PokerXanadu.com

Texas Holdem Poker Home Games in Tampa Bay Area, Florida
(Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco Counties)

Dealer's Choice Poker

Here are the allowed games for our Dealer's Choice poker games.  Other poker games are allowed by agreement among the players.  Any player can veto any other game.  No wild card games are allowed and no non-poker card games (games where the winner is not determined by poker hand ranking) are allowed.

H.O.R.S.E. Poker

HORSE is an abbreviation for:  Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo Eight or Better, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, Seven-Card Stud Eight or Better (see below for individual game descriptions).  The five games are played in rotation.  In tournament play, we play each game for one blind level, i.e. when the blind level changes the game changes to the next one in rotation.

Texas Hold'em Poker

Players receive two cards dealt face down (the hole cards), followed by a round of betting.  The three community cards are dealt face up (the flop), followed by a round of betting.  Another community card is dealt face up (the turn or fourth street), followed by a round of betting. The last community card is then dealt face up (the river or fifth street), followed by a round of betting.  At showdown, players make their best 5-card poker hand out of all of the community cards (the board) and their two hole cards.

Omaha Poker

The same as Texas Hold'em except each player is dealt four cards face down to start.  At showdown, players must use exactly two cards from their hand plus three cards from the board for their best high hand.

Omaha Hi-Lo (Eight or Better) Poker

The same as Omaha except the pot is split at showdown between the best high hand and the best low hand.  Straights and flushes do not count against the player for low hand.  There is an 8 qualifier for the low hand:   For a hand to qualify for the low, it must have five cards (two from the hand and three from the board) which are 8 or lower.  That is:  best possible low hand is A-2-3-4-5 (can be all the same suit); worst possible low hand is 8-7-6-5-4 (can be all the same suit).  One player can scoop the pot by showing both the best high hand and the best low hand (likely using different combinations of two hole cards plus three community cards, although a hand like A-2-3-4-5 could count as both a high and a low, i.e. the best low hand and a straight for high hand).

Seven-Card Stud Poker

Players receive two cards face down (the hole cards) plus one card face up (third street), followed by a round of betting.  Players then receive three more cards face up, one at a time (fourth street, fifth street and sixth street), each followed by a round of betting.  Players then receive one more card face down (seventh street or the river), followed by a round of betting.  If there are not enough cards at 7th street to deal everyone a down card, then one community card is dealt face up on the table.  At showdown, players make their best 5-card poker hand from their seven cards (or their six cards plus the community card).

Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo (Eight or Better) Poker

The same as 7-Card Stud except the pot is split at showdown between the best high hand and the best low hand.  Straights and flushes do not count against the player for low hand.  There is an 8 qualifier for the low hand.  One player can scoop the pot by showing both the best high hand and the best low hand (likely using different 5-card combinations, although a hand like A-2-3-4-5 could count as both a high and a low, i.e. the best low hand and a straight for high hand).

Razz

The same as 7-Card Stud except only the best low hand wins.  Straights and flushes do not count against the player for low hand.  There is no qualifier for the low hand.  The best possible low hand is A-2-3-4-5 (can be all the same suit).  The worst possible low hand without a pair is A-K-Q-J-10 (can be all the same suit).  If all players in the hand at showdown cannot show an unpaired low hand (i.e., they have two pairs out of their seven cards, plus three other unpaired cards), then the lowest pair wins.  Highest  kicker card counts against the player if two players show the same lowest pair for their low hand.  The pot can be split if two players show exactly the same 5-card low hand.

2-11 Hold'em Poker

Players receive four cards dealt face down (the hole cards), followed by a round of betting.  The two community cards are dealt face up (the flop), followed by a round of betting.  Another community card is dealt face up (the turn or third street), followed by a round of betting. The last community card is then dealt face up (the river or fourth street), followed by a round of betting.  At showdown, players make their best 5-card poker hand out of either exactly two cards from their hand plus three cards or exactly three cards from their hand plus two cards from the board for their best high hand.

2-11 Hold'em Hi-Lo (Eight or Better) Poker

The same as 2-11 Hold'em except the pot is split at showdown between the best high hand and the best low hand.  Straights and flushes do not count against the player for low hand.  There is an 8 qualifier for the low hand:   For a hand to qualify for the low, it must have five cards (two from the hand and three from the board or three from the hand and two from the board) which are 8 or lower.  That is:  best possible low hand is A-2-3-4-5 (can be all the same suit); worst possible low hand is 8-7-6-5-4 (can be all the same suit).  One player can scoop the pot by showing both the best high hand and the best low hand (likely using different combinations of hole cards plus community cards, although a hand like A-2-3-4-5 could count as both a high and a low, i.e. the best low hand and a straight for high hand).  

Greek Hold'em Poker

Players receive two cards dealt face down (the hole cards), followed by a round of betting.  The three community cards are dealt face up (the flop), followed by a round of betting.  Another community card is dealt face up (the turn or fourth street), followed by a round of betting. The last community card is then dealt face up (the river or fifth street), followed by a round of betting.  At showdown, players make their best 5-card poker hand exactly two cards from their hand plus three cards from the board for their best high hand.

