Revision 8

Overview

Five-Card is one of the two gambling minigames in Crimson Desert, alongside the simpler Duo card game. While Duo can be played at multiple locations across the world, Five-Card is found exclusively in the village of Beighen, a settlement in the northern region of the map. The buy-in is 150 Silver per session, roughly ten times the cost of a standard Duo match. This reflects the higher stakes and greater complexity involved.

Five-Card builds on the same foundation as Duo but introduces two major differences. First, players are dealt five sticks instead of two, and the game automatically selects three of them whose values sum to exactly 10, 20, or 30. The remaining two sticks form the player's actual hand. Second, Five-Card factors in the color of each stick (red or yellow), which means certain premium hands require specific color combinations rather than just matching numbers.

The number of opponents at the Beighen table is randomized each in-game day, ranging from a one-on-one match to a full table with up to three opponents. Because more opponents means a larger combined pot, this randomization can significantly affect how much Silver a winning player walks away with.

Quick Reference

How to Play

To play Five-Card, travel to Beighen and enter the gambling den. The game follows a structured sequence of dealing, hand evaluation, and betting, similar to Duo but with an additional layer of complexity from the five-stick deal and color mechanics.

Step 1: The Deal

Each player at the table receives five sticks. Every stick has a number (1 through 10) and a color (red or yellow). The game then automatically identifies a combination of three sticks whose values sum to exactly 10, 20, or 30. If no valid three-stick combination exists among the five dealt sticks, the result is a Bust, and that player loses the round immediately.

Step 2: Forming Your Hand

When a valid three-stick combination is found, those three sticks are set aside. The two remaining sticks form the player's actual hand, called a Duo. The strength of these two sticks determines the hand ranking, with both their numbers and their colors factored into the evaluation.

Step 3: Betting

After receiving cards, players take turns choosing to bet, call, raise, or fold. The key action in Five-Card is the All-In option, which pushes your entire Silver stack into the pot. Betting proceeds in rounds, and the pot grows as more players contribute. If only one player remains (all others fold), that player wins the pot regardless of hand strength.

Step 4: Showdown

When betting concludes, all remaining players reveal their hands. The player with the highest-ranking hand takes the entire pot. if a Warden or High Warden special hand is revealed, a rematch may be triggered instead of an outright win.

Hand Rankings

Five-Card uses the same base ranking system as Duo but adds color-specific premium hands at the top of the hierarchy. The following table lists every hand from strongest to weakest. Pay close attention to color requirements, as they determine whether a hand qualifies for the top-tier rankings.

In standard play, the Prime Pair is unbeatable. If you hold a Red 3 and Red 8 after the three-stick removal, you will win the hand every single time. The Superior Pair ranks just below it and can only lose to a Prime Pair. For practical purposes, any Pair (rank 3 through 7) gives you a strong chance of winning, and going all-in early with a Seven Pair or better is a reliable strategy.

Special Hands: Warden and High Warden

Five-Card includes two special hands that do not follow the normal win/loss rules. Instead of winning the pot outright, these hands force a rematch under specific conditions.

The Warden mechanic adds a layer of unpredictability to Five-Card. Even if you hold a strong hand like a Six Pair, an opponent with a Warden (4 + 9) can erase your advantage by forcing a complete redraw while the pot remains intact. This means the Silver you already bet stays in play for the rematch round. After the redraw, all players receive new sticks and the hand is resolved normally.

The High Warden is the more powerful version. Because it requires both sticks to be red (Red 4 + Red 9), it is rarer to draw but forces a rematch against a wider range of hands. A High Warden only loses outright to a Ten Pair or better, meaning it can reset even strong hands like an Eight Pair or Nine Pair. Keep the Warden and High Warden in mind when evaluating your hand; if an opponent reveals one, you should be prepared for an unexpected second round.

How to Cheat

Five-Card has a cheating mechanic that allows Kliff to influence the cards he receives. Unlocking and using this ability involves several steps.

