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How to Play Balatro
Game Objective
In Balatro, your goal is to create the best possible poker hands and maximize your score using joker cards and their special effects.
Game Basics
- You start with a standard deck of 52 playing cards
- Each round, you are dealt a 5-card poker hand
- Your hand is evaluated based on standard poker hand rankings
- Joker cards provide special effects that can multiply your score
Hand Rankings
Royal Flush
A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit
250 points
Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit
200 points
Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank
150 points
Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair
100 points
Flush
Five cards of the same suit
80 points
Straight
Five consecutive cards
60 points
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank
40 points
Two Pair
Two different pairs
30 points
One Pair
Two cards of the same rank
20 points
High Card
When you don't have any of the above
10 points
Balatro Strategy Tips
- Focus on collecting Balatro jokers that complement each other
- Some Balatro jokers work better with specific hand types
- Don't be afraid to take risks for high-scoring Balatro hands
- Plan several moves ahead when selecting Balatro jokers
- In Balatro, sometimes it's better to aim for multiple smaller hands than one perfect hand