2 to 7 

3-7.

Same as 7-card stud.

Aces are always played high. Straights and flushes count.

Low hand wins. The lowest hand is 2-3-4-5-7, hence, 2 to 7.

7's take all 

3-7

7 cards.

Normal 7 card stud, no wilds, except a pair of 7's is the highest possible hand. You cannot have three 7's anywhere in your 7 cards. Only a pair counts. It gets very interesting when a seven gets dealt up.

Auction 

3-7

two cards down to each player

A number of cards equal to the number of players is turned up in the middle of the table. Each person then secretly chooses an amount of at least the minimum bet and places it in their hand. Then everyone drops their coins at once. The person who "bid" highest gets chooses one of the up cards and adds it to his hand, leaving it face up in front of him. The person who "bid" second highest chooses next, and so forth. 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. All bids are added to the pot. This continues until all people have 7 cards. Then there is a single betting round starting with the high hand on the table, followed by a high/low/both declaration and a showdown.

High and low hands split.

Baltimore (aka Low Chicago) 

4-7.

Same as 7 Card Stud.

Same as 7 Card Stud.

High hand and the low spade in the hole split the pot.

Adding wild cards.

Baseball 

3-7

two down and one up to each player

As with 7 card stud, with these exceptions: threes and nines are wild. If a four is dealt face up, the recipient immediately receives another card down.

High hand

Rainouts - If the Queen of Spades is dealt face up, the hand is terminated and redealt-but only for players who are still in.
Rainouts as above, but after 3 of them you build a dome over the stadium, preventing further rainouts.
Paying for wild cards. Usually, the required payment is to match the pot. Possibilities include: Face-up threes, nines, or both require the recipient to pay for them to be wild, otherwise they're just face value. Face-up threes, nines, or both require the recipient to pay for them or fold. Pay for face down wilds as well as face up ones.
Paying for the additional card when a four comes face up.
Allowing someone with a face-down four to flip it face up and receive an additional card.
Pay a fixed amount for wild and/or extra cards, like a quarter.

Black Mariah 

3-7.

two cards down and one up to each player

Play the same as 7-card stud, with the following variations: All queens are wild. Additionally, when a queen is dealt up, the next card dealt up (and all cards of the same rank) is also wild. If another queen is dealt up, the next up card replaces the previous wild as a new wild card (but queens remain wild). If a queen is the last card dealt up, only queens are wild. If the Queen of Spades is dealt face-up, the hand immediately ends. All players re-ante and the hand is redealt.

High hand

Pay for queens.
Queens are not wild.
If last card up is a queen, only queens are wild (or nothing is wild)
Progressive: All cards after a queen are wild (no cancellations-- not recommended for the squeamish).

Blind Baseball 

(as in Baseball) 3's and 9's are wild. Wild cards require an additional ante from the player. Common 4's get the player an extra card. The 'Blind' part is that you cannot look at any of your hole cards until the showdown.

Canadian Stud 

3-7

Same as 5-card stud or 7-card stud.

Same as regular stud poker except that their are additional hand ranks than in the standard games. The additional hand ranks are: 4-card straight beats a pair, 4-card flush beats a 4-card straight, 2 pair beats a 4-card flush. This adds more hands to shoot for, making stud more interesting.

Same as standard stud poker.

Caribbean Stud 

3-8

5 cards

Ante starts at $5. Everyone gets 5 cards, the dealer shows 1 of his. If you want to stay in, you bet exactly twice your ante, else fold. The dealer needs A-K or better to qualify. If he doesn't qualify, he pays off your ante only (if you're still in), no matter what you're holding. If he qualifies, he pays off your ante and your bet if you beat him. The bet (not the ante) pays off in multiples for: 2 pair (2x), trips (3x), straight (4x), flush (5x), house (7x), 4 of a kind (20x?), straight flush (50x?), royal (200x). Furthermore, you can put in a dollar at ante time to be eligible for progressive payoffs. (You get these whether the dealer qualifies or not. These vary by casino; where I was, a flush was worth $50, house $100, 4 of a kind $250, straight flush 10%, royal 100% of the pot. The pot was ~$96k where I played last, but I've seen it as high as $290k. I understand it was originally a cruise ship game, hence the name.

