PLAYING TIPS for EXPRESS ELEVATOR POKER
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HOW TO PLAY EXPRESS ELEVATOR Poker:
Express Elevator is a wild card poker game. Each player is dealt 4 hole cards. The board cards consist of 2 vertical columns of 3 cards each. A single "elevator" card is placed between the 2 vertical columns. See diagram below. The elevator card is a common wild card that is shared by all players. Only the single elevator card and no other card(s) plays as a wild card. Reveal one entire column, then the other and finally the single elevator card, with betting rounds between. Players may use the elevator cards plus any 2 cards in a horizontal row (ie 3 cards in total from the board). That is: both top cards (AA), both middle cards (BB) or both bottom cards (CC), plus the elevator card (E). The elevator card "moves" up or down to what ever horizontal row you want.) Vertical or diagonal cards may not be used. Hands are made from the best 5 of 7 cards. May be played high-low split. A ^ A
B E B C v C |
SUMMARY of ACTION
Deal 4 hole cards to each player. Arrange board cards. Bet Reveal all 3 cards from one vertical row. Bet Reveal all 3 cards from 2nd vertical row. Bet Reveal middle "elevator" wild card (E). Bet High only or Hi-Lo Cards Speak: Showdown High-Low Declaration: Declare Bet Showdown |
PLAYING TIPS for EXPRESS ELEVATOR
Your hand in Express Elevator poker will be taken from 7 cards: the 4 hole cards dealt to you, 2 of 6 board cards and the single elevator wild card. You may use any 5 of those 7 cards to make your hand (4 hole & 1 board; 3 hole & 2 board or 2 hole & 3 board). While in theory it is not required, in practice, players will always use the wild card in their hand since there is never a reason not to.
Winning hands for Express Elevator poker usually must be excellent. For high, expect 4 of a kind to be the minimum needed to win although sometimes a high full house may win if there are few players in the hand and no raising. For low, the nuts or second best hand, with much depending on the board cards. Low board cards also make a tie for the low more likely.
Remember that there is one and only one wild card - the single elevator card. The other 3 cards of the same rank are not wild. Since only the elevator card is wild it means that you and all the other active players have exactly 1 wild card. Never more, never less, so no player has an advantage. You should think of this game as having one wild card for each active player. So, if there are 5 players remaining in the hand that is as if there were a total of 5 wild cards. Obviously, the more active players and the more wild cards, the better the hand you will need to win.
STARTING HAND SELECTION
Starting hands for Express Elevator poker fall into 2 broad categories based upon the 4 hole cards you are originally dealt: made hands and drawing hands. Since each player will have 1 wild card you need 4 or 3 well coordinated hole cards to have a playable hand.
MADE hands are starting hands that, with a guaranteed wild card, stand at least a decent 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 full house and a draw to 4 of a kind. This is the least of what can be considered a playable made hand. Be especially wary if both 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 (eg. AA33) is a big plus.
4 card flush. This is a "made" hand in the sense that you will have a flush. But, it is at the very fringe of our definition of made hands since a flush has a very slight chance of winning. While a flush may occasionally stumble into winning they should normally not be played unless they have low hand potential.
4 card straight. This is a "made" hand in the sense that you will have a straight. But it is not 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 from at least 1 of the 6 board cards 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 (eg. AA32) is a big plus.
3 unmatched cards of 5 or less (6 or less if playing 6432A rules). Draw to the nut low.
To become a winner each of these starting hands needs additional improvement from among the board cards. But, with 6 cards available to choose from there is a decent chance of making them.
Your hand in Express Elevator poker will be taken from 7 cards: the 4 hole cards dealt to you, 2 of 6 board cards and the single elevator wild card. You may use any 5 of those 7 cards to make your hand (4 hole & 1 board; 3 hole & 2 board or 2 hole & 3 board). While in theory it is not required, in practice, players will always use the wild card in their hand since there is never a reason not to.
Winning hands for Express Elevator poker usually must be excellent. For high, expect 4 of a kind to be the minimum needed to win although sometimes a high full house may win if there are few players in the hand and no raising. For low, the nuts or second best hand, with much depending on the board cards. Low board cards also make a tie for the low more likely.
Remember that there is one and only one wild card - the single elevator card. The other 3 cards of the same rank are not wild. Since only the elevator card is wild it means that you and all the other active players have exactly 1 wild card. Never more, never less, so no player has an advantage. You should think of this game as having one wild card for each active player. So, if there are 5 players remaining in the hand that is as if there were a total of 5 wild cards. Obviously, the more active players and the more wild cards, the better the hand you will need to win.
STARTING HAND SELECTION
Starting hands for Express Elevator poker fall into 2 broad categories based upon the 4 hole cards you are originally dealt: made hands and drawing hands. Since each player will have 1 wild card you need 4 or 3 well coordinated hole cards to have a playable hand.
MADE hands are starting hands that, with a guaranteed wild card, stand at least a decent 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 full house and a draw to 4 of a kind. This is the least of what can be considered a playable made hand. Be especially wary if both 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 (eg. AA33) is a big plus.
4 card flush. This is a "made" hand in the sense that you will have a flush. But, it is at the very fringe of our definition of made hands since a flush has a very slight chance of winning. While a flush may occasionally stumble into winning they should normally not be played unless they have low hand potential.
4 card straight. This is a "made" hand in the sense that you will have a straight. But it is not 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 from at least 1 of the 6 board cards 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 (eg. AA32) is a big plus.
3 unmatched cards of 5 or less (6 or less if playing 6432A rules). Draw to the nut low.
To become a winner each of these starting hands needs additional improvement from among the board cards. But, with 6 cards available to choose from there is a decent chance of making them.