Fans of word games now have a reason to jump on the poker bandwagon, and even diehard poker players might find this variation irresistible.

Each standard playing card includes a letter valued between 5 and 35. The rules explain five poker games, but can accommodate any poker variant. You’ll use cards in hand, along with any faceup Community Cards, to form the best word (three to seven letters) and best poker hand; different cards may be used for each.

At the end of a hand, players secretly and simultaneously decide to stay or to fold, by turning the appropriate side of their Decision Token faceup. Before Tokens are revealed, players in turn spell out their word and give all competitors a chance to dispute it. A correct challenge earns points and eliminates the erring player. Incorrect challengers retire from play. When Tokens are revealed by surviving contestants, those who folded score only the total value of their words’ cards, plus points for challenges.

Players who stayed score: (a) their word’s value, or double its value if they have the best poker hand; (b) a bonus for words of five or more letters – up to 100 points for using seven letters; (c) challenge points. Whoever stayed and has the highest total score earns that score. All the others score nothing! Such is the painful price of incorrectly staying – especially if you gain double word points for best poker hand but still lose.

Apart from the temptation to bluff opponents with long nonvalid words, you’ll often fret over the wisdom of discarding and replenishing useful poker cards to aim for high word scores worth folding for. Even the most experienced poker face will be unable to hide an admiration for this novel and addictive hybrid game.

I think Parlay is one of the most fun games I have ever played. It brings laughter and competitiveness to our family time at the kitchen table. so if you invent another one as good as this one, send it to me!! Thanks so much for the games. Kay

Similar to Quiddler or Palabra but with a twist. The cards have a letter and a point value on them but the deck is a standard 52 card poker deck (plus jokers).

Try to create the best word but also try to create the best poker hand. Doing one or the other is easy but getting both doesn't happen very often and that's when you can score big points! The game also has a great element of bluff... Do you fold your hand and just score the word points or do you stay in and try to take the best poker hand and word length bonuses? There is even a bonus if you catch an opponent trying to score a phony word!

I've played numerous games and there is always new strategies to try. Playing with more than 2 players (up to 6) also calls for different styles of play. The game manual gives several variations of poker but more can be found on the makers website.

The game can be played by young and old, word game fanatics or poker nuts. It's a good time for all.

Parlay offers a new look at word games and a refreshing family approach to Poker. No betting, wagering, etc. is used in Parlay, yet you can enjoy your favorite poker style when playing this game, be it Texas Hold 'Em, Five Card Draw, etc.

Using an enhanced and high quality deck of poker cards, with added letters and scores included, you are playing not only for the best hand in poker, but for the best word! Bluffing is enriched even more, as you can bluff on your poker hand and on your word! (well, unless they call your bluff that is!)

This is a game that word game lovers will adore, as it adds such a fun and unique twist. Poker players will enjoy this game if they also love word games (such as Scrabble), but if they do not already have a love for this style of game, they may or may not enjoy Parlay as much as a straight game of Poker.

This is a game that is beautiful in its detail and strategic in play. We wondered what we were in for when we started the game, but as word game lovers, we were hooked after the first round! Every night is a Parlay night around here right now ... Not sure how long the addiction will last, but it has been going for quite a while already.

One of my favorite parts of this game is it is family friendly and a great one to bring the kids in for. They enjoy the fun pace of it, and I enjoy that they do not encounter betting, etc., yet can enjoy a fun card game with us adults.

This is definitely one to try! I think you will enjoy it as we have. It has made for a lot of fun, a lot of laughs and a lot of BAD bluffs!

Editor's Note: This review was originally published by The Family Review Center.