From: colton@bqnwh24.BNR.CA (Kevin Colton)
Subject: Re: Holdem Rules (Poker Games FAQ)
Reply-To: colton@bqnwh24.BNR.CA (Kevin Colton)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 92 18:21:14 GMT

Here's a couple games we play ... they probably won't appeal to 
poker purists but for those who like Friday night games with the jolt
of having to cover a pot they're pretty fun!    Later,  Kevin


MATCH

The Deal:  One card down, one card up.  Follow this with five more up
           cards.  High hand on board starts betting after each up card.

The Rules:  1) If the player's down card matches any of his up cards
               all those cards are wild for that player only.  For
               example, seven down, one seven up = two wilds.  Seven
               down, two sevens up = three wilds.
           
            2) Cover the pot or drop out when you get a pair, three of
               a kind, or four of a kind showing UP.

            3) Best five card hand wins.

Variations:  a) Deal two down cards at first, player can 'flip' one.
             b) Play with only four or five up cards.
             c) Cover only half the pot or place a limit on max 
                   anyone has to cover to stay in.

Comments:  Lucky players get the straight flush without covering the pot.
           Think twice about covering a pot with a lower pair showing than
           someone else - this is a great game for learning to read people
           though.  You need a pretty high betting limit last round if you
           want any chance of bluffing.


TRUMP

The Deal:  Not really poker but fun to play (no betting).  Deal five cards
           down to everyone; dealer flips one of his own cards up before 
           looking at his hand.  The suit of that card is trump.
           
           Players declare in or out going clockwise starting at 
           player to the left of the dealer.  If no one goes in the 
           dealer takes the pot.

           All players who are in throw out cards they don't want
           (usually all non-trump cards; sometimes keep A/K/Q) and draw
           to five cards again.

The Rules:  1) Player to the left of the dealer lays a card.  All players
               must follow that suit if they can; if they don't have any
               they can play whatever card they want.  Cards rank from Ace
               to Two in order; trump cards beat any other suit.

            2) Player who wins a trick leads the next trick.

            3) Player who wins the most tricks wins the pots.  If there is 
               tie for the most tricks no one wins and everyone antes again
               and a new deal is started.
           
            4) If a player gets no tricks they have to cover the pot. 
               Everyone else antes and the game continues.  Note that rules
               3 and 4 can both occur during the same hand:  for example, 
               four players in; tricks are 2, 2, 1, 0.

            5) If rule 4 applies the player who covered the pot gets to deal.
               If more than one player covered all losers cut for the deal.
               If there was a tie for the most tricks and rule 4 doesn't apply
               then all players tied cut for the next deal.

            6) The game is over only when neither rule 3 nor 4 applies:
               for example, 2 players in; tricks are 3, 2 or 4, 1; 3 players
               in, tricks are 3, 1, 1.

Variations:  a) Play you need two tricks to not have to cover (!)

Comments:  In friendly games you can usually avoid 'burning' someone if you
           have a guarenteed winning hand.  Start with a large enough ante
           so players feel the sting if they get burned (ie 5x normal ante or
           so) or else you'll play a lot of boring hands before the pot gets
           to anything worthwhile.  
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