I. HAND RANKS General Only the best 5 cards play. The sixth, seventh, etc. cards are not used, even in the event of a tie. There is no precedence among the suits; all are equal. Tied hands split the pot (except for high-low calls as described in that section); odd chip stays in the pot for the next game or, if the final game of the day, goes to the first winning player left (clockwise) from the dealer. If wildcards are in play, they count equally with the natural cards of the selected rank. For example in a deuces wild game, a hand with four Deuces designated as four of a kind Aces counts equally as four actual Aces. Hand Ranks for High Five of a Kind - Five cards all the same rank - A A A A A. Only possible with wildcards. Highest rank wins. Straight Flush - Five cards of same suit in order - 8 9 10 J Q same suit. Highest ranking card in straight determines winner. Four of a Kind - Four cards all the same rank - 3 3 3 3 7. If fours of a kind tie, rank of odd card determines winner. Full House- Three of the same rank plus two of the same rank - A A A 8 8. Between full houses, rank of triplets determines winner. If tie, rank of pair determines winner. Flush - Five cards all of the same suit but not in consecutive order. Between flushes, rank of highest card determines winner. If highest cards tie, then second highest card determines winner, and so on until best five cards of flush are considered. Straight - Five cards in order, not of same suit - A 2 3 4 5 or A K Q J 10. Between straights, highest ranking card determines winner. Three of a Kind - Three of the same rank plus two odd cards - 9 9 9 2 J. If threes of a kind tie, highest of the odd cards determines winner. If highest cards tie, then second highest odd card determines winner. Two Pairs - Two pairs of different rank plus one odd card - 4 4 K K 5. Between competing two pairs, rank of higher pair determines winner. If tie, rank of lower pair determines winner. If tie, highest of the odd cards determines winner. One Pair - One pair of the same rank plus three odd cards. Between competing pairs, rank of higher pair determines winner. If tie, highest of the odd cards determines winner. If highest cards tie, then second highest odd card determines winner and so on, until best five cards are considered. Five Odd Cards- Five unrelated cards - Q 10 7 8 5. Highest of the odd cards determines winner. If highest cards tie, then second highest odd card determines winner and so on, until best five cards are considered.
Hand Ranks for Low Use only the five cards that create the lowest value hand. Others are ignored. Lowest value hand wins. Five Odd Cards beats One Pair. One Pair beats Two Pairs. Two Pairs beats Three of a Kind, etc. Aces are always low in low hands. A pair of Aces is lower than a pair of Twos or Threes. Straights and Flushes do not ruin a low hand and are ignored in determining best low. Between competing hands with Five Odd Cards, lowest high-card determines winner. For example, 9 8 7 6 5 beats 10 4 3 2 A. If lowest high-cards tie, second lowest high-card determines winner, and so on until all five cards considered. For example 9 5 4 3 2 beats 9 7 3 2 A. 8 7 4 3 2 beats 8 7 5 2 A. Lowest possible hand is 5 4 3 2 A (a.k.a. a Wheel). Use of Wild Cards Wildcards are permitted. No more than two ranks (e.g. jacks and deuces) may be designated as wildcards in any game.
II. GAME STAKES AND BETTING Antes All players will ante 25c before each deal (except for stud games), unless blinds are used. It is the dealer's responsibility to ensure all players have anted or posted blinds.
INSTEAD OF ANTES, Games may be played with a Small & Big Blind (25/50 cents-example), To be determined before start of game play.
Game Stakes - Limit Stakes 25/50c In stud games, the high card must "bring it in" for 25c if blinds are not used. This player does not have the option to fold and not bet. In case of tie high card, the first high card dealt brings it in. 1st two rounds of Betting is in increments of 25c, with a limit of three raises per betting round. Thus, the initial bet is 25c, the first raise is an additional 25c, second raise an additional 25c, and third and final raise an additional 25c. After three raises, the raises are "capped.". Last Two Rounds of each hand are 50c bets w/3 raise limit of 50c ea. In two round 5 card draw, betting is 25c/round 1, 50c round two.
SPREAD BETTING - If Spread Betting is used, play is "no limit" up to the determined "cap" for each betting round - example - 1st 2 rounds are "capped" at $1, last rounds "capped"at $2, In this case players in the 1st 2 rounds may place any size bets or raises, "no limit style", up to $1. Once the bet reaches $1 in that round, only calls are possible.
NO LIMIT - If No Limit is used, There is no limit, maximum or cap on the bets. A minimum Bet must be the size of the original Big Blind or bet. An initial (1st) raise must be at least double the 1st bet. A minimum Re-Raise must add at least the last "raise portion" to the total bet amount.