Cathy's Game 

3-8

The first player to the dealer's left is dealt a card face down.

This is a variation of 5-card stud. After the first player is dealt a card face down, that player must decide whether or not to keep that card or replace it with one from the deck. If the player replaces a card, the player places a marker on his card to indicate that a replacement has occurred. Each player is entitled to only one replacement per hand. The deal proceeds around the table until each player has received a down card. There is a betting round. The deal continues with each player receiving an up card toward completion of the 5-card stud hand. Each player who has not drawn a replacement card must decide as each card is dealt to him, whether a replacement is desired. There is a betting round after completion of each dealing round.

Low hand (A-2-3-4-6 lowest)

Chicago 

4-7

Same as 7 Card Stud.

Same as 7 Card Stud.

High hand and the high spade in the hole split the pot.

Adding wild cards

Choose Your Own 

3-7

After the ante, players are dealt two cards face down and one card face up, as in 7 card stud.

7 card stud where the lowest hand showing gets to choose their card from several face up cards. After a round of betting, one card is dealt face up in the middle for every player. So if five people are playing, five cards are dealt face up. The player who has the lowest hand showing gets to pick which card they want. Hands are ranked as in low ball with ties going to the player closest to the dealer's left. After that, the next lowest hand chooses, and so on, until the highest hand takes the last card. Another round of betting is followed by another round of face up cards, with the lowest hand again choosing first. Players bet and there is a final round of face up cards that players choose from. After betting, everyone is dealt one more card face down (for a total of seven) followed by a final round of betting and showdown. The player with the best five card hand takes the pot. Strategy can be interesting, because it is often in a player's best interest to choose a low card which will allow them to choose early in the next round. Matching one of your down cards often works well because you don't have a pair showing, which would cause you to choose later in the next round. Straights and flushes can be chosen without your up cards beating other's up cards. Of course, your selection may also be influenced by trying to prevent the next player from getting the card they want.

5 Card: Players are dealt one card down and one card up. After betting, one card is dealt face up in the middle for each player, with the lowest hands choosing first as above. Players bet and choose twice more, for a total of five cards. Showdown follows the final round of betting.

Cowpie Poker 

3-7

Two cards down and one up to each player.

Deal and bet as in 7-card stud. After the betting round following the final down card, all remaining players split their hands into a 5-card hand and a 2-card hand. The 2-card hand must contain at least one down card. The 5-card hand must be a better hand than the 2-card hand. Following the split there is one more betting round.

Highest 5-card hand and highest 2-card hand split the pot.

Dakota 

4-10.

Three cards down to each player.

Players roll one of their two cards and then there is a betting round. Players are dealt another card down and roll one of their remaining two down cards, followed by a betting round. This continues until all players have seven cards. Before getting the seventh card, a player must decide whether or not to buy the Option. If he declines the Option, the card is dealt down. If he buys the Option (at a cost of the maximum allowed bet), the card is dealt up. Showdown after the final round of betting. High or low hole card in each player's hand is wild for that player (and all other cards of the same rank in that player's hand).

High hand.

High/Low Split.

Dirty Schultz 

3-7

two cards down and one up to each player

As in 7 card stud, with the following variations: whenever a natural pair is dealt up to a player, the next card dealt up (and all cards of the same rank) becomes wild. If another pair is dealt up, the next up card replaces the previous wild as a new wild. If the second card of a pair is the last up card, nothing is wild.

High hand

English Stud 

3-6

2 down, one up to each player

As in 7 card stud, with the following exceptions: Players only get 6 cards. Before the sixth card is dealt, each player beginning at the dealer's left may exchange one card. If he discards an up card, he is dealt a new up card; if he discards a down card, he gets a new down card. A player may choose not to exchange. When all players have exchanged or stood pat, the sixth card is dealt. After the ensuing round of betting, players may make another exchange. This is followed by a final round of betting and a showdown.

