Kalooki - down edgware road

[mikeymike]

About twenty years ago i went with a mate to his best friends spiler in edgware rd.

On arrival my mate said i am going to play Kalooki I said i had no idea how to play it and was just going to chat with a few guys i knew at the bar. My mate then said do you want to go halves. I say okay and disappear to the bar. About 40 minutes i go over to see how is getting on, he says we are about £900 up, me smiling i go back to the bar. 2 hours later i go back to see whats going on, my mates a bit ashen - he says we are £4,000 down.

This has now caught my attention - as i have about £200 in my pocket - his mate who owns the joint comes over to me and says dont worry if he gets down to owing 10k i will pull him out of the game - and you can pay me in installments - immediately went back to the bar for stiff drink and to consider my options.

Anyway someone smiled on us and within an hour and a half we were back into a small profit - and at about 7.00am the whole thing wound down.

Even to this day i dont know the rules to kalooki - only that you play with 2 packs - and when i hear it mentioned it sends a shiver down my spine

[Tal]

Amazing story! What a night that must have been.

Kalooki is similar to rummy. You get up to four decks, depending on how many people are playing and the big swings come from the points you accumulate from the cards you have left, when another player manages to get rid of all their cards. Points are bad.

One of the few games where you play with jokers.

If you're playing with mates, I'd stick to crash!