack", for an immediate win; or chooses to stay.

If the player stays, the dealer's hidden card is displayed. The dealer will then take additional cards (valued between 1 and 9) until they either bust, or have a total of 18 or higher that is at least as high as the player's total. If the dealer busts, the player wins; if the dealer has a higher total than the player but no greater than 21, the player loses; if the player and dealer have the same total, the game is a draw.

If the player wins they gain a number of Qi coins equal to their bet. if they lose, they lose their bet. If the game is a draw, no coins are won or lost.

Neither daily Luck nor luck buffs from eating food affect the results of CalicoJack. The odds of winning, however, slightly favor the player rather than the house.

Game Strategy

Optimal strategy for the player is to stand on 18 or higher when the dealer shows a 9, stand on 16 or higher when the dealer shows a 5 or 6, and stand on 17 or higher against all other dealer upcards.

The dealer usually stands on 18, but there are specific cases where the dealer will draw on 18. These are intended rules, according to game developers.

Gallery

Axe.png
Section Stub

This section is marked as a stub for the following reason:

  • Images need updated for 1.4 (now shows available Qi coins in minigame screen)

Trivia

  • It is possible that the game's name stems from Captain Jack Rackham aka. Calico Jack. This pirate might have also been a real life inspiration for Disney's Captain Jack Sparrow.
  • The game does not use a standard deck of cards. It's possible for the dealer or the player to have more than 4 of one number of card (e.g., dealer has three 5s, player has two 5s, player has four 1s, dealer has three 1s).

History

  • 1.4: Casino mini-games now slightly favor the player rather than the house. Added number of Qi coins to game display.