Pay to exchange. With 5 players, this game can be played with 7 cards. With 6 players, it can be played with 7 cards with the understanding that some players may be unable to exchange cards in the second exchange. If this is done, it is highly recommended that you also require players to pay for the right to exchange-- this increases the chance that some players will not exchange, giving all players the opportunity to make the choice.

Follow the Queen 

3-7

two cards down and one up to each player

Play the same as 7-card stud, with the following variations: All queens are wild. Additionally, when a queen is dealt up, the next card dealt up (and all cards of the same rank) is also wild. If another queen is dealt up, the next up card replaces the previous wild as a new wild card (but queens remain wild). If a queen is the last card dealt up, only queens are wild.

High hand

Pay for queens.
Queens are not wild.
If last card up is a queen, only queens are wild (or nothing is wild)
Progressive: All cards after a queen are wild (no cancellations-- not recommended for the squeamish).

Fourplay 

3-10.

Exactly like 7 card stud.

Play like 7 card stud, with the following exceptions: All fours are wild. Only fours are wild. If a four gets dealt up to a player, then that player gets an extra hole (down) card.

High 5-card hand wins.

Grocery Shopping (The Price is Right) 

3-7

two cards down to every player and two up cards in a row on the table next to the deck.

Beginning with the player to the dealer's left and rotating around the table, each player has the opportunity to purchase a card. The leftmost up card costs a nickel, the second up card costs a dime, and the top down card from the deck costs 15 cents (feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your group-- some play nickel-dime-quarter, for example). Up cards stay up, down cards stay down. If the nickel up card is bought, the dime up card slides down and becomes the new nickel card. If the nickel or dime card is bought, the topmost card of the deck is dealt up to become the new dime card. This continues until everyone has 7 cards. A showdown occurs after one round of betting.

High and low hands split

3 up cards plus the deck, for purchase options of 5, 10, 15, and 25 cents.
Abyssinia: No cards are dealt initially. One card is turned face up on each side of the deck. Each player in turn has must buy one of the up cards or the top card from the deck, each at preset prices. After each round of purchasing comes a round of betting. Play continues until each player has 5 (or 7) cards. Costs are assigned by card rank (2-5 = 25 cents, 6-K = 10 cents, A = 50 cents). Cardsfrom the deck are dealt up so the cost can be paid. Players may hold cards purchased.
Grocery Store Dots: Two cards down and one up to each player, plus three up cards to the table (the grocery store) with the left-hand card marked with a chip. Deal and bet as in 7-card stud, with the following exception: before being dealt each up card, each player has the choice instead to buy his card from the grocery store. First card (the marked one) costs one betting unit, the second costs 2, and the third costs 3. If the player chooses not to buy, then he is dealt an up card normally. Prior to each potential purchase, the store is restocked as necessary from the deck. Note that this means that, if the dealer buys a card, the store shows only two cards during the ensuing betting round-- it is not restocked until the next dealing round. The remaining store stock is discarded after all players have four up cards. "Dots" consist of the pips in the center column of each number card: threes have 3 dots; twos, eights, and tens have 2 dots; aces, fives, sevens, and nines have 1 dot; fours, sixes, and face cards have no dots. Highest 5-card hand and the 7-card hand with the most dots split the pot.

Harem 

3-7

As in 7-card stud.

Same as 7-card stud except that jacks and kings are wild. A queen in a hand nullifies any wild jacks and kings in that player's hand. Three queens in a player's hand is a harem and that player wins automatically.

High hand.

No peek.

Have a Heart 

3-7

2 down, 1 up to each player.

As in 7 card stud, but whenever a player is dealt a heart face up, he takes a card (either up or down) from another player. The player whose card is taken does not draw a replacement.

High hand.

Trade a Heart: You must trade one of your own cards (up for up, down for down) with the card you take.

