OTHER (Non-Poker) CARD GAMES
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If your group is willing to venture beyond the boundaries and confinements of traditional poker, these other card games are definitely worth a try.
The games described on this page are not actually poker games. That said, they can be challenging and lots of fun to play just the same in addition to providing a change of pace to your home card game. |
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SPEW Contributed by Dave Ostapchuk
The objective of Spew is to have the highest or lowest points total at showdown. The pot is split between the highest point total and lowest point total. Cards are valued as follows: Deuces through tens are valued as their rank. Face cards are 10 points. Aces may be valued at 1 or 11 points per the player's choice.
Begin by dealing each player 5 cards followed by a round of betting. After that there is an opportunity for each player to discard and draw up to 3 cards (if six players limit the draw to 2 cards), followed by a second round of betting.
After 2nd betting round the dealer turns a card from the top of the deck face up on the table. These cards are eliminated from players hands. Any player holding that ranked card must immediately discard (“spew”) it face up in front of them. A round of betting follows. This process is repeated for an additional 4 “spew” cards with a round of betting after each. If a player loses all of his hole cards he is eliminated from the game.
Lastly, each player declares their hand to be highest point total, lowest point total or both highest and lowest. Any player going for both must win both or loses everything. The pot is split between the highest point total and lowest point total.
Spew is best suited for up to 5 players. For 6 players limit the draw to 2 cards. With 7 or 8 players the game can be further modified to each player receiving 4 hole cards, drawing up to 2 cards and utilizing only 4 “spew” cards.
Optional Rule: A player who "Spews" all his hole cards is not eliminated but is credited with zero points, which would be the nut low. That player is immediately awarded half the pot at that point. Play continues as usual, but now only for the high point total.
Playing Tips for Spew.
The objective of Spew is to have the highest or lowest points total at showdown. The pot is split between the highest point total and lowest point total. Cards are valued as follows: Deuces through tens are valued as their rank. Face cards are 10 points. Aces may be valued at 1 or 11 points per the player's choice.
Begin by dealing each player 5 cards followed by a round of betting. After that there is an opportunity for each player to discard and draw up to 3 cards (if six players limit the draw to 2 cards), followed by a second round of betting.
After 2nd betting round the dealer turns a card from the top of the deck face up on the table. These cards are eliminated from players hands. Any player holding that ranked card must immediately discard (“spew”) it face up in front of them. A round of betting follows. This process is repeated for an additional 4 “spew” cards with a round of betting after each. If a player loses all of his hole cards he is eliminated from the game.
Lastly, each player declares their hand to be highest point total, lowest point total or both highest and lowest. Any player going for both must win both or loses everything. The pot is split between the highest point total and lowest point total.
Spew is best suited for up to 5 players. For 6 players limit the draw to 2 cards. With 7 or 8 players the game can be further modified to each player receiving 4 hole cards, drawing up to 2 cards and utilizing only 4 “spew” cards.
Optional Rule: A player who "Spews" all his hole cards is not eliminated but is credited with zero points, which would be the nut low. That player is immediately awarded half the pot at that point. Play continues as usual, but now only for the high point total.
Playing Tips for Spew.
BADUGI
Badugi is a Korean card game that has spread around the world. Badugi hands are composed of only four cards. The object is to end up with the four lowest cards of different suits and different ranks. The game is played with four betting rounds and three opportunities to draw cards. Badugi can be played with up to 8 players, but, with so much drawing, it is better limited to 6 players, so as to reduce the chances of needing to re-use previously discarded cards.
Deal 4 cards face down to each player followed by a round of betting. Each player may now draw up to 4 cards. There are a total of 3 drawing rounds with a round of betting following each. The object is to end up with the four lowest cards of different suits and different ranks. Aces are ranked as the lowest card, so the best possible hand is 4 3 2 A with no two cards of the same suit. Any hand composed of four different suits and ranks is called a “Badugi” and is ranked better than any hand in which two or more of the cards are of the same suit or rank.
If a player ends up with a hand that contains a pair or two cards of the same suit, one of those cards is disqualified and the hand is valued as a 3-card hand. If there are three cards of the same suit and/or rank, two of the cards are disqualified and the hand is valued as a 2-card hand. Any Badugi beats any 3-card hand, and any 3-card hand beats any 2-card hand. See our Playing Tips for examples that illustrate how to rank hands.