Deuce to 7 Triple Draw Poker

Players receive five down cards, followed by a round of betting.  Players may then draw up to five cards, followed by a round of betting.  There are then two more draws, each followed by a round of betting.  At showdown, the player showing the best low hand wins.  Straights and flushes count against the player, and aces are only high.  There is no qualifier for the low hand.  The best unpaired low hand is 2-3-4-5-7 with at least two suits;  the worst unpaired low hand is A-K-Q-J-9 with at least two suits.  If no hand is unpaired, then the worst pair wins (or worst two pair, etc.).  In the case of matched worst paired hands, the highest kicker card counts against the player.

Deuce to 7 Lowball Poker (Kansas City Lowball Poker)

The same as Deuce to 7 Triple Draw, except there is only one draw.

Ace to 5 Triple Draw Poker

The same as Deuce to 7 Triple Draw, except straights and flushes do not count against the player and aces are counted as low.  The best possible low hand is A-2-3-4-5 (can be all the same suit).

Ace to 5 Lowball Poker (California Lowball Poker)

The same as Ace to 5 Triple Draw, except there is only one draw.

Double-Flop Texas Holdem Poker

The same as Texas Hold'em except there are two rows of community cards dealt simultaneously, in the same sequence as regular Holdem (i.e., for the flop, two rows of three cards each are dealt; for the turn and river, one card is added to each row).  The pot is split between the best hand using the top row and the best hand using the bottom row.  One player can scoop the pot by having the best hand for both rows.

Pineapple Poker

The same as Texas Hold'em except each player is dealt three cards face down to start.  After the first rounding of betting and before the flop, each player discards one of their three hole cards.

Crazy Pineapple Poker

The same as Pineapple except the players do not discard one of their three hole cards until after the betting round after the flop.

Crazy Pineapple Hi-Lo (Eight or Better) Poker

The same as Crazy Pineapple except the pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand.  Straights and flushes do not count against the player for low hand.  There is an 8 qualifier for the low hand.  One player can scoop the pot by showing both the best high hand and the best low hand (likely using different 5-card combinations from their two hole cards and the five community cards, although a hand like A-2-3-4-5 could count as both a high and a low, i.e. the best low hand and a straight for high hand).  

Lazy Pineapple Poker

The same as Crazy Pineapple except the players do not discard one of their three hole cards.  At showdown, the player can use at most two of their hole cards.

Lazy Pineapple Hi-Lo (Eight or Better) Poker

The same as Lazy Pineapple except the pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand.  Straights and flushes do not count against the player for low hand.  There is an 8 qualifier for the low hand.  One player can scoop the pot by showing both the best high hand and the best low hand (likely using different 5-card combinations from their two hole cards and the five community cards, although a hand like A-2-3-4-5 could count as both a high and a low, i.e. the best low hand and a straight for high hand).  

Super Holdem Poker

The same as Lazy Pineapple except at showdown the players can use all three of their hole cards.

Super Holdem Hi-Lo (Eight or Better) Poker

The same as Super Holdem except the pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand.  Straights and flushes do not count against the player for low hand.  There is an 8 qualifier for the low hand.  One player can scoop the pot by showing both the best high hand and the best low hand (likely using different 5-card combinations from their two hole cards and the five community cards, although a hand like A-2-3-4-5 could count as both a high and a low, i.e. the best low hand and a straight for high hand).  

Texas Stud Poker

Players receive two cards face down (the hole cards) plus one card face up (third street), followed by a round of betting.  Then two community cards are dealt face up (the flop), followed by a round of betting.  One more community card is dealt face up (the turn or fourth street), followed by a round of betting.  Players then receive one more card face down (fifth street or the river), followed by a round of betting.  At showdown, players make their best 5-card poker hand from their four cards plus the three community cards.

Omaha Slow Roll Poker

Players receive two cards face down (the hole cards) plus one card face up (third street), followed by a round of betting.  Then the players receive one more card face down and two community cards are dealt face up (the flop), followed by a round of betting.  Players receive one more card dealt face down and one more community card is dealt face up (the turn or fourth street), followed by a round of betting.  The last community card is then dealt face up (the river or fifth street), followed by a round of betting.  At showdown, players must use exactly two cards from their hand plus three cards from the board for their best high hand.  

Omaha Slow Roll Hi-Lo (Eight or Better) Poker

The same as Omaha Slow Roll except the pot is split at showdown between the best high hand and the best low hand.  Straights and flushes do not count against the player for low hand.  There is an 8 qualifier for the low hand.  One player can sweep the pot by showing both the best high hand and the best low hand (likely using different 5-card combinations, although a hand like A-2-3-4-5 could count as both a high and a low, i.e. the best low hand and a straight for high hand).

©2006-2009 PokerXanadu.com.  All Rights Reserved.  

Poker home games in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties in the Tampa Bay area, Florida; including Clearwater, Largo, St. Petersburg, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, Gulfport, St. Pete Beach, Clearwater Beach, Seminole, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey, Tampa, Oldsmar, Bellair, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Madeira Beach, Belleair Bluffs, North Redington Beach, Treasure Island, Temple Terrace, Lealman, Kenneth City.