PLAYING TIPS for TIC-TAC-TOE POKER
|
HOW TO PLAY TIC-TAC-TOE Poker:
Tic-Tac-Toe Poker is an Omaha-based poker game. Deal each player 4 hole cards. Place 9 cards face down on the board arranged as 3 rows of 3 cards each. See diagram below. Reveal 3 random cards per betting round. Players must use exactly 2 hole cards plus all 3 cards from either: 1 of the 3 horizontal rows (ABC, DEF, GHI), or 1 of the 3 vertical rows (ADG, BEH, CFI), or 1 of the 2 diagonal rows (AEI, CEG) May be played high-low split. A B C
D E F G H I |
SUMMARY of ACTION
Deal 4 hole cards to each player. Arrange board cards. Bet Reveal any 3 cards (e.g. A, F, H) Bet Reveal any 3 cards (e.g. B, D, I) Bet Reveal remaining 3 cards. Bet High only or Hi-Lo Cards Speak: Showdown High-Low Declaration: Declare Bet Showdown |
PLAYING TIPS for TIC-TAC-TOE POKER
In Tic-Tac-Toe poker there are 8 three card combinations that can be made from the common board cards. This is only slightly fewer than most Omaha based games. Expect Tic-Tac-Toe poker to play out very similar to "standard" Omaha. How coordinated the board cards are will determine the usual winning hand. This is especially true when a straight or flush is the best possible hand and for the low hand if playing a high-low version. When these are present you will probably need the best to win.
In Tic-Tac-Toe poker there are 8 three card combinations that can be made from the common board cards. This is only slightly fewer than most Omaha based games. Expect Tic-Tac-Toe poker to play out very similar to "standard" Omaha. How coordinated the board cards are will determine the usual winning hand. This is especially true when a straight or flush is the best possible hand and for the low hand if playing a high-low version. When these are present you will probably need the best to win.
STARTING HAND SELECTION
In Omaha based games you want to have been dealt a hand that gives many possibilities for winning. With 4 hole cards, there are 6 couples of 2 cards available. The more the couples are coordinated, the better the starting hand. Strong starting holdings are those that have multiple chances of leading to a winning full house, flush, straight or the best low. Combining elements of good starting low and high hands gives you the best shot. Some examples of starting hands with both high and low potential: A♣ A ♥K♣ 2♥, K♥ K♠ 2♥ A♠, A♠ A♦2♦3♠.
For high having a high pair or two is a good start, provided they are also coordinated to other cards. (For example, A♣ A♦ 2♣ 3♦ or A♣ A♦ K♣ K♦). You have a small possibility of getting a full house, but most of the time trips is the best you'll get so the higher your pair(s) the better. You will be dealt any 2 pair about 3% of the time and any one pair about 30%. Without additional coordination single pairs alone (even aces) are not a good starting hand. Suited high connected cards are helpful for both straights and flushes. Unsuited connectors are best if they are high cards or low cards; middling connectors tend to make mediocre straights and lows. High suited cards, preferably an ace with a small card give both nut flush and low hand possibilities. You don't want to see trips in your hand since you can only use 2 cards.
For low 2A is the best start. 3A or 32 gives you a one card draw to the nuts, and either is absolutely playable. Unfortunately, when you have only 2 low cards in your hand there is a pretty good possibility that one of them will appear on the board. That does not always counterfeit your low as there are other cards that could come to save you. But there is a very high chance it will. For that reason, a protected low like 32A or 42A is a far better hand. Whenever you hold one of these low hands with an ace, you'd prefer the ace to be suited to one of your other cards.
In Omaha based games you want to have been dealt a hand that gives many possibilities for winning. With 4 hole cards, there are 6 couples of 2 cards available. The more the couples are coordinated, the better the starting hand. Strong starting holdings are those that have multiple chances of leading to a winning full house, flush, straight or the best low. Combining elements of good starting low and high hands gives you the best shot. Some examples of starting hands with both high and low potential: A♣ A ♥K♣ 2♥, K♥ K♠ 2♥ A♠, A♠ A♦2♦3♠.
For high having a high pair or two is a good start, provided they are also coordinated to other cards. (For example, A♣ A♦ 2♣ 3♦ or A♣ A♦ K♣ K♦). You have a small possibility of getting a full house, but most of the time trips is the best you'll get so the higher your pair(s) the better. You will be dealt any 2 pair about 3% of the time and any one pair about 30%. Without additional coordination single pairs alone (even aces) are not a good starting hand. Suited high connected cards are helpful for both straights and flushes. Unsuited connectors are best if they are high cards or low cards; middling connectors tend to make mediocre straights and lows. High suited cards, preferably an ace with a small card give both nut flush and low hand possibilities. You don't want to see trips in your hand since you can only use 2 cards.
For low 2A is the best start. 3A or 32 gives you a one card draw to the nuts, and either is absolutely playable. Unfortunately, when you have only 2 low cards in your hand there is a pretty good possibility that one of them will appear on the board. That does not always counterfeit your low as there are other cards that could come to save you. But there is a very high chance it will. For that reason, a protected low like 32A or 42A is a far better hand. Whenever you hold one of these low hands with an ace, you'd prefer the ace to be suited to one of your other cards.