Henway 

3-5

10 cards down to each player

Players split their cards into two 5-card hands, laying each hand down in their desired order. Each rotating betting round is preceded by all players turning over the top cards from both of their hands.

High and low hands split

Add wild cards.

Jack the Shifter 

3-7

2 cards down and one card up to each player.

Normal seven card stud until a Jack is turned face-up. The player with the Jack may then name any 7 card stud game, and the rest of the hand is played out as that game. If another Jack is turned up, the owner of that Jack may name a different stud game, and so forth. The game named must be an accepted, named game within your poker circle-- no calling "6's wild" when you've got a pair of sixes (unless, of course, your group routinely plays a sixes wild game). A face-down Jack may be turned up at any time, at which point that player names a game. To prevent timing conflicts, before the final round of betting the dealer should ask each player, in turn, if they wish to reveal a jack, starting with the player with the best hand showing and proceeding clockwise. Any player who declines to show a Jack when asked at this time forfeits the ability to do so for the rest of the hand.

High hand, unless changed by the game called.

Jerry's Game 

3-8.

The first player to the dealer's left is dealt a card face down.

This is a variation of 5-card stud. After the first player is dealt a card face down, that player must decide whether or not to keep that card or replace it with one from the deck. If the player replaces a card, the player places a marker on his card to indicate that a replacement has occurred. Each player is entitled to only one replacement per hand. The deal proceeds around the table until each player has received a down card. There is a betting round. The deal continues with each player receiving an up card toward completion of the 5-card stud hand. Each player who has not drawn a replacement card must decide as each card is dealt to him, whether a replacement is desired. There is a betting round after completion of each dealing round.

High hand.

Killer King 

3-7

two cards down and one up to each player

Play the same as 7-card stud, with the following variations: All queens are wild. Additionally, when a queen is dealt up, the next card dealt up (and all cards of the same rank) is also wild. If another queen is dealt up, the next up card replaces the previous wild as a new wild card (but queens remain wild). If a queen is the last card dealt up, only queens are wild. The King of Diamonds, which is holding an axe, kills the hand for everyone or just for the player turning it.

High hand

Pay for queens.
Queens are not wild.
If last card up is a queen, only queens are wild (or nothing is wild)

La Puta (loosely translated, 'The Whore') 

3-7

7 cards face down (don't look).

It is a mixture of Mexican Sweat and Follow the Queen (the name, La Puta, was derived from the mixture ... 'Follow the sweaty Mexican queen', hence, 'La Puta'. We all agreed that the full title was a bit much ). Anyway, deal seven cards face down and don't look at them. Flip a card to beat. Play as in Mexican Sweat except that any card that follows a Queen is wild as in and with any possible suitable variants of Follow the Queen. The most interesting aspect of this variant is that people stay in to the bitter end just to see if one of their cards will be made wild by the turning of a Queen. We play that if a Queen turns last, then Queens are wild.

Howard's Poker: Queens are always wild.

Mexican Sweat 

3-7

seven cards face down to each player and one up card on the table.

Do not look at your cards! This game is similar to Midnight Baseball, but without all the special cards. The player to the dealer's left is the lead player. The lead player starts rolling cards until his revealed hand beats the highest revealed hand on the table (initially, the single up card). As soon as his revealed hand becomes the best hand, he stops rolling cards and begins a round of betting. If he rolls all his cards and does not beat what is on the table, he is out and a betting round begins with the high hand. Either way, the next player becomes the new lead player and the process repeats, with a round of betting whenever someone stops rolling cards. If at any time the lead player rolls a card of the same rank as the card dealt up from the deck at the initial deal, he must immediately fold and a betting round begins with the high hand. The game continues until all the cards have been turned up or there is only one person left in the game.

High hand

If a player rolls all his cards without beating the high hand, there is no betting round-- the next player begins rolling immediately.
If a player folds because he matches the initial up card, there is no betting round.
Deal three cards up initially, a beat card, a wild card, and a killer card (kills only players who turn the remaining three cards).

