Searching for Sabacc rules on the internet is sometimes bewildering. There are now at least 4 primary variations of Sabacc - Classic, Spike, Shift and Kessel - and several more minor ones (Centran, Contract or 3-Card Spike, anyone?).

On top of that there is an array of write-ups and optional rules developed by fans, as more and more people get into the game and offer their own readings and interpretations of the core dynamics and quirks. Some of them are trying to ‘fix’ ambiguities or problems with the official rules - which often leads to further objections and disagreements.

The aim of this page is to collect the key published versions of the rules that all these different rule guides are based on, and record some of these variants and interpretations as well.

The archive is for documentation and reference, so that fans and players can see the original rules which newer write-ups are based on - and where they depart from what came before. The documents are organised according to the first chronological appearance of a particular version of Sabacc, with published rulesets and derivatives listed under them.

NOTE ON COPYRIGHT

This Sabacc Rules Archive is a non-commercial resource dedicated to researching, preserving, and analyzing the history and rules of the game of Sabacc. The materials included on this page are used solely for educational, research, and archival purposes.

All copyrights to the content, imagery, text, and other materials accessible on this page are retained by their respective copyright owners. This page does not claim ownership of any copyrighted materials .

The use of these materials is intended to fall under the "fair use" provisions of copyright law, as outlined in Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act and similar provisions in other jurisdictions. This includes use for purposes such as scholarship, research, and education, without seeking to infringe on the original copyright holders' rights.

If you are a copyright owner and believe your material has been used inappropriately, please contact us directly to address your concerns.

CONTACT DETAILS

QUICK LINKS

Looking for a specific version of Sabacc? These links will jump to the relevant section.

ARCHIVE POLICY

The Sabacc Rules Archive aims to comprehensively document all of the official rulesets and versions of Sabacc.

It does not aim to document every single unofficial set of rules or fan variant of Sabacc. Instead, it seeks to document a selection, especially those which have been available for a long time, have received significant use and playtesting, or which are often used by players looking for rules online. If you believe that anything important is missing, or have your own rules you'd like to submit, you are welcome to do so - however inclusion is not guaranteed. Additions are made at the discretion of the webmaster, based on a perception of whether they offer any significant contribution to the current selection of rules available.

ORIGINS OF SABACC

FIRST REFERENCES TO ‘SABACCA’ & 'SABACC' (1978/1981)

The game of Sabacc was never mentioned on-screen in any of the original Star Wars films, but entered the lore through references that were cut from the scripts and used in later material.

‘Sabacca’ in The Empire Strikes Back Script 2nd Draft (April, 1978) by George Lucas - According to Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplay by Laurent Bouzereau (1997), p. 191

‘Sabacc’ in The Empire Strikes Back Script 4th Draft (October 1978) by Lawrence Kasdan

‘Sabacc’ in Marvel Star Wars (1977) Issue #43 ‘Betrayal at Bespin’ (January 01, 1981)

THE LANDO CALRISSIAN ADVENTURES (1984)

Lando Calrissian & The Mindharp of Sharu

In which Lando Calrissian is accused of cheating at 78-card Sabacc against a mining crew, plays against cantina patrons on Rafa IV, and explains the use of Sabacc cards for divination to his droid co-pilot.

Lando Calrissian & The Flamewinds of Oseon

In which Lando Calrissian plays high-stakes Sabacc against the wealthy patrons of the Oseon system, and explains the logic of the Idiot’s Array to a passenger.

Lando Calrissian & The StarCave of Thonboka

In which Lando Calrissian uses Sabacc to inveigle his way past an Imperial Navy blockade, and promote the value of risk to the ThonBoka, an void-dwelling species who inhabit the Star Cave Nebula.

RULESETS BASED ON THE LANDO NOVELS (‘CENTRAN SABACC’)

Since the publication of Crisis on Cloud City (Next Section) promoted a version of Sabacc with structural differences from the game presented in the Lando Calrissian Adventures, this earlier version came to be designated as ‘Centran Sabacc’. As there were no published rules for Lando’s version, these rules tend be modifications of the Cloud City ruleset that account for the different size of the Lando’s deck and the particular rules mentioned in those novels.

Ian Cooper’s Rules for Centran Sabacc (2022)

Sabacc Station Rules for Centran Sabacc (2024)

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FIRST PUBLISHED RULES

FIRST PLAYABLE RULES (1984)

Crisis on Cloud City, West End Games RPG Supplement (1984)
- Adventure Book
- Rules Booklet
- Cut-Out Sabacc Cards

APPEARANCES IN EU NOVELS & REFERENCE MATERIALS (1991-2012)

Adventures of a Jedi Prince: Zorba the Hutt's Revenge (1992)

In which Lando Calrissian loses a rigged game of Sabacc to Zorba the Hutt, and (temporarily) loses ownership of Cloud City.

