Draw poker qualification

[TwoOuter]

I posted this on the "Other Games" forum, but since I'll be playing with some of the same people tonight, I thought I'd ask it here as well.

On New Years Eve, I played in a wild home game and this question came up: We were playing 5-card draw, jacks or better to open, trips or better to win. Someone opened and we drew cards, then someone bet, and 1 person called. The person who bet did not have trips or better, only a pair of queens. The person who called had ace high- a busted flush draw.

The person who called with ace-high argued that he should win the pot because the bettor did not have trips or better. The bettor said that no one wins, and the game should continue (another hand dealt) with only the bettor and the person who called still in the game.

Tremendous discussion ensued. How is this normally played?

Thanks for any feedback

[LetsRock]

I don't care for trips or beter to win, but as I understand it, if noone has trips the money stays in the pot for the next round. They're both idiots for putting more money into the pot without qualified "winners".

The Ace high guy does not win. If the QQ guy manages to bluff A high out, he still has to show his "trips or better" to win and would lose his money.

What a bunch of monkeys. Can I come play with you next year? /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[TwoOuter]

Hey LetsRock,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, we had quite the assortment of "players" in this game- it was actually pretty fun, and the games were made up on the fly.

In that draw hand, one other player said that you could bluff without trips or better, and if no one called, then you would win, but it sounds like you've got to show a qualifying hand to take the pot. Makes sense to me.

You're welcome anytime
/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Piiop]

In the home games I've played in, no one would win and only those 2 still in the game would continue. However, we've never played that trips or better has to be shown to win. If everyone else folds, the only player left wins like in any other poker game where everyone else folds.

Also, I banned this game in my own home game because I don't like it.

[LetsRock]

The "fold and you're out" rule sounds familliar. BUt you still have to prove your "winner", just like you have to show your "openers".

[LetsRock]

I play in a regular home game like that too. Almost every game is some kind of "slop" poker and yes, we have one guy that makes stuff up on the fly. Some of them are actually kind of interesting, considering the context.

One of my favorite "stupid" games is No-Peeky Chase the Queen. You can actually keep betting on a dead hand in hopes a Q will pop in someone elses hand to make yours come alive. LOL

It's all fun, but it's not really poker. I'm glad to have found another home game that plays only casino poker games.

[daryn]

i don't know about this.. you only have to show your openers if your hand is shown at the showdown

[TwoOuter]

This is exactly the issue- does the trips or better have to be shown if no one calls. We were about equally split on this. Still don't know if there's any "standard" way this is played.

These home games can get pretty bizarre, and I agree that it's not really poker. At one point we had 14 people playing, so we played variations of hold'em, and of course, Guts. When you have 5 people matching $70 pots, it gets interesting, to say the least.

[TwoOuter]

"Slop Poker" is a great term, LetsRock. At about 3:00 am we started playing baseball where you had to pay $25 if you got a 3 or a 9 and wanted it to be wild. The people who were behind wanted a chance to get their money back, so we did everything we could to just build pots. We also played "The Odds"-- 7-card stud hi-lo where any up card which was an odd number cost you $10, and when the last card was dealt down, we then rolled those down cards to create additional betting rounds. Once a year for these kinds of games is enough for me.

[mickblueeyes]

The method employed in my home game is as such:

1. Jacks or better to open, must show openers at the end of the round.

2. Splitting openers must be declared.

3. If you fold, you are out unless the bettor doesn't have proper opening requirements.

4. If you are bluffed out of the pot at the end, you lose. Trips are not necessary to take the pot.

Under my house rules, the A high would be out of the pot and therefore lose. It is important to establish these things before hand for just this reason. I actually have typed rules for my home game in addition to "Prof. Poker Dealer's Handbook" for any close calls.

[square444]

I don't know if this is some weird local thing or something, but occasionally at poker nights people will play a game they call "sex dungeon"... four cards are dealt to each player, and a community card is laid down. that card and the lowest card under that card in your hand are wild. Best five card hand wins. A round of dropping, holders compare hands, losers pay winners and match pot. If everyone drops, best hand matches pot (known as the pussy rule). If one person holds, he plays a computer hand dealt out. If he wins he takes the pot, if he loses he matches.

I've played once and I've never played again. This is not only not poker... this is antipoker.

I'd challenge someone to come up with a more bizarre game.

[Hedge Henderson]

Another good example of why the rules should