Midnight Baseball (No Peek) 

3-7

seven cards face down to each player and one up card on the table.

Do not look at your cards! This game is similar to baseball, except you can't look at your cards until they're flipped up. The player to the dealer's left is the lead player. The lead player starts rolling cards until his revealed hand beats the highest revealed hand on the table (initially, the single up card). He must obey any payment rules which apply as he flips cards (paying for wild cards, fours, etc). As soon as his revealed hand becomes the new best hand, he stops rolling cards and begins a round of betting. If he rolls all his cards and does not beat what is on the table, he is out and a betting round begins with the high hand. Either way, the next player then tries to beat the high hand in the same manner, with a betting round ensuing whenever someone stops rolling cards. The game continues until all the cards have been turned up or there is only one person left in the game.

High hand

If a player rolls all his cards without beating the high hand, there is no betting round-- the next player begins rolling immediately.
Players can look at their cards and lay down the cards of their choice until their exposed hand beats what's on the table. Makes this game more strategic.

Pass the Trash (aka Want It? Want It? Got it!) (aka Selection/Rejection) (aka Polish) 

3-7

two cards down to each player

Rotating lead player. At the start of each round, the dealer flips up the top card and offers it to the leader. The leader can either accept it or pass. If passed, the card is then offered to the next player, who can also accept it or pass. If passed, the next player must take the card. A new card is turned up and offered to the next player in turn. This continues, skipping players who already received a card in the current round, until everyone has taken a card. Betting ensues, and a new round begins. This continues until everyone has four up cards. After that round of betting, everyone gets a 7th card down. After a final round of betting, everyone declares high/low/both and a showdown occurs.

High and low hands split

Each person in turn can reject the first card dealt to them, but must take the next card.
Play as in 5-card Stud.

Philadelphia (City of Brotherly Love) 

4-7

Same as 7 Card Stud.

Same as 7 Card Stud.

High hand and the low (or high) heart in the hole split the pot.

Adding wild cards.

Psycho 

3-6 (tricky with 6-- may not have enough cards)

5 down to each player.

Immediately after the draw, players show 3 cards. After a round of betting, players receive one card up. Bet. Receive a last card down. Bet, then showdown. Each player may use all seven of their cards to make a winning hand.

High and low hands split.

Razz 

3-7.

Same as 7-card stud.

Straights and flushes do not count.

Low hand wins. The best low hand is A-2-3-4-5.

Roll Your Neighbor 

4-10.

Three cards down to each player.

Players roll one of their neighbor's two cards and then there is a betting round. Players are dealt another card down and roll one of their neighbor's remaining two down cards, followed by a betting round. This continues until all players have seven cards: three down, four up. Showdown after the final round of betting. High or low hole card in each player's hand is wild for that player (and all other cards of the same rank in that player's hand). The dealer decodes whether each player rolls their right or left neighbor's cards.

High hand.

High/Low Split.

Roll Your Own 

4-10

Three cards down to each player.

Players roll one of their two cards and then there is a betting round. Players are dealt another card down and roll one of their remaining two down cards, followed by a betting round. This continues until all players have seven cards: three down, four up. Showdown after the final round of betting. High or low hole card in each player's hand is wild for that player (and all other cards of the same rank in that player's hand).

High hand

High/Low Split.

Russian Revolution 

3-7

7 cards.

Same as 7-card stud. WILDS: RED ACES, RED NINES, RED SEVENS (1917- get it?) Remember, RED 9,7,ACES (six cards total) DEAL: Usual 2-down, 4-up, 1-down, EXCEPT: For the up-cards, if you are dealt any FACE CARDS (no, the other Aces do not count) you have the option of either BUYING a NEW CARD or FOLDING. If your new card is a FACE CARD, you must buy another or fold. In other words, you can't win with any royalty showing. However, any Face cards in the hole are SAFE.

Second Hand High 

3-7

Two cards down and one up to each player

Deal and bet as in 7-card stud. Cards speak for themselves to form the best poker hand available within those 7 cards.

