Between the Joker and the Bug: Poker with Semi-Wild Bridgette Cards

Session Title

Gambling Mathematics: Classic Games & Odds

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation

Start Date

28-5-2026 12:00 AM

Abstract

The card game Bridgette was introduced as a variant on the game of contraxct bridge. The 55-card Bridgette deck includes three "colons": the Little, Royal, and Grand Colons. These cards could be used to collect a card from the cards remaning after the players had been dealt their initial hands or could be used as a "stopper" in game play. The Little Colon entitled its holder to pick up a 2-10, the Royal Colon could be exchanged for a face card, and the Grand Colon replaced an ace. We consider the implicaitons for hand frequencies that occur when standard 5-card poker hands are dealt from a Bridgette deck with the understanding that each different colon can only serve as a wild card replacing one of its assigned ranks. In this sense, a colon lies between a fully wild card and a "bug" which can be used only as an ace or to fill out a straight or flush.

Author Bios

Mark Bollman is Professor of Mathematics at Albion College in Albion, MI. In his career as a mathematician, he has taught 121 different courses, including several courses on various aspects of gambling. On this list is Mathematics of the Gaming Industry, where students travel to Las Vegas to compare theory and practice. Mark is the author of 7 books on gambling math; the latest, Blackjack Mathematics for Non-Mathematicians, will be published in the summer of 2026 by CRC Press/Taylor & Francis.

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May 28th, 12:00 AM

Between the Joker and the Bug: Poker with Semi-Wild Bridgette Cards

The card game Bridgette was introduced as a variant on the game of contraxct bridge. The 55-card Bridgette deck includes three "colons": the Little, Royal, and Grand Colons. These cards could be used to collect a card from the cards remaning after the players had been dealt their initial hands or could be used as a "stopper" in game play. The Little Colon entitled its holder to pick up a 2-10, the Royal Colon could be exchanged for a face card, and the Grand Colon replaced an ace. We consider the implicaitons for hand frequencies that occur when standard 5-card poker hands are dealt from a Bridgette deck with the understanding that each different colon can only serve as a wild card replacing one of its assigned ranks. In this sense, a colon lies between a fully wild card and a "bug" which can be used only as an ace or to fill out a straight or flush.