Unlocking the Cheat Ability

1. Play multiple sessions of Five-Card (or Duo) at any gambling den. Over time, one of your opponents will occasionally display a blue outline while dealing or playing.

2. When you notice the blue outline, use the Watch and Learn prompt. This is the same observation mechanic used to study enemy combat abilities in the field.

3. Observe an opponent with the blue outline three separate times. After the third observation, the Cheat ability unlocks permanently for Kliff.

Using the Cheat Ability

The Cheat ability only activates when Kliff is the one dealing cards. During the deal, hold the button prompt for the Hide Hand command. This opens a selection interface where you can choose one specific number and color to guarantee that it appears in your hand. The selected stick is automatically included in your five dealt sticks.

For Five-Card, the optimal cheat target is either a Red 3 or a Red 8. Drawing either of these puts you one card away from the Prime Pair, the unbeatable hand in the game. If the natural draw of the remaining four sticks includes the other half of the Prime Pair, you win automatically. Even if it does not, a guaranteed Red 3 or Red 8 still positions you well for a Superior Pair if a Red 1 appears.

Accusing Opponents of Cheating

Other players at the table can also cheat, and Five-Card gives you the option to call them out. If you suspect that the current dealer is manipulating the cards, press and hold the button prompt for the Accuse action during the deal phase.

Spotting a cheater is not always straightforward. The most reliable indicator is an opponent winning multiple consecutive hands with suspiciously strong cards. After unlocking the Cheat ability yourself, the blue outline that previously appeared on cheating opponents disappears, making detection more difficult. At that point, you need to rely on pattern recognition: if someone is consistently drawing top-tier hands like Prime Pair or Superior Pair, they are likely cheating.

Where to Play Five-Card

Five-Card is available exclusively at Beighen, a village located in the northern region of the map, due north of Demeniss or east of Pailune. Beighen becomes accessible during Chapter 7 of the main story. Unlike Duo, which appears at gambling dens in Hernand and other settlements, Five-Card has only one table in the entire game.

The single-location restriction makes Five-Card feel like a late-game activity. By the time you reach Beighen in the story, you should have enough Silver saved up that the 150 Silver buy-in is manageable. If you are short on funds, consider farming Silver through bounties, selling crafting materials, or playing Duo at lower stakes first to build up your bankroll.

Five-Card vs. Duo

Players who are familiar with Duo will recognize the core structure of Five-Card, but the two minigames differ in several meaningful ways.

The bust mechanic is the most significant gameplay difference. In Duo, you always have a valid hand because you are simply dealt two sticks. In Five-Card, there is a chance that none of your five sticks can produce a valid three-stick combination summing to 10, 20, or 30, which means you lose immediately regardless of how strong the remaining two sticks might have been. This added risk is part of what makes the 150 Silver buy-in justified.

Strategy and Tips

Five-Card rewards both knowledge of the hand rankings and an understanding of how the AI opponents behave. The following tips will help you win consistently.

Go All-In Early with Strong Hands

If you are dealt a Seven Pair or better after the three-stick removal, press the All-In button immediately. The AI opponents have a well-documented tendency to call all-in bets during the opening round of betting, even when they are holding weak cards. This is especially profitable when there are multiple opponents at the table, because each one who calls adds their full buy-in to the pot.

Play Conservatively in Later Rounds

The AI becomes more cautious once the table thins out or once later betting rounds begin. At that stage, opponents will check or fold more frequently, making it much harder to build a large pot. The ideal scenario is winning big on the very first hand with an aggressive all-in bet.

Use the Cheat Ability Wisely

Once you have unlocked cheating, always target Red 3 or Red 8 as your injected stick. These are the building blocks of the Prime Pair, and guaranteeing one of them gives you the best statistical chance of landing an unbeatable hand. Even if the Prime Pair does not materialize, a Red 3 or Red 8 still has a strong chance of adding to a Superior Pair if a Red 1 is also dealt.