Second highest hand, or the only remaining hand if all but one player fold.

Play in any standard poker format (draw, 5-card stud, etc) Play with wild cards Second-low in a lowball format Split pot between the highest and second highest hands

Sequence 

3-7

2 down, 1 up to each player

As in 7 card stud, but: if a 2 turns face up, all twos become wild. If after that a 3 turns up, all threes are wild instead. And so on, with each successively higher number replacing the previous wild card rank if it appears face up.

High hand

High/low

Six Kick 

3-8

As in 7-card stud. except with only six (6) cards total.

Same as 7-card stud except that after the sixth card is dealt and the bets are made, each player in turn may pay to have a card in their hand replaced. An up card is replaced by an up card and a down card is replaced by a down card. The cost of getting an up card is one times the minimum bet. The cost of getting a down card is two times the minimum bet. A betting round is held after each kick (draw). There are two kicks total, then the final bet and showdown.

High-Low split.

Stud Poker 

3-10

In 5-card stud, each player is initially dealt one card down and one card up. All other cards are dealt up until a total of five cards have been dealt to each player. In 7-card stud, each player is initially dealt two cards down and one card up. All other cards are dealt up until a total of six cards have been dealt to each player. The seventh card is dealt down to each player.

Betting begins after the deal. After each round of betting, each player is dealt their next card until each remaining player has the required number of cards. A betting round occurs after all players are dealt the next card. A showdown occurs after the last round of betting.

High hand wins.

Adding wild cards. (Like 'mustashes', deuces, etc.)

Suicide King 

3-7

two cards down and one up to each player

Play the same as 7-card stud, with the following variations: All queens are wild. Additionally, when a queen is dealt up, the next card dealt up (and all cards of the same rank) is also wild. If another queen is dealt up, the next up card replaces the previous wild as a new wild card (but queens remain wild). If a queen is the last card dealt up, only queens are wild. The King of Hearts, which has a sword stuck in its head, kills the hand for everyone or just for the player turning it.

High hand

Pay for queens.
Queens are not wild.
If last card up is a queen, only queens are wild (or nothing is wild)

Ten 

3-5

10 cards down to each player Do not look at your cards! Each player flips a card and quickly, without looking at the other players' cards, places it face up to his left or to his right. Cards on the left form a hand going low, while cards on the right form a hand going high. There follows a round of betting. Repeat until all 10 cards are up. No hand can have more than 5 cards. Cards speak for themselves when the last one is flipped.

High and low hands split

Add wild cards.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly 

3-7

2 cards down, 1 up to each player, three down on the table

The same as 7 card stud with these modifications: After the fourth card is dealt, flip the first of the table cards. This is The Good, and is all cards of the same rank are wild (but The Good card itself is not shared). After the fifth card is dealt, flip the second table card. This is The Bad, and all cards of the same rank must be discarded. After the 6th card is dealt, flip the last table card. This is The Ugly, and anyone who has an up card of the same rank must fold.

High hand

Wall Street 

3-7

Two cards down and one up to each player, plus four up cards to the table (Wall Street) with the leftmost card marked with a chip.

Deal and bet as in 7-card stud, with the following exception: before being dealt each up card, each player has the choice instead to buy his card from Wall Street. The first (marked) card costs one betting unit, the second card costs two units, the third costs 3 and the fourth 4. If the player chooses not to buy, an up card is dealt normally. Prior to each potential purchase, Wall Street is restocked from the deck if necessary. Note that this means that if the dealer buys a card, Wall Street shows only 3 cards during the ensuing betting round. The remaining Wall Street stock is discarded once all players have 4 up cards. After the betting round following the last down card players declare high-low, then hold one last betting round.

High and low hands split the pot.

Washington Park 

4-7.

Same as 7 Card Stud.

Same as 7 Card Stud, except: Each player's lowest down card is wild for that player, along with all cards of the same rank.

High Hand.

Adding wild cards.