EXAMPLE -$400 BB, Rasied to $1000 - A Reraise must add at least $600 more, to $1600 total.
Table Stakes Table stakes will be played. Table stakes means that a player may not add to his chips during a hand but may purchase chips between hands. Cash may not be used in the game. All chips must be kept in plain sight on the table. If a player cannot fully match a bet then he is "all in" and a second pot is established with the unmatched portion of the bet in which the "all in" bettor has no claim. Players may not pull light from the pot. Players must make sure they have enough chips before the hand starts.
Check-Raising Check raising is permitted.
Placing Bets Players should place all bets and raises visibly in front of them until betting is complete, at which time all bets are moved into the main pot. Do not throw chips into the pot before betting is complete. (Don't "splash the pot")
III. THE DEAL AND GENERAL PLAY RULES First Dealer To determine the first dealer in a game where players self-deal, , cards are dealt out one at a time; the first player to receive a Jack deals. The deal rotates clockwise to the dealer's left.
Shuffle & Cut Shuffle the cards well and cut. At least 5 cards must be cut. Player to the dealer's right is offered the cut. If the player declines the cut, the dealer may deal, unless another player requests a cut. Any player may request a cut. Please do not expose cards while shuffling; shuffle the cards face down.
Number of Players No more than 10 players at a game, unless a tournament is being played.
Order of Play Players must check, bet, or drop in turn only.
Cards Speak The cards speak for themselves. That is, if a player incorrectly states the value of his/her hand, the actual value of the hand decides the outcome. It is the dealer's responsibility to verify hand values and to correct any oversights or misstated hands before the pot is collected. Mis-valued hands can only be corrected before the pot has been collected. If the pot has been collected, the hands stand as is. Otherwise, the best hand wins. Similarly if a player OVERSTATES his hand, the actual value will prevail. Remember: "The chips declare, but the cards speak".
Showing of Hands The player who was called (who made the last bet) must show his hand first. Remaining players may concede the pot without showing their hand. Players who fold are not required to show their hands if they choose not to. If no one calls a bet, the bettor wins the pot and does not have to show his hand, except for required openers. You have to 'Pay to see 'em.'. Penalty for looking at an uncalled hand is the amount of the uncalled bet, paid to the player who held the uncalled hand. Penalty for looking at a folded hand is the amount of the last bet, paid to the player who folded the hand.
Determining the Winner The dealer must examine the cards of any unfolded hands at the showdown. It is his responsibility to determine and declare the winner of the pot (or pots). The dealer must declare the winners before the pot is taken by any player. Leaving the Game Winners may leave the game at anytime. So can losers. Please cash out between hands.
New Deck Anyone can call for a new deck between deals; a player may call for a new deck only once per 3 hours.
Changing Seats Dealer shuffles & deals out one card per player face up. Highest card has first choice of seat, second highest next choice etc. Tied players are dealt a new card for a tie breaker. Cards stay with the dealer; deal rotates to left as before. For managing the bank & chips, the House may elect to keep the same seat location when others are randomized.
Miscellaneous
No string bets. No angling (don't angle). No lending of money during a hand between players. No looking at discards or the deck. Keep chips in plain sight on the table at all times. Please check your knives, swords, and other weapons at door; no guns or hookers allowed! Couples may play in the game but are not permitted to sit next to each other or advise each other or make smoochy noises. Everyone plays for themselves.
Please No Talking Politics or Religion during a game, & do not say or give an indication of what you "folded" while there are still active players in the hand.
One Player Per Hand Shared hands will be declared dead & void! Do not ask for or give advice on a hand. If you show your hand to another player, in or out of the game, then you must expose it to all players (show one, show all").
