Miscellaneous Variations

These games are all poker games that use a standard ranking of hands, but aren't dealt as any of the variations above.

• Arkansas Guts

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    Same as Guts.

  • Play:

    Same as Guts, except: Same as Tennessee, except in reverse rank. So, the deuce of clubs is the best card and the Ace of spades is the worst card.

  • Winner:

    Same as Guts.

  • Standard variations:

    Same as Guts.

• Baseball Guts

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    Same as Guts.

  • Play:

    Same as Guts, except: 3's and 9's are wild. If any player who stays in (or the deck hand) has a 4, they get an extra card.

  • Winner:

    Same as Guts.

  • Standard variations:

    Same as Guts.

• Bean Marriage

  • Players:

    Varies.

  • Initial deal:

    5 cards.

  • Play:

    The BEAN is named after the inventor and the MARRIAGE is because of the commitment involved. There is no set number of players. DEAL 5 cards to each player. Each player then places one card face up in front of them followed by a round of betting. Deal two more cards to each player.(Giving each player six in his hand) Everyone then places another card up in front of them; followed by another round of betting. Deal each player a final two cards.(Giving each player seven in his hand). Everyone will then place another card face up on the table. Each player is trying to build either a high or a low hand face up on the table. Have a round of betting after each card is rolled. High hand and low hand split the pot. This games allows for a lot of bluffing and changing your mind. Always try to start low but leave yourself the option of going for a straight or flush if you have to switch. Lots of times players decide to go high or low on the last card. Please e-mail me if you have some other interesting variations. I will also share some of the other ones I know.

• Bid Poker

  • Players:

    3-8

  • Initial deal:

    1 card at a time.

  • Play:

    Cards are auctioned off one at a time. The highest bidder takes the card and puts the money in the pot. After everyone antes, each player is dealt five cards face down which they can look at. One card is turned face up. The player to the left of the dealer starts the bidding. Bidding then proceeds to the left, with each player either topping the previous bid, or passing. Once a player passes, they can no longer bid on that card, but they can bid on subsequent cards. When everyone has passed except one player, that player puts his bid in the pot and takes the card. He then discards any of his cards (including the one he just bought) face down in the discard pile. The dealer then turns the next card in the deck face up. The player to the left of whoever started the bidding the previous round starts the bidding for the new card. Play proceeds until everyone has started the bidding once. At this point, there is a showdown, with the best hand taking the pot.

  • Standard variations:

    Multiples: Instead of going around once (every player getting a chance to start the bidding once), you can go around multiple times. Usually, once or twice around works best.
    Bid Slam: Instead of discarding to a discard pile, the player who bought the last card slams the person of his choice. He chooses a card and places it face down in front of another player. Before looking at the card, this player has to discard one card to the discard pile. He can then pick up the card he was given. A typical penalty for looking at the card before discarding is to have to match the pot. In this game, it is tough to keep any hand that requires 5 cards (straight, flush, full house, etc.). This can make the last card very valuable.
    Bid Double Slam: Same as Bid Slam, except the player who was slammed can choose another player to slam - including the player who just slammed him. In this variant, even buying the last card doesn't assure you of being able to keep a 5 card hand intact.
    Final Round of Betting: Before showdown, there can be a final round of betting, starting with the player to the dealer's left. Without this rule, it's possible to win the pot without putting in any money (except the ante) which may be desirable.

• Bloody Sevens

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    Same as Guts.

  • Play:

    Same as Guts, except: Deal 2 cards down to each player, players still in after guts get 3 cards up. 7s down are wild. Anyone with a 7 up immediately folds. High hand takes the pot, losers match (someone killed by a 7 does not match).

  • Winner:

    Same as Guts.

  • Standard variations:

    Same as Guts.

• Buddha's Folly

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    5 cards down to each player

  • Play:

    The lead rotates each hand, starting with the player to the dealer's left. The dealer turns the top card of the deck face up. The lead player has the option of taking that card or passing it to the next player clockwise. If the card is taken, the player taking it must replace it with a different card from his hand, passing that card clockwise. This continues until a card makes it all the way around without anyone taking it. Play then continues as in Guts.

