SEKA 36: classic Seka rules
Classic Seka uses 36 cards, from six to ace. Each player holds three cards, and the best point total wins the pot. On our site this is the SEKA 36 mode; “Russian Seka” refers to this classic family, not a fourth game.
Deck and rules
- Deck
- 36 cards: 6 to ace in four suits.
- Wild card
- The 7♣ counts 11 in any suit and fills the missing card of a three of a kind.
- Scoring
- Best same-suit total; mixed suits keep the highest card. Two aces 22, triples add up, three aces 33, three sixes 34, the top hand.
- Betting ends
- When a player chooses OPEN, available once both players have acted.
- On a tie
- Seka: replay; splitting allowed
Hand values with examples
A = 11 · 10 J Q K = 10 · 6, 7, 8, 9 = face value · AA = 22 · AAA = 33 · 666 = 34
- A♠K♠9♠Three spades: 11 + 10 + 930 points
- K♥K♦Q♠Mixed suits: only the highest card counts10 points
- 7♣A♥K♥The wild 7♣ counts 11 with the hearts32 points
- 7♥7♦7♠Three sevens add up: 7 + 7 + 721 points
- 7♣6♥6♦The wild 7♣ completes three sixes, the top hand34 points
How a hand is played
Ante
Both players pay an ante before the cards come out: the table's stake online (10, 50, 200 or 1,000), or 10 against Gary, where you each start with 500 chips.
Dark or normal
Before the deal, the player who is not dealing may choose DARK and bet one stake without looking, or play normally at no extra cost.
The deal
Three cards each, dealt one at a time, starting with the player who is not dealing.
- FOLD
- Give up the hand. Your opponent takes the pot, and your cards are never shown.
- SUPPORT
- Pay the current stake and pass the turn. The betting goes on.
- RAISE
- Lift the stake by at least one table stake and pay the new stake. Choose a custom increment with the number field or slider, or use ×2, ×5, ×10 and MAX. Tap RAISE to confirm. A raise never goes beyond what both players can answer.
- OPEN
- Pay the current stake and compare hands. Available once both players have acted.
Short of chips? A player who cannot cover the stake shows for what they have left, and any unmatched part of a raise goes back to the raiser.
Playing in the dark
When Dark Play is enabled, the non-dealer may wager before seeing the cards. While a hand stays unread, a player who has looked pays twice the blind stake. LOOK reveals only your own hand and leaves the turn with you. Dark Play is disabled during the tie replay. Table settings can disable Dark Play altogether.
SEKA 21, SEKA 36 and SVARA 32 compared
Every mode deals three cards per player. SEKA 36 and SVARA 32 compare point totals, so equal totals tie. For SEKA 21, follow the combination order in its own rules and hand reference. Our tables are one-on-one, online or against Gary.
Swipe or scroll sideways to see every column.
| Rule | SEKA 21 · Georgian | SEKA 36 · Classic | SVARA 32 · Bulgarian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 21: 10-A + 9♣ | 36: 6-A | 32: 7-A |
| Wild card | 9♣ substitutes a natural card | 7♣: 11 in a suit, fills a triple | 7♣: 11, joins a suit or rank group |
| Mixed-suit ordinary pair | Adds up: K♥ K♦ Q♠ = 20 | Does not add up: K♥ K♦ Q♠ = 10 | Does not add up: K♥ K♦ Q♠ = 10 |
| 7♣ 8♣ 8♦ | Not in the deck | 24: completes three eights | 27: 11 + 8 + 8 |
| 7♣ A♥ K♥ | Not in the deck | 32 | 32 |
| Strongest hand | AAA = 33 | 666 = 34 | 777 = 34 |
| Triple ranking | 10 < J < Q < K < A; every triple beats suited hands | Points only: KKK = 30 is below suited 31 | Points only: KKK = 30 is below suited 31 |
| Two natural sevens | Not in the deck | No special pair score | Special pair: 23 |
| End betting | Paid OPEN after both have acted | Paid OPEN after both have acted | CALL matches the opponent’s stake |
| Tied hands | Seka: replay for the pot | Seka: replay; splitting allowed | Svara: replay for the pot |
Questions about the rules
Does a pair of kings count as 20?
Not with mixed suits in SEKA 36. K♥ K♦ Q♠ scores 10. A natural pair of aces is the special exception, worth 22.
Is three of a kind always stronger than suited cards?
No. Points decide: three kings are 30, while A♥ K♥ Q♥ is 31. Three sixes are the exception, worth 34.
Are SEKA 36 and seka-ru different modes?
On seka21.com they refer to the same classic mode. The comparison guide explains how our implementation differs from published rules on seka-ru.com.
About these rules and sources
The examples describe the rules currently used on seka21.com. Traditional tables and other services may use different wild cards, betting limits or tie rules. Check the selected table before playing. The guides use our game definitions and hand evaluator; regional background comes from the linked rules below.