Poker Variants, of course.
Poker is a standard gambling game. At low stakes, you can get a night's entertainment for the price of a movie (at worst). A few of us here at CMU typically play for a bit higher stakes (you could lose a movie and popcorn and maybe a drink during a night). Of course, if you play well (or, better yet, get lucky) you should break even or win. If you need a lesson in the basic rules of poker, why don't you Learn How to Play.
This list originally compiled by Tim P. McNerney. Many Thanks.
NAME: 5-card Draw
TYPE: poker
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-6, 7 w/small possiblilty of reshuffle
INITIAL DEAL: five down cards to each player
PLAY: There is a betting round after the deal, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. After the betting round, each player is allowed to trade up to three cards with the deck. There is then another betting round, after which the players remaining show their hands.
RANK OF HANDS: standard poker hands
STANDARD VARIATIONS: Adding wild cards to play (and allowing five-of-a-kinds if chosen). Requiring a minimum hand to open first betting round. Allowing for four card draw with an ace.
STRATEGY: If you want strategy for this game, go buy a book.
NAME: 5-card Stud
TYPE: poker
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-10
INITIAL DEAL: varies
PLAY: Same as 7-card stud but with five cards. Usually dealt 2d-3u, 1d-4u or 1d-3u-1d.
RANK OF HANDS: poker
STANDARD VARIATIONS:
STRATEGY:
NAME: 7/27
TYPE: counting
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4-10
INITIAL DEAL: one card down, one card up to each player
PLAY: The object is to get as close to seven or 27 as possible. The value of the cards is one or eleven for aces, 1/2 for face cards and face value for all other cards. Alternating, rotating rounds of betting and taking another card ensue until there is a round where no one takes a card. A player can take a card on any round irregardless of his actions on previous rounds. A final betting round, a declaration for hi, lo or both, and then a showdown, follow. If two people are the same distance from 7 or 27, they split the pot.
STANDARD VARIATIONS: Setting inside, outside, high or low to be better (Ex. with inside, 7 1/2 beats 6 1/2 and 26 1/2 beats 27 1/2).
STRATEGY: Bluffing in this game occurs mostly for the low hand. And when I say bluffing, I mean balls-out, it's only money, never let them see you sweat, I didn't bring any money anyway, here are the keys to my car bluffing. Thus, if you can make a stab at it, it is often worth your while to go low. Going high means that it will be a while, and often a few quarters, before you know what you have. And if your bluff is not working, you can always decide to go high later (right Craig?). By the same token, don't be scared out with an eight because someone with a five showing keeps throwing in quarters. Most importantly in 7/27, though, is to remember that if you get an A-A-5, DO NOT begin dancing around and singing "I'm in the Money", as this is considered bad taste and will tend to decrease the amount you milk from the suckers (I mean, other players).
NAME: 7-card Stud
TYPE: poker
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-7
INITIAL DEAL: two cards down and one up to each player
PLAY: Betting round starting with the high hand showing. Then another card is dealt up and another betting round. Repeat until four cards are face up. Then a final card is dealt down and a final betting round held.
RANK OF HANDS: poker using best five cards.
STANDARD VARIATIONS: Adding wild cards to play (and allowing five-of-a-kinds if chosen).
STRATEGY: See strategy for five-card-draw.
NAME: Anaconda (Pass the Trash)
TYPE: hi-lo
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4-7
INITIAL DEAL: seven down cards to each player
PLAY: There is a betting round, which rotates, followed by each player passing three cards to the person to their left. Another betting round, then each player passes two of his seven (four kept + three from the right) cards to the left. Another betting round and then one card is passed. Each player then chooses five of his seven cards to play and discards his extra two cards. Play continues, alternating between betting and rolling a card. Cards must be rolled in the order they were put down. Cards speak for themselves.