Watch for Warden Hands

Be aware that the Warden (4 + 9) and High Warden (Red 4 + Red 9) can reset the round without warning. Even if you hold a strong Pair, an opponent with a Warden can force a redraw while the pot stays intact. There is no way to predict this, so treat every large pot with the understanding that a Warden could extend the hand.

Accuse Strategically

Only accuse opponents of cheating when you are reasonably confident. A false accusation results in a two-day ban from the gambling den, which wastes valuable farming time. If an opponent has won three or more consecutive hands with high-tier hands, that is a strong signal to make your accusation.

General Tips

• Always create a manual save before sitting down at any card table. The autosave system will overwrite your checkpoint once you are in the game.

• Memorize the Prime Pair combination (Red 3 + Red 8). It is the only hand in Five-Card that guarantees an automatic win with zero exceptions.

• If you are new to Five-Card, practice with Duo first. Duo uses the same hand ranking system but without the color requirements or bust mechanic, making it easier to learn the fundamentals.

• The Bust mechanic only applies to Five-Card. If your five sticks cannot produce a three-stick combination summing to 10, 20, or 30, you lose automatically. There is no way to prevent or predict a Bust.

• Warden hands (4 + 9) do not win the pot. They force a rematch. If you see a Warden revealed, prepare for a second deal with the same pot on the line.

• After unlocking the Cheat ability, the blue outline on cheating opponents disappears. From that point on, you need to watch for patterns of suspiciously strong hands to identify cheaters.

• Color matters in Five-Card. A regular 3 + 8 pair is just a standard hand, but a Red 3 + Red 8 is the Prime Pair. Always check the color of your sticks before making betting decisions.

• If you plan to accuse someone of cheating, watch them for several hands first. A single strong win is not enough evidence; look for repeated top-tier hands over multiple rounds.

The Save-Scumming Money Exploit

Five-Card's 150 Silver buy-in, combined with exploitable AI behavior, makes it one of the most effective methods for farming Silver in the game. By using a save-and-reload approach, you can generate a consistent profit with minimal risk.

How the Exploit Works

1. Save before entering the gambling den. Create a manual save right outside the entrance. Do not rely on autosaves, because the game will autosave after you sit down, which locks you into the session.

2. Sit down and check your hand. After the five sticks are dealt and the three-stick combination is removed, evaluate your remaining two-stick hand.

3. Go all-in immediately with a strong hand. If you hold a Seven Pair or better, press All-In on the first betting round. The AI opponents will almost always call your all-in during the opening round, dumping their full Silver into the pot.

4. Collect your winnings. With multiple opponents calling, you can potentially win several hundred Silver in a single hand. The exact amount depends on how many opponents are at the table.

5. Reload on a bad hand or a loss. If you bust, get dealt a weak hand, or lose the showdown, reload your manual save and try again. Because the save was made before entering the den, the card draw is re-randomized on each attempt.

6. Repeat the cycle. Continue saving, playing, and reloading until you have accumulated as much Silver as you need.

Why This Works

The exploit is possible because of two factors. First, the AI opponents are programmed to be overly aggressive during the first betting round, frequently calling all-in bets regardless of their hand strength. Second, the manual save system allows players to reset any unfavorable outcome, meaning you never actually lose Silver over time. You only play out the hands where you win, and you reload every hand where you lose.

Maximizing Earnings

• Wait for a full table. If the table only has one opponent, the pot is smaller. Reload the save and re-enter on a different in-game day to roll for more opponents. A full table with three opponents yields the highest payout per win.

• Combine with cheating. If you have unlocked the Cheat ability, inject a Red 3 or Red 8 before every deal. This dramatically increases your chance of landing a Prime Pair or Superior Pair, reducing the number of reloads needed.

