PLAYING TIPS for BUMMER POKER
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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:
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.
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.
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.