  • Winner:

    Highest hand.

  • Standard variations:

    Weenie rule: See Guts.
    Limit match: See Guts.

• Cohones

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    Same as Guts.

  • Play:

    Same as Guts, except: Low-ball or High-ball. Each player may draw from 1 to x (x is the number of cards dealt) cards as in draw poker. Each player pays a designated amount (usually the minimum bet) for each card drawn. After all players have had a chance to draw, the hand proceeds normally as if just dealt.

  • Winner:

    Same as Guts.

  • Standard variations:

    Same as Guts.

• Double Revenge

  • Players:

    Varies.

  • Initial deal:

    3 cards.

  • Play:

    Everyone is dealt 3 cards. One by one everyone annouces in/out. If you're in you get 2 more cards. Again you say in/out. If you're out here, you owe half the pot. If you're in you get 2 more cards. best 5/7 wins the whole pot, losers who stayed in the whole way match the pot. play continues/deal rotates until only 1 person stays. can make/break your night.

• Fifty-Five

  • Players:

    3-8

  • Initial deal:

    5 cards.

  • Play:

    This game combines the elements of Guts and traditional poker. Fives are always wild. Players indicate whether they wish to remain in by holding a chip in their fist. Those players holding a chip receive two more cards and form their best five-card hand out of the seven they've received (remembering that fives are wild). If two or more players stay in, the player with the best hand takes the pot and the losers match it. If only one player remains in, he must beat the top eight cards off the deck or else match the pot himself. Otherwise he gets the pot and the game ends. Until only one player stays in and beats the deck, the game continues and the pot increases whenever more than two players stay in (or if one player stays but loses to the deck).

• Full Monty

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    Same as Guts.

  • Play:

    Same as Guts, except: The highest and lowest cards, among the hands that stayed in, are wild for everyone.

  • Winner:

    Same as Guts.

  • Standard variations:

    Same as Guts.

• Golf

  • Players:

    3-7

  • Initial deal:

    4 cards face down (don't look).

  • Play:

    You proceed to flip two cards over and keep two cards hidden. Rank of cards King=0, Ace=1, all other cards = face value (face cards 10 except king). The person with the lowest hand wins four kings = 0 you will win. After you flip two cards over you play from the deck. You may pick off the deck or discard pile. Choose card and replace lower numbers. When you think you can win you "knock" everyone gets one more chance except the knocker. You must knock to win the hand!!!! knocker has low hand he wins pot else he matches the pot. **remember you can not look at your two down cards but can replace them with cards you draw risking giving the person next to you a good card. If deck runs out re-ante and begin again. 4 and 5 are good hands.

• Guts

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    One, two, or three cards down to each player.

  • Play:

    Each player determines whether or not they are holding (playing) their hand. Players who hold reveal their hands. The winner takes the pot and the losers have to match the pot. New hands are then dealt. The game continues until only one player holds, and thus the pot is emptied.

  • Winner:

    High hand. Straights and flushes do not count.

  • Standard variations:

    Weenie rule: If nobody stays in, everyone reveals their hand and whoever has the best hand (and thus would have won) must match the pot.
    Beat the deck: When only one player stays in, the top two cards from the deck are turned over. If these cards beat the player's hand, the player loses and must match the pot.
    Limit Match: A limit is set on the amount players must pay if they lose. If the pot is more than this amount, players just pay the limit.
    Drop: Instead of declaring with chips, dealer counts out "one-two-three-drop" while all players hold their cards above the table. On "drop" all players who are dropping out drop their cards. This is faster, but can lead to arguments if one player is slower to drop than the others.
    Auction Guts: An additional "mystery hand" is dealt face-down. Before the showdown, players bid for the right to switch hands with the mystery hand. This continues until nobody wants to switch with the new mystery hand.
    Hand in the Middle: An additional "mystery hand" is dealt face-down. Players who stay in must beat this hand in addition to their opponents' hands.
    Hold Your Guts: If nobody stays in, play again with the same hands. Repeat until somebody stays in.
    Pass Your Guts: If nobody stays in, everyone passes 1-5 cards (decided beforehand) to the right, until someone stays in.
    Progressive Guts: Start with 2 cards. If nobody stays in, everyone gets dealt another card. Repeat until someone stays in. Straights and flushes become legal at 5 cards.
    Showdown: Bet after the cards are dealt, and after each pass. There is no flipping over cards, have the high/low declare and showdown.
    Blood & Guts: Like Progressive Guts except that 1) if a player loses to a pair or better, that player pays double the pot. and 2) if all players muck their hands at the 5-card phase, then all players re-ante and the deal starts again with 2 cards dealt to each player.