Star Wars: Rebel Dawn (1998)

Han Solo wins the Millenium Falcon from Lando Calrissian in the Cloud City Sabacc Tournament.

Star Wars Tales (Vol.3) - Lady Luck (2000)

In which Lando wins Cloud City from Baron Dominic Raynor in a Sabacc game - with a little outside help!

Star Wars: Underworld: The Yavin Vasilika (2000-2001)

In which Lando skips out on a losing hand on Nar Shadaa.

The Star Wars Fact Files (2000-2005)

Sabacc Cards & Dealer Droid Datafiles, Artwork depicting Sabacc Cards

Darth Bane, Path of Destruction (2006)

In which the man who would become Darth Bane plays Sabacc on the cortosis mining world of Atropos, seeking to pay off his company debts to the Outer Rim Oreworks Corporation.

Star Wars Edge of the Empire: The Jewel of Yavin Adventure Module (2014)

Artwork depicting Sabacc Cards

SECOND OFFICIAL CARD DECK & RULES (NEW DISNEY CANON, 2015)

New Card Designs seen in Star Wars: Rebels, Season 1 Episode 11 (January 12, 2015

Video Link

Screenshots

Star Wars Celebration 2015 (Anaheim) Sabacc Card Deck

Official Card Deck

Abridged Rules (Based on the Crisis in Cloud City Rules)

Star Wars Landing Bay - Disney Hollywood Studios (2015) - Cantina Area - Sabacc Rules Wall Inscription

Photographs and Aurebesh Translation by Shane Henderson on Bluesky

APPEARANCES IN NEW CANON NOVELS & REFERENCE MATERIALS (2015-PRESENT)

Star Wars: Bloodlines (2016)

Leia Organa shows off her sabacc skills during a diplomatic mission. Anomalous attribution of the value 10 to ‘The Star’ card.

Star Wars: The Living Force (2024)

In which a pirate leader’s outlook is heavily influenced by Sabacc and the divinatory functions of the Classic deck.

DERIVED RULE SETS - ‘CLASSIC’ or ‘TRADITIONAL’ SABACC

Classic/Traditional Sabacc on Pagat.com (1990-2015)

Ryan B. Rules

M.Brent Rules (from rec.arts.sf.starwars on Google groups)

Marc JS. Rules (Usenet E-Mail Group)

Peter Kerton Rules

Recent Versions (2015-PRESENT)

Rick Scott - Classic Sabacc Rulebook

Hyperspace Props Rules & Downloads

A3

A14

A3

FORCE SABACC

THE COURTSHIP OF PRINCESS LEIA (1991)
In which Han Solo plays Force Sabacc and wins the moon of Dathomir.

DERIVED RULE SETS

Force Sabacc by Emily Hyde and Brett Inman on Hyperspace Props

CONTRACT SABACC

X-WING: WEDGE’S GAMBLE, MICHAEL STACKPOLE (1995)

In which Rogue Squadron pilots Inyri Forge and Aril Nunb discover their shared passion for contract sabacc and double-draw fendoc (The Bacta War, Page 187).

DERIVED RULE SETS

Contract Sabacc by Ian Cooper

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LINK

CORELLIAN SPIKE

APPEARANCE IN SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (2015)

Scenes from Solo: A Star Wars Story

Behind the Scenes Documentary (DVD Extra Features)

HAN SOLO PROMOTIONAL CARD GAME

Game Cards, Box and Dice Set

Rules Book

OFFICIAL CORELLIAN SPIKE DECK

Game Cards, Box and Dice Set

Rules Book

DERIVED RULE SETS

Corellian Spike Rules - RPF Reconstruction Thread

An early community effort to figure out the rules of Corellian Spike in the early days of it's depiction and the first published rules around the release of Solo (2015)

Corellian Spike Rules by Chandler Stevens

From the RPF Community effort. Downloads available here with permission. Chandler can be contacted through his RPF user/profile.

Corellian Spike Rules by La Tribune de Coruscanti

A solid interpretation of the official rules, with a popular tutorial video.

Tutorial Video

Rules Download

Corellian Spike Rules by Hyperspace Props

Teaches the official rules, with an accessible series of tutorial videos.

Rules Download

MODIFIED AND VARIANT RULES

Corellian Spike Rules by Chandler Stevens

House rules from the RPF Community effort. Downloads available here with permission. Chandler can be contacted through his RPF user/profile.

Mos Eisley Cantina Rules

Fort Ypso Rules

Lion Rock Cantina Rules

Outer Rim Sabacc League (Historical Rules - OBSOLETE)

Rules adopted by the Outer Rim Sabacc League from 2016-2023. It included extra rules for the Trade round and adjustments to the hand rankings. After 2023, ORSL only recognises the canon or official published rules.

Rules Download

Hand Rankings Download