If your group is willing to venture beyond the boundries and confinements of traditional poker, these games are definately worth a try.

Each player antes. Deal each player 5 cards. In turn, each player has the option of making a wager against the pot in any amount they choose. They are wagering that they hold a card in their hand that is of the same suit and a higher rank than the next card dealt from the deck. If they do, they win the amount of their wager from the pot. If they do not, they must pay the amount of their wager to the pot.
As an example, suppose the cards dealt to a player were: Kc Qd Qs 8c 3d. If they wager, they win if the next card off the deck is: 2-Qc, 2-Jd, 2-Js, 2-7c. They lose if the card is: Ac, K-Ad, K-As or 9-Ac. Aces are always played as high card. Each player has one chance to pass or bet. If all the money in the pot has not been won, another round is played.

A high-low split game with the object being to get as close to ZERO or 55 points as possible. The player closest to zero wins low; the player closest to 55 wins high. Players may declare both ways, but must win both outright.

Card values: All face cards are worth 0 or 10. Aces are 1 or 11 (diamonds, hearts, clubs). The ace of spades is worth 1 or 12. All other cards are face value. Best possible high hand = 4 aces and face card = 55 (or valued as 4 if going low). Best possible low hand is all face cards = 0 (or valued as 50 if going high). Suits do not matter, except for ace of spades as noted above.

How it's played: Deal each player 5 cards face down and follow with a round of betting. Each player can now draw up to 4 cards (limit to 3 cards if 6 or more players). A optional method of play is to charge a fee to exchange cards, rather than allowing a free draw. Set the fee at about 1 or 2 antes per card.

Once players have drawn their cards, they arrange them in the order they want to reveal them and, once set, CANNOT change the order. Players place their cards face down in a pile on the table. All players reveal their top card at the same time, a round of betting follows. All players reveal the second card at the same time, a round of betting follows. This continues until all players have only 1 card face down.

At this point, it might be impossible to tell who is going high and who is going low, which makes this game more fun. A player may have revealed 4 face cards (for 0 or 40) and the last card is a 10, making him go high with a total of 50. A player may have revealed 2 face cards and 2 aces (for 2 or 42) and the last card is a 3, making him go low for a total of 5.

Before the last card is revealed, all players declare high or low or both. Again, a player going both ways MUST WIN both ways. Should they lose or tie in one direction, they lose in both directions.

A high-low split pot game with the objective of getting as close to 5 1/2 points or 21 1/2 points, without going over.

Cards are valued as follows: All aces count 1 or 11 points. All face cards count 1/2 point. All other cards count face value (2-10).

Start the game by dealing 1 card down and 1 card up to each player and follow with a round of betting. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player now has the option of standing with their current hand or drawing another card, which is always dealt face up. A round of betting occurs once each player has exercised their option. Play continues in this manner until all the players decline taking another card during the same round. At that point a final round of betting occurs, then players declare their hand to be high, low or both.

Players may draw or decline a card at any time. Their future choice is not bound by their previous choice(s). That is, a player may decline a card on 1 round, accept a card on the next, decline on a follwing round.

The winning low hand is that hand closest to 5 1/2 points without going over. The "without going over" is an important requirement. For example, a player holding 2 face cards for a total of 1 point will beat a player holding a total of 6 points. The winning high hand is that hand closest to 21 1/2 points without going over. For example, 17 (or any total of 21 1/2 or less) would beat 22. The only exception to this is if only 1 player declares in that direction, they win regardless of their total points. If a player declares both high and low (not a likely decision) they must win in both directions.

A high-low split pot game in which the objective is to get as close to 7 or 27 points without going over.

This game is player exactly like 5 1/2 - 21 1/2. The only difference is that the point objectives ar 7 and 27. This change, however, accomplishes two things:

1. The game will usually last a round or 2 longer, since there is a higher point total to chase. Pots will therefore usually be bigger.

2. There is a the potential of a player to win both high and low. A hand with 2 aces, plus any other card(s) totaling 5 points will have both the perfect 7 low and the perfect 27 high. But, to do so means having to win both of them outright. A tie in one direction results in losing in both directions.