• High/Low Pig

  • Players:

    3-8

  • Initial deal:

    5 cards.

  • Play:

    Lowest card in your hand is wild (A is high or low). Deal 5 cards, round of betting, and then trades from the player under the gun and around. If you want to trade, you must first state the number of cards you wish to trade. If another player is interested, he calls "done" and if another player is also interested, he must then bid chips for the face down cards. Bidding continues until there are no more bids on the card(s) in question, and then the winner of the bid must put his winning bid into the pot and trade the card with the player who auctioned his card. Play continues until no one wants to trade anymore. Once trading is concluded, there is a rolling showdown 'til each player has only one card left face down. Then a final betting round ensues, and two people collect all the pine cones. What Will Win: On the high, almost always 5 of a kind, and less than 5 jacks is a ****er hand. On the low, perfect is deceptively difficult to achieve.

• Indian

  • Players:

    3-up

  • Initial deal:

    one card down to each player

  • Play:

    Do not look at your card! Each player carefully places the card face out on their forehead, taking care not to see the suit and/or rank of their card. Each player can freely view the cards of their opposing players. A betting round ensues as does a showdown.

  • Winner:

    High hand

  • Standard variations:

    High/low hands split.
    Low hand wins.
    Deal 2-5 cards to each player

• Kenosha Cheese Porn

  • Players:

    3-8

  • Initial deal:

    2 cards face down.

  • Play:

    Players alternate between receiving cards and betting until someone feels they have the best hand. After the ante, each player is dealt two cards, face down, which they look at. There is a round of betting. Then each player is dealt another card face down to look at. There is another round of betting. This continues until one player feels his/her hand can beat everybody else's at the table. After the bet, the player calls "Cheese Porn!" and contributes to the pot (we usually say $1 in a $0.25-$0.50-$1.00 game). There is a final bet and then everyone who hasn't folded shows their hand. The highest 5 card hand wins the pot. The only requirement in calling "Cheese Porn" is that you must have a pair of Jacks or better. Notice that everyone could have as few as 2 cards or even 10 or more cards. If the dealer runs out of cards, highest hand from the previous bet wins.

  • Standard variations:

    Open Hand Version ("Voyeur Edition": Works similar to stud in that each player starts with two cards down and one card up. There is a bet. Then the dealer gives everyone another up card and another round of betting is completed. This continues until "Cheese Porn" is called. The caller contributes to the pot. Afterwards, one card is dealt to the remaining players face down, but NOT to the caller. There is a final bet and then the highest five card hand wins.

• Liar's Poker

  • 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.

  • Winner:

    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.

• Rollercoaster

  • Players:

    3-8

  • Initial deal:

    1 card at a time

  • Play:

    Players are dealt one card at a time, betting after each card, alternately competing for high or low hand. After the ante, each player is dealt one card face down, which they can look at. For this first hand, players are competing for the highest card. To allow players to simultaneously indicate if they are going to compete for the pot, everyone secretly puts a coin in their hand to indicate they are competing or doesn't to indicate they are not competing. Everyone puts their closed fist on the table and opens them at the same time. Players who did not compete risk nothing and gain nothing. Players who did compete swap their cards to determine who wins - the other players do not get to see the competing players' cards. The player with the highest hand takes the pot. The competing players who lost have to match the pot. If there is a tie or no one stayed in, the pot carries over. The dealer then deals one more card face down to each player, which everyone adds to their hands. This time players are competing for the lowest hand (just like in Low Ball). Again each player simultaneously indicates if they are competing by secretly placing a coin in their hand to indicate they are staying. Competing players again swap hands to determine the winner with the lowest hand taking the pot. Losing players match the pot - noncompeting players do nothing. After the third card, players compete for highest hand the same way. After the fourth card, players compete for lowest hand the same way. After the final card, there is a showdown (with everyone automatically competing). The highest hand takes the pot and the game is over. As the rules are stated, if only a single player competes for a hand, he takes the pot and there is no pot for the next competition. There are a couple ways to remedy this situation.