Playing Tips for Badugi: Includes detailed playing instructions, explanation of hand strength, how to determine the winning hand, starting hand selection and more.
Badugi is a Korean card game that has spread around the world. Badugi hands are composed of only four cards. The object is to end up with the four lowest cards of different suits and different ranks. The game is played with four betting rounds and three opportunities to draw cards. Badugi can be played with up to 8 players, but, with so much drawing, it is better limited to 6 players, so as to reduce the chances of needing to re-use previously discarded cards.
Deal 4 cards face down to each player followed by a round of betting. Each player may now draw up to 4 cards. There are a total of 3 drawing rounds with a round of betting following each. The object is to end up with the four lowest cards of different suits and different ranks. Aces are ranked as the lowest card, so the best possible hand is 4 3 2 A with no two cards of the same suit. Any hand composed of four different suits and ranks is called a “Badugi” and is ranked better than any hand in which two or more of the cards are of the same suit or rank.
If a player ends up with a hand that contains a pair or two cards of the same suit, one of those cards is disqualified and the hand is valued as a 3-card hand. If there are three cards of the same suit and/or rank, two of the cards are disqualified and the hand is valued as a 2-card hand. Any Badugi beats any 3-card hand, and any 3-card hand beats any 2-card hand. See our Playing Tips for examples that illustrate how to rank hands.
Playing Tips for Badugi: Includes detailed playing instructions, explanation of hand strength, how to determine the winning hand, starting hand selection and more.
OLD MAN 49ER
Deal five cards down to each player. Each player may now discard and draw up to four cards, beginning with the player to the dealer's left. Once the draw is completed, players stack their cards in front of them, face down, in the order they wish to reveal them. Once stacked the order may not be changed.
Bet, beginning with the player to the dealer's left. Remaining players simultaneously exposes the top card of their stack. Cards are valued as follows:
Aces are worth one or eleven points, at the player's election.
Face cards are worth zero points.
Other cards (2-10) are worth their face value.
After this betting round, players alternate exposing and betting until each player has four cards exposed and one card remaining. The player with the highest exposed total begins each betting round.
At this point, players must declare their hand as high, low or both. There is a final round of betting, then the showdown where each player reveals their last card.
The pot is split between the player with the highest point total and the player with the lowest point total, based on the scoring system described above. However, should a player have a five card hand that totals exactly 49, that player wins the entire pot.
RED DOG
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. 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.
As an example, suppose the cards dealt to a player were: K♣ Q♦ Q♠ 8♥ 3♦.
If they wager, they win if the next card off the deck is: 2♣-Q♣, 2♦-J♦, 2♠-J♠, 2♥-7♥.
They lose if the card is: A♣, K♦-A♦, K♠-A♠ or 9♥-A♥.
ZERO TO 55
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:
Face cards are valued as 0 or 10 points.
Aces are 1 or 11 points (diamonds, hearts, clubs). The ace of spades is valued as 1 or 12 points.
Other cards are face value (2-10).
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). An 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.
Deal five cards down to each player. Each player may now discard and draw up to four cards, beginning with the player to the dealer's left. Once the draw is completed, players stack their cards in front of them, face down, in the order they wish to reveal them. Once stacked the order may not be changed.
Bet, beginning with the player to the dealer's left. Remaining players simultaneously exposes the top card of their stack. Cards are valued as follows:
Aces are worth one or eleven points, at the player's election.
Face cards are worth zero points.
Other cards (2-10) are worth their face value.
After this betting round, players alternate exposing and betting until each player has four cards exposed and one card remaining. The player with the highest exposed total begins each betting round.
At this point, players must declare their hand as high, low or both. There is a final round of betting, then the showdown where each player reveals their last card.
The pot is split between the player with the highest point total and the player with the lowest point total, based on the scoring system described above. However, should a player have a five card hand that totals exactly 49, that player wins the entire pot.
RED DOG
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. 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.
As an example, suppose the cards dealt to a player were: K♣ Q♦ Q♠ 8♥ 3♦.
If they wager, they win if the next card off the deck is: 2♣-Q♣, 2♦-J♦, 2♠-J♠, 2♥-7♥.
They lose if the card is: A♣, K♦-A♦, K♠-A♠ or 9♥-A♥.
ZERO TO 55
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:
Face cards are valued as 0 or 10 points.
Aces are 1 or 11 points (diamonds, hearts, clubs). The ace of spades is valued as 1 or 12 points.
Other cards are face value (2-10).
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). An 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.