Don't "Call The Board" ( "Oh 3 to a Flush, or "Someone needs a Queen")
IV. PERMITTED GAMES The dealer may choose between the following listed games (Dealer's Choice). Any game not listed below must be approved by a vote of the active players at the table. In general, any game may be played high, low, high-low with declaration, or high-low split (cards speak). Five Card Draw Open on anything, players may draw 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 cards (an Ace is not required for 4 cards). Dealer's left always bets first and, on initial round, must bet. Opening bet is 25c. No checking before the draw: bet or fold. If there are not enough cards for the draw, previous discards are reshuffled & cut for the remaining players' draw. JackPots (Jacks or Better) Five card draw, except to open the betting, a player must have a pair of Jacks or better. Dealer's left bets first (after the draw, the opener bets first). No progressive minimum hands to win. If no one opens, pot stays to next hand, which is Five Card Draw (no Jacks or Better). Split openers must be declared and placed aside for later verification. Opening without the proper openers voids a player's hand; the best hand of the remaining players wins. If all players have folded and the opening player's hand is voided, then a new hand is dealt but the voided player may not play for the pot. Five Card Stud First card down, next 4 up. High hand bets first in high or high-low games and, on initial round, must bet. Low hand bets first in low games. Seven Card Stud First 2 cards down, next 4 up, last card down. High hand bets first in high or high-low games and, on initial round, must bet. With 8 players, if there are not enough cards to complete a dealing the last round, then a card is flopped in the center and is shared by the remaining active players. Texas Hold-Em Played with antes. Cards are dealt two down - first betting round, no checking allowed; dealer's left is under the gun and must bet on the first round. The dealer burns a card and then deals The Flop - three common cards and a betting round. Dealer burns a card and turns over one more card - Fourth Street 'the Turn', betting round. Dealer burns a card and turns over final card - Fifth Street ('the River'). Last betting round. Burned cards are placed aside face down, not back into the deck. When players fold they place their pocket cards with the burn card pile. Dealer's left bets first in all betting rounds. Omaha A game similar to Texas Hold-Em. Players are dealt four down cards (pocket or hole cards). The remaining cards are dealt as in Texas Hold-Em. Dealer's left bets first. Note the following key difference from Texas Hold-Em rules: A player must use exactly two of his hole cards for his high hand and exactly two for his low hand (if high-low). The two used for high may differ from the two used for low. You canNOT use more or less than two of your hole cards to make your hand. You must use three cards from the center. High-Low Games With Declaration The pot is separated equally into a high pot and a low pot. At the showdown players must declare which way they are going using chips. Players take three of their chips from the table and secretly put one chip for low, two chips for high, or three chips for high-low in their right hand and then simultaneously expose them. Each player's other hand must remain off the table during declarations. High-low ('both ways' or 'scoop' ) players may use different cards for each hand. The cards used for the high hand may be different than the cards used for the low hand. Players may go both ways but if they do, then they must win both ways as well, or they are out of the pot entirely. A tie either way is considered a loss. All high-low hands are evaluated first. If a both way declarer fails to win both ways, he is out of the pot and the players remaining in the showdown decide the pot. The only way a high-low hand can split a pot is if only high-low players remain at the showdown and none of them successfully wins both ways. In high-low games a player's declaration (high, low, or both ways) cannot be changed (that is, chips declare) but errors in hand values will be corrected. Please let the dealer verify all hands before collecting a pot! All cards in a hand must be shown for a winning hand (e.g. all seven cards for a 7 card stud hand even though only the best five play). High-Low Split Games The pot is separated equally into a high pot and a low pot. At the showdown there is no declaration. The best high hand wins the high pot; the best low hand wins the low pot. In the case of a tie, that portion of the pot is split. Please let the dealer verify all hands before collecting a pot! All cards in a hand must be shown for a winning hand (e.g., all seven cards for a 7 card stud hand even though only the best five play).
V. DEAL IRREGULARITIES Misdeals A misdeal occurs when: 1. A down card is exposed by the dealer (except his own) - No new deal. 2. Wrong number of cards are dealt - New deal if discovered before any betting. 3. An imperfect deck is discovered - New deal with refunds. 4. Dealer fails to properly burn a card in Texas Hold-Em type games twice in a row - any active player may request a new deal. 5. The deck was not cut - New deal if discovered before any betting. After two misdeals in a row, the deal passes to the next dealer. New dealer may choose a new game. Exposed Cards An exposed card in stud games may be used by dealing the player's next card down. If the last down card in stud games or any card in draw & common card games is exposed, the player may choose to keep the card or get a new one (the player may look at his other cards) and the dealer is penalized for a misdeal. If the dealer exposes his own card, he keeps it. If a player exposes his own cards there is no misdeal. Wrong Number of Cards If after betting has begun, a player has too many cards, his hand is fouled, the player folds, and the hand continues. If after betting has begun, a player (non-dealer) has too few cards he may choose to play them (no extra cards are dealt & the deal doesn't count as a misdeal) or fold. Players are responsible for ensuring that they have the correct number of cards BEFORE looking at them! Imperfect Deck If an imperfect or marked deck with too few, too many, or duplicate cards is discovered before the pot has been collected, play stops immediately and all players get back the amounts they placed
Check, Bet, Fold or Raise??