  • Standard variations:

    Ante everytime: Before each card, every player antes. This insures that there is always money in the pot and can allow the pot to increase more quickly.
    Punishment: If only one player stays in, everyone else matches the pot. If no one stays, everyone matches the pot. This encourages more people to compete.

• Soda Bomb

  • Players:

    4 (or 3 or 5, see STANDARD VARIATIONS)

  • Initial deal:

    13 cards to each player

  • Play:

    Each player discards, face down, 3 cards. These 12 discards are shuffled. Players bet. 2 of the discards are turned up. Each player rolls matching (i.e., of the same rank) cards from his hand. Players must keep their rolled cards in front of them. Players bet, 2 more are turned over, etc. until all 12 are turned over. Players bet one last time. Then players declare high/low/both simultaneously (we use 1/0/2 chips in hand for this).

  • Winner:

    Score is determined by the remaining cards in your hand: pictures are worth 10, aces are 1 or 11, depending on which way you're going. The first one (if any) to drop all his cards takes the whole pot.

  • Standard variations:

    3-man: deal 17, discard 4 each + the 1 remaining card.
    5 man: deal 10, discard 2 each + the 2 remaining cards. It is important to keep track of the number of cards each player is holding at any given time, so this information should be freely available. The big problem is when someone fails to lay down his matching cards, because this obviously hurts the other players, also because this is generally not detected until the end. The game is obviously suited for friendly players.

• Tennessee Guts

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    Same as Guts.

  • Play:

    Same as Guts, except: Ante. Deal 1 card to each player. Play as in regular drop guts except that in addition to cards ranked from Duece through Ace, suits are ranked from high to low as follows: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs. Therefore, an Ace of Spades beats an Ace of Diamonds. Each player who held their card but did not win pays the agreed upon amount to the pot. The winner of the hand places their winning card in front of them face up as a counter of the number of hands they have won. A player wins the pot after winning three hands.

  • Winner:

    Same as Guts.

  • Standard variations:

    Same as Guts.

• Thirty-one Guts

  • Players:

    4-10

  • Initial deal:

    Same as Guts.

  • Play:

    Same as Guts, except: Each player counts the totals points of their cards. Points are awarded to cards as follows: Face cards are 10 points, Aces are eleven points, all other cards are their face value. Each player adds the total of their points for the three cards that they were dealt. A player's best hand is the point total of suited cards only. For example, all diamonds or all spades. The player with the highest point total of the players who held their cards is the winner and gets the pot. Each loser pays the designated amount to the pot. In case of a tie, all tying players pay the pot.

  • Winner:

    Same as Guts.

  • Standard variations:

    Same as Guts.

• Three Five Seven

  • Players:

    3-7

  • Initial deal:

    3 cards down to each player.

  • Play:

    Players examine their cards and indicate whether or not they're staying in as described in Guts above. Players who are in determine who has the best hand by examining each other's hands-- players who did not stay in don't get to see these hands. Threes are wild, and straights and flushes don't count. Players who stayed in but lost must each pay the winner the amount currently in the pot. If two players have equal hands, no money is exchanged between them. All players, including those who didn't stay in earlier, are dealt two more cards down. The above procedure is repeated, but this time fives are wild instead of threes and straights and flushes count. When the winner has been paid, all players again receive two more cards and repeat the procedure with sevens being wild instead of fives, using each player's best five cards. If only one player stays in during a hand, that player earns a point. The first player to earn three points takes the pot, ending the game. If no player has three points after the 7 card hand, everyone antes again. The cards are shuffled, and play starts again with 3 cards down to each player.

  • Winner:

    High hand for each individual hand; first player to reach 3 points for the pot itself.