RANK OF HANDS: poker
STANDARD VARIATIONS: The cards are passed to other than the person to the left (Ex. 3-left, 2-right, 1-left or 3-left, 2-two-to-the-left, 1-three-to-the-left). The player keeps all seven cards at the end and chooses which to turn up. This allows the player to change from hi to lo depending on what is being played.
STRATEGY: Full house usually wins high in this game, though every once in a while a black horse hand will snatch victory away. If you have jacks over or better, you are pretty much in it till the end, unless you realize you passed four aces to your neighbor. Which brings up the point, remember what you pass your neighbor, you may end up battling him in the end. Low hand is usually 8 high or better, but sometimes everyone decides to go high, so it is usually worth it to throw in a card. Pay attention to what has been turned up, so you don't give yourself an ulcer worrying if Tom has the spade straight flush when Craig breaks it up (this is really an unnecessary as someone is usually generous enough to point out the failed bluff attempt).
NAME: Auction
TYPE: hi-lo
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-7
INITIAL DEAL: two cards down to each player
PLAY: A number of cards equal to the number of players is turned up in the middle of the table. Each person then secretlychooses an amount of at least a nickel and places it in their hand. Then everyone drops their coins at once. The person who "bid" highest gets to choose his card first. Then the person who "bid" second highest and so on. If more than one person bid the same amount, then the person nearest a spot rotating clockwise from the left of the dealer chooses first with the other people choosing in clockwise order. This continues until all people have 7 cards. Then there is a single betting round starting with the high hand on the table. Then, declare for high, low or both.
RANK OF HANDS: poker
STANDARD VARIATIONS:
STRATEGY:
NAME: Baseball
TYPE: poker
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-7
INITIAL DEAL: two down and one up
PLAY: In this game, threes and nines are wild, and a four up allows you to buy an extra card. If a player gets a four up, he has the option to buy an additional card for $.25, which comes either up or down as decided beforehand.
RANK OF HANDS: poker, with or without ?-of-a-kind (? > 4), with recommended because of the large number of wildcards and possiblity of > 7 cards in the hand
STANDARD VARIATIONS: Rainouts - queen of spades up means that the cards are redealt, but only for those players who are still in. Luxury tax - charge for threes and nines Paying x for additional card up, y for down.
STRATEGY: With eight wild and extra cards, it is usually fair to say, if you ain't got 'em, get out. That is unless you are dealt a natural royal flush. Rainouts can be nice when someone else has a nine and two fours showing, but don't count on them to save you, unless you really want to, of course.
NAME: Chicago
TYPE: poker
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4-7
INITIAL DEAL: two cards down and one up to each player
PLAY: Betting round starting with the high hand showing. Then another card is dealt up and another betting round. Repeat until four cards are face up. Then a final card is dealt down and a final betting round held. The one variation between this and 7-card stud is that the high spade in the hole splits the spot.
RANK OF HANDS: poker using best five cards
STANDARD VARIATIONS: Adding wild cards to play (and allowing five-of-a-kinds if chosen).
STRATEGY: Always remember, you can get the ace of spades on the last card.
NAME: Elevator Shafts
TYPE: hi-lo
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4-11
INITIAL DEAL: four cards to each player and seven down on the table, arranged in two rows of three (the shafts) and one in between (the elevator)
PLAY: Table cards are turned up one at a time, followed by betting rounds. The player will use the four cards in his hand along with three on the table to create a seven card hand. The player must use the elevator and one card from each shaft, and the three cards must be in a line, though the elevator can be in any of the three possible positions. For example, the * cards in the following table cards could be used:
* * * C C C C * C C * C C * * * C C C * C C * C C C C C * * * C * * C
So the middle card can be thought of to be on any "floor". The order of determing which card to flip is such that the elevator is turned over last and no two shaft cards which can be used in the same hand be turned up until necessary. After all seven cards have been turned up, there is a final betting round and then each player must declare whether they are going high, lo or both. If the go for both, both hands must be made up of the four cards in their hand and ONE set of three from the table. They may not use one set for high and one for low.
