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 and they also provide a change of pace to your home card game. |
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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). 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.
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). 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.