Just like its predecessor, Red Dead Redemption 2 features several mini-games that allow players to pass time in the game quickly and easily, without having to complete some more involving tasks like completing stranger missions, hunting and so on. The available mini-games are: Poker, Blackjack, Dominoes and Five Finger Fillet.
These mini-games also allow players to make some money, so they are not only simple time killing activities.
Even if you are not interested in killing time in Red Dead Redemption 2, or if you're not really strapped for cash, you must still play all of the mini-games at least once if you're aiming to get 100% Completion.
In this guide, we will cover all of the available mini-games and provide some tips on how to succeed at them.
Article Contents
Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the two card games available in the Red Dead Redemption 2 story mode. This game is played between you and the dealer, and winning a game will reward you with money. Blackjack can be played at the Van der Linde camp as well as in Blackwater, the Van Horn Trading Post, and Rhodes.
The Blackjack rules are very simple. The main goal of the game is to have the cards you are dealt add up to 21, or as close to it as possible without going over. If your cards go beyond this number, you will automatically lose. At the beginning of each round, you will be given two cards, and then you will have the option of choosing between getting another card, which is done by taking a "hit, or just stay with your current cards. If the total value of your cards is higher than the dealer's you have won.
Unfortunately, there is no set strategy to follow to win at Blackjack, as much of the game is luck based. A good way of playing the game is to keep the value of your cards between 14 and 18, as these numbers have a high chance of covering the value of the dealer's secret card. Additionally, keep in mind that an ace can count either as 1 point or 11 points, depending on how close you are to get to 21 (it will always be the number that is most in your favor) and that all face cards are worth 10 points, so take this into consideration before getting a hit.
Dominoes
Dominoes is one of the table games available in Red Dead Redemption 2 story mode. This mini-game is very straightforward, and winning a match will make you earn some money. You can play Dominoes at the Van der Linde gang's camp, in Blackwater, Saint Denis, and Emerald Ranch.
This game's rules are extremely simple. To win at Dominoes, you need to attach dominoes with matching numbers together, and the first player who manages to empty their hand wins the round. If either player cannot play a domino, they must draw from the boneyard until they pick a domino with a matching number. Forcing this situation on your opponent is very important, as any domino remaining in the losing player's hand will be given to the winner as points. A match is won when the player scores 60 total points.
While Dominoes is luck based, there are a few things you can do to force your opponent to pick dominoes from the boneyard. For starters, always keep an eye on what dominoes your opponent draws from the boneyard so to understand which numbers he does not have. Secondly, try to plan how to place your dominoes on the table to avoid having to pick additional pieces from the boneyard. A bad hand will always make things trickier, but applying these two strategies can turn things around.
Five Finger Fillet
Five Finger Fillet is yet another table game available in Red Dead Redemption 2. Unlike all of the other mini-games, winning at Five Finger Fillet is not based on luck, so you can easily make some good amounts of money if you are good enough. This mini-game can be played at the Van der Linde camp as well as in Valentine, Strawberry, and the Van Horn Trading Post.
Five Finger Fillet is a rather straightforward game. You need to complete laps, and the correct button sequence is shown by the opponent, who will always go before you at the beginning of each round.
Things will get progressively more complicated as the match moves on, with additional button getting added and the opponent becoming faster and faster. Missing a button input will make you cut yourself and waste precious time. To win a round, you need to complete laps in the shortest time possible, and winning two out of three laps ends the match.
Winning at Five Finger Fillet takes practice, as you need to be both quick and accurate with your button presses. Pay maximum attention to your opponent and memorize the button sequences as quickly as possible. As the possible sequences are limited in number, you will become much quicker once you have most of the sequences memorized.
Poker
Poker is the second card game available in Red Dead Redemption 2 story mode. One of the best-known card games ever, the RDR2 version is based off Texas Hold'Em. Like the other mini-games, winning at poker allows players to earn some extra money. The mini-game can be played at the Van der Linde camp as well as in Valentine, Tumbleweed, Blackwater and at Flatneck Station.
The main goal in poker is to get a winning hand using the two cards (hole cards) you are dealt together with the five cards in the middle of the table (the first three cards being "the flop", the fourth being "the turn" and the fifth "the river"). After each of the table cards is flipped, players can choose to match or increase the bet, or fold. Folding takes you out of the round. The player having the highest hand (using the combination of their own hole cards plus the five community cards) wins the round.
There are 10 possible hands that can be made in Red Dead Redemption 2 poker.
- One Pair - A pair of cards of the same value
- Two Pair - Two pairs of cards of the same value
- Three of a Kind - Three cards of the same value
- Straight - A sequence of five cards
- Flush - Five cards of the same suit
- Full House - Three cards of the same value with one pair of cards too
- Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same value
- Straight Flush - A sequence of five cards belonging to the same suit
- Royal Flush - An Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten belonging to the same suit
- High Card - The highest card in your hand
Winning at poker requires luck, as not onlydo you need to draw the right cards to make the best hand, but it also has to be better than the other players. Since you cannot read your opponents, poker in RDR2 is even more luck based than it is in real life. Bluffing does work, sometimes. If you have a bad hand, don't be afraid to fold, as the table cards may not make your situation any better.