• Target the first round only. The AI's reckless calling behavior is strongest in the opening round. If you do not win outright on the first hand, reload rather than continuing to play later rounds where the AI becomes conservative.

Expected Returns

With a 150 Silver buy-in and multiple opponents calling, a single winning all-in hand can return 450 to 600 Silver depending on the number of players at the table. Factoring in reload time, most players report earning several thousand Silver per real-world hour using this method. While it is not the only way to farm money in Crimson Desert, it is among the most reliable because the risk is completely eliminated by the save-reload mechanic.

Location and Buy-In

The only Five-Card table in the game is located in Beighen, which sits in the northern part of the world map. Unlike the Duo tables in Hernand and Tomasso, Five-Card is not available anywhere else.

You need at least 150 Silver on hand before you can sit down. If you lose your buy-in, you must earn more Silver through other means before playing again.

Dealing and Hand Formation

Each player at the table is dealt five numbered sticks. The numbers range from 1 to 10, and each stick is either red or yellow. After dealing, the game automatically selects three of the five sticks whose values add up to exactly 10, 20, or 30. These three sticks are set aside, and the remaining two sticks become the player's hand.

For example, if you receive sticks numbered 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8, the game might group 2 + 3 + 5 = 10 and leave 7 and 8 as your hand. The game always picks the three-card grouping that produces the strongest possible remaining hand for you.

Bust

If none of the five sticks can form a group of three that totals exactly 10, 20, or 30, the result is a Bust. A Bust is an automatic loss regardless of what the opponents hold. There is no way to bet or bluff your way out of it.

Betting

Once hands are formed, a round of betting begins. Players can raise, call, or fold. If you hold a strong hand (a Seven Pair or better), pressing the all-in prompt immediately is often the best play. AI opponents in Five-Card have a tendency to call all-in bets early in the match, even when holding weak cards. With multiple opponents at the table, this can result in a very large pot.

Special Hands

Five-Card also features two Special Hands that interact with the normal ranking system in a unique way.

• Warden and High Warden are special combinations that do not outright win the round. Instead, they trigger a forced rematch against an opponent who holds a weaker hand. If an opponent has a stronger hand than your Special Hand, the rematch does not activate. These hands add a layer of unpredictability to the game, though the save-and-reload strategy makes them less impactful in practice.

Cheating

Five-Card supports the same cheating mechanic found in Duo. During play, one of your opponents will occasionally display a blue outline, similar to the Watch and Learn indicator used in combat. Observe this opponent three times over the course of your matches to unlock the Cheat ability.

Once unlocked, cheating works during the dealing phase. When Kliff is dealing cards and the "Hide Hand" button prompt appears, hold the button to activate the cheat. This lets you select one number and color to inject into your hand, replacing one of your dealt sticks with the chosen value.

For Five-Card, the optimal cheat target is a red 3 or a red 8. Drawing either of these puts you one step away from assembling a Prime Pair. If your remaining sticks already contain the matching piece (a red 8 if you cheated in a red 3, or vice versa), you form the strongest hand in the game.

Strategy Tips

• If you draw a hand ranked at Seven Pair or better, go all-in immediately. The AI frequently calls all-in bets even with weak hands, leading to large payouts.

• Always target red 3 or red 8 when cheating. These are the building blocks of the Prime Pair and Superior Pair, the two strongest hands.

• Save your game before sitting down at the table. If a session goes badly, reload and try again. This save-and-reload approach removes much of the randomness from gambling.

• Pay attention to the visible opponent card shown during each round. It gives partial information about their hand strength and helps you decide whether to raise, call, or fold.

• Five-Card pots are larger than Duo pots due to the higher buy-in and more opponents. A single good session can yield a significant amount of Silver.

• Fold early when you draw a Bust or a very low point hand. Cutting losses quickly preserves your bankroll for stronger rounds.

Comparison with Duo

Five-Card and Duo share the same five-stick dealing and three-stick grouping mechanic, but differ in several important ways.