RANK OF HANDS: normal poker hands for high and low
STANDARD VARIATIONS: One evil variation of this game is to make the middle card wild.
STRATEGY: It is usually pretty easy for someone to get either a straght or a flush, considering they have five possible set of three cards. If the middle card is good for you, then you are pretty happy, but then again, you don't get to see it till the end and if you stay in till the end hoping that the middle card is going to make your hand, it will end up being the worst card possible.
NAME: Follow the Queens
TYPE: poker
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-7
INITIAL DEAL: two cards down and one up to each player
PLAY: Play the same as 7-card stud, with the following variations. The card dealt after an up queen is wild. If another queen comes up, the previous wild card is replaced by the card after the queen, so there is at most one wild card. If a queen is the last up card dealt, the previous wild card remains.
RANK OF HANDS: poker, with or without five-of-a-kinds
STANDARD VARIATIONS: Pay for wild cards. Queens are wild, also. If last card up is a queen, no wild cards. All cards after a queen are wild (no cancellations).
STRATEGY: Basically, play like 7-stud with a wild and hope you don't get screwed.
NAME: Indian Poker
TYPE: bluff your ass off
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2-10
INITIAL DEAL: one card to each player, $1 fine and out if player looks at his own card
PLAY: Each player holds his card up so that everyone else can see it. Then starting with the player to the left of the dealer, betting begins. There should really be no limit in this game, since otherwise it is difficult to scare people out, but to each his own. Once the betting is down with, each player looks at his card and the winner takes his pot. The deal then rotates to the left. The game continues for one deck. This is the ultimate game of bluff and balls.
RANK OF HANDS: ace high, two lo
STANDARD VARIATIONS: none
STRATEGY: You will never bluff someone out if you call. You may look silly rasing $.50 while holding a two, but you will look even sillier calling against an ace.
NAME: Jacks to Open, Tripps to Win
TYPE: poker NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-7
INITIAL DEAL: five cards to each player
PLAY: Played like 5-card draw, with the following differences. Jacks or better are needed to open the betting (if no one can open, re-ante and re-deal). Then there is the standard betting round, draw and betting round. Then, if anyone has three-of-a-kind or better, he says so, and the highest hand wins. If not, then everyone who is still in gets another opportunity to draw. If a player has at least three-of-a-kind, he must say so and cannot keep drawing. This game almost always requires reshuffling and it must be decided beforehand when to reshuffle (after the last card, when there are less than 3 cards left or when the player asks for more than the number of cards left).
RANK OF HANDS: poker
STANDARD VARIATIONS:
STRATEGY: It is pretty unlikely to get tripps on the first draw, so don't be scared out right away. If you are dealt two pair, it is usually wise to ditch one so you have a better shot at tripps. It is often wise to bet high with a pair to scare people out so they don't have a chance to burn you. A good method for bluffing with a pair is to only draw two on the first round. It decrease your chances of actually getting tripps, but it sure increases the odds of convincing people you have tripps.
NAME: Liar's Poker
TYPE: poker, sort of
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-10
PLAY: Each player puts two quarters in front of him. Everyone is then dealt two down cards. The first person calls a poker hand. After that, a person must call a hand which beats the previous hand or call the hand. If a person calls the hand, then everyones cards are pooled to determine if the hand exists. If it does, the person who called the game loses one of his quarters and starts the next game, with only one card dealt to him (if he only had one quarter, he is out and play begins with the next person in order). Deck is reshuffled after each round. Game ends when only one person has a quarter left.
RANK OF HANDS: singleton, pair, two pair, three-of-a-kind, straight, flush, full house, four-of-a-kind, straight flush
STANDARD VARIATIONS: Throwing up an extra card for the hand after each player. Adding a card for reversals.
STRATEGY:
NAME: Lowball
TYPE: lo
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-7
INITIAL DEAL: five cards to each player
PLAY: Played like 5-card draw, except trying for worst hand.
RANK OF HANDS: lo hands
STANDARD VARIATIONS:
STRATEGY: