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PLAYING TIPS for BUMMER POKER

HOW TO PLAY BUMMER POKER: 
Bummer Poker is a wild card poker game.  Deal 5 hole cards to each player.  Place 2 cards face down on the table.  This game has a requirement that you MUST either bet (or raise), call a bet or fold.  No checking is allowed.   Board cards are exposed one at a time after rounds of betting.  The second board card (and any like ranked cards) is wild. (The first board card is not wild, unless it is of the same rank as the wild card.)  Use any 5 of the 7 available cards to make your hand.  
May be played high-low split. 

Optional rule of play:  Make the mandatory bets progressive.  With progressive betting the bets and raises increase on each round. 
(e.g. 1st round = $1, 2nd round = $2, 3rd = $3, 4th = $4).​​
SUMMARY of ACTION
Deal 5 hole cards to each player. 
Place 2 cards face down on table.
Bet
Reveal 1st card (not wild, unless the same rank as wild card).
Bet
Reveal 2nd card (wild).
Bet
High only or Hi-Lo Cards Speak: Showdown
High-Low Declaration: Declare
Bet
Showdown​
PLAYING TIPS for BUMMER POKER
 Each player will have at least 1 wild card.  It is almost a certainty that one or more players will hold additional wild cards.  This means that the winning hand for Bummer poker typically must be excellent.  For high, expect a high 4 of a kind to be the minimum needed to win.  Occasionally, provided there are few players in the hand and no raising, low quads may win or, even less likely, a big full house.  For low, the nuts or second nuts, with much depending on the board cards.  When the non-wild board card is of a low rank (5 or below) or the board cards pair, second best is often not good enough and the nuts might even end up just tying.   

​The board cards will be a pair about 6% of the time.  When they are every player now has at least 2 wild cards (and some will have more).  A straight-flush now becomes the absolute minimum high hand, but don't be surprised if someone turns over 5 of a kind.  

Additionally, since there is no checking and you must either bet, call, raise or fold, Bummer poker is not a game to be chasing.  A solid starting hand is mandatory.  If you do not have one you should fold immediately.

STARTING HAND SELECTION
Starting hands for Bummer poker fall into 2 broad categories based upon the 5 hole cards you are originally dealt:  made hands and drawing hands.  Since each player will have (at least) 1 wild card you only need 4 or 3 well-coordinated hole cards to have a playable hand. 
Made hands are starting hands that, with the guaranteed addition of at least 1 wild card, stand at least a decent chance of winning on their own and include:
MADE HANDS are starting hands that have a chance of winning on their own and include:
4 of a kind. You have a guaranteed 5 of a kind and are an overwhelming favorite.
4 to a straight flush (including one-gapper).  You have a guaranteed straight flush and are a big favorite.
3 of a kind.  You have a guaranteed 4 of a kind and a draw to 5 of a kind. The higher the trips you start with the better.  A final hand of 4 aces or kings may stand up while a low or medium 4 of a kind may not.
​2 big pairs or aces with any pair.  Guaranteed big full house and a draw to 4 of a kind. Two pair is the least of what can be considered a playable made hand.  Be especially wary if they are middle or low pairs.  A full house is often not enough to win unless there are only a few players and/or no one is showing strength by raising.  A hand that also includes a low draw (e.g. AA332) is a big plus. 
4 card straight and flushes.  These are "made" hands in the sense that you are guaranteed either a straight or flush. But they don't fit our definition of made since neither of those hands is going to be a winner.  Unless they have low hand potential they should not be played.
For low, any 4 unmatched cards of 5 or less gives you the nut low (playing by 5432A rules) or any 6-low (except if it includes a 5) playing 6432A rules.
DRAWING HANDS are those that need help in addition to the wild card and include:
3 to a straight flush, including up to a 2-gapper.  You'd much prefer the 3 cards to be consecutive as there are then 4 cards that make your hand.  You have only 3 good cards with a 1 gap and just 2 good cards with a 2 gap.
A single big pair.  Draw to 4 of a kind.  A big pair plus low draw potential (e.g. KK42A) is a big plus.
3 unmatched cards of 5 or less.  Draw to the nut low.
 To become a winner each of these starting hands needs additional improvement beyond a single wild card.   You are going to need 1 of these things to happen:  
The first board card fills in a card necessary to make your hand.  For example, it gives you a fourth card to a straight flush or is a deuce when you hold a low of 53A.
The wild board card pairs the first board card.  You now have 2 wild cards, but so does everyone else.
One or more of your hole cards are of the same rank as the wild board card.  Those like ranked cards in your hand are now wild, but that may not necessarily help you - see Hitting the Right Wild Card below.
THE COMMON BOARD CARDS
The second exposed board card is wild as well as the other 3 like-ranked cards.  And, since the exposed wild card is common to all players, while this means that you have at least one wild card for your hand it also means that all the other active players do as well.  You must not think of this game as having just 4 wild cards.  You need to think of it as having one wild card for each active player plus 3 additional wild cards.  If there are 5 players remaining in the hand that is as if there were a total of 8 wild cards.  Should the other board card match the wild card there it would be a total of 12 wild cards.  Obviously, the more active players and the more wild cards in play the better the hand you will need to win.​
HITTING THE RIGHT WILD CARD
When playing drawing hands, you are hoping to match the rank of the wild card with 1 or more of your hole cards.  When you do those cards become wild as well and drawing hands need the additional help to become winners.   But, with drawing hands, it is important to note that even when you do this you will not necessarily end up with a strong hand.  Here are 2 examples of when the wild card helps you a lot, helps you a little and when it does not help you at all.  In each we assume the single non-wild card provides no benefit to your hand.

You hold 9832A.  The wild card is 8 or 9.  For high you have a straight* (5432A) which is a loser.  For low you have the best low which is a clear winner. The wild card helped your low, but not your high.   * If the 32A were all suited you would have a straight-flush.
You hold 9832A.  The wild card is 2 or 3.  For high you have 3 aces.  For low you have an 8-low.  Neither of those hands stand a chance of winning. The wild card was of no benefit to you at all.  If the wild card is an ace, you'd have trip nines.
​
In this example the wild card helps both hands, but the differences are enormous.
You hold AA662.  The wild card is 2.  For high you have 4 aces.  You will probably win the high hand half of the pot. You have no playable low hand (6632A).
You hold AA662.  The wild card is 6.  You have both the best possible high (5 aces) and the best possible low (5432A).  Only another player's miracle hand will prevent you from winning the entire pot.
HOLE CARD PROBABILITIES or ODDS
Approximate chances for being dealt the following HIGH or LOW hands as your 5 hole cards.  
5 Card High Hand
4 of a Kind
4 to Straight Flush*
3 of a Kind
​2 Pair
1 Big Pair (AA, KK,QQ,JJ)
​Any other 1 Pair (10's-2's)

* Includes 1 gapper

Probability/Odds
0.024%  (4164:1)
0.3%  (332:1)
2.1%  (46:1)
4.8%  (20:1)
13%  (6.5:1)
​29%  (2.4:1)​
​
5 Card Low Hand
A23XX
Any 4-low (3 cards)
Any 5-low (3 cards)
​Any 6-low (3 cards)
---
A234X
Any 5-low (4 cards)
Any 6-low (4 cards)
Any 7-low (4 cards)
Probability/Odds
 2.4%  (40:1)
7.2%  (13:1)
14.4%  (6:1)
24%  (3:1)
---
0.45%  (221:1)
1.8%  (54:1)
4.5%  (21:1)
9%  (10:1)
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