Poker Variants

These are the variants that were used when I played in Bill’s poker school, in Victoria.

Unless otherwise stated, all games are both highball and lowball (i.e. pot will be split between the two).  After all betting has concluded, players together hide 0, 1 or 2 chips in their hands and then all display them at once, with the numer of chips specifying which option they are contesting as follows: 0 = lowball hand, 1 = highball hand, 2 = both lowball and highball hands.

• Uno   Can be played as an ‘add on’ to any other variant and allows each player to choose one of his cards to be wild (for his hand only, not for other players, who choose their own wild card).  The same card must be used for both high and low games.  Only one card can be wild and so if a player denominated the four of clubs as wild, then only that four would be wild and not any other fours he may hold.
• Kings and 2s   A variant that may be added as an option to most other variants.  In this case, kings are wild for lowball hands and 2s wild for lowball hands.
• Mexican   Each player receives a total of five cards, of which one card must be face down. After the first two cards have been dealt (one up and one down), a betting round begins with the high card clockwise of the dealer button, making a forced opening bet to start the action. After the betting is complete, the players may expose their down cards, if they wish.  This action must be completed prior to the deal of the third card, which may be delivered up or down, depending on whether or not previously dealt down cards have been opened.  When the third card has been delivered, betting then occurs.  The fourth and fifth cards are then dealt and played according to the same format. The player with the highest ranking hand wins the pot.  Mexican may be played as a Uno variant, with jokers or with any other wild card specification.
• Anaconda   Seven cards are first dealt to each player face down.  Each player then discards two cards and turns cards over, one at a time, with a round of betting after each turn.  As a variant, before discarding two cards, the dealer may opt for two or three cards to be passed to the next player, either clockwise or anti-clockwise.
• Badugi   This is a four-card low-ball game, the intention being to end up with the lowest ‘Badugi’ (described below).  Each player is dealt four cards, after which there is a round of betting.  Each player may then replace up to three cards, after which there is another round of betting.  This replacement and betting process is repeated twice more, so that there are three replacement rounds in total.  A Badugi hand consists of one to four cards (from among the four cards in a player's hand) with distinct ranks and suits. Thus duplicates of suit or of rank are disregarded. Any four-card badugi hand beats a three-card Badugi hand, a three-card badugi hand beats a two-card Badugi hand, and a two-card Badugi hand beats a one-card Badugi hand.  A four-card Badugi hand consisting of all four suits is called a "Badugi".  Two Badugi hands containing the same number of cards are evaluated by comparing the highest card in each hand (where ace is low). As in lowball, the hand with the lowest card is superior.  If there is a tie for the highest card, the second highest card (if there is one) is compared.  If the ranks of all the cards in the Badugi hand are the same, the two hands tie.  Suits are irrelevant in comparison of two hands.  The best hand is ace, 2, 3 and 4 in different suits and the worst hand is four kings.
• Omaha   This a variant of Texas Hold ‘Em, the difference being that each player is first dealt four cards face down, of which he must use two and only two.  After a round of betting comes the ‘Flop’ (three cards dealt in the middle, face up), then another round of betting.  This is followed by the ‘River’ and the ‘Turn’, each being one card face up, with a round of betting after each.  A lowball hand must be eight or lower.
• 2s to 7s   In this lowball game, aces are high and straights and flushes count against you.  Each player is dealt five cards face down, after which there is a round of betting.  Then, for three rounds, each player may replace up to three cards, with a round of betting each time.
• Follow the Queens   A 7-card stud variant where any time a face-up queen is dealt, the next card dealt (i.e. to the next player) is wild, together with all other cards of the same denomination.   The player receiving the wild card has to put a pre-agreed amount into the pot.  Note that when a subsequent queen is dealt, the following card will most likely be different from the current wild card, in which case the previously wild cards are no longer wild.  If no queens are dealt face up, then all down queens are wild.
• Baseball   A 7-card stud variant in which 3s and 9s are wild and any up fours may be replaced, at the owner’s discretion.  If agreed in advance, a player may have to pay for face-up 3s or 9s.
• Verdu   Variant of 5-card draw where each player may exchange up to three cards after the first round of betting.  Each player then exposes his cards in which ever order he chooses, with a round of betting after the first four exposures.
• Pass to Mr Wilson   A 6-card stud game, with a single hole card.  After the first (hole) cards have been dealt, the dealer turns over a card off the top of the pack and offers it to the first player (dealer’s edge).  If he doesn’t want it, it is offered to the next player and so on until the last player, who must take it.  When a player does want the card turned over, he takes it and the dealer then ‘fills in’ cards for the players who previously refused the card.  The dealer then continues offering cards to the following players until all have two cards.  There is then a round of betting, with the person who first took the first card being the player to open the betting.  The next round continues in the same manner, except that the dealer starts by offering a card to the second player, rather than to dealer’s edge.  Play continues in this way, with the card first being offered to the next player and with a round of betting after cards have been given to each player.  The last round of betting is after all players have received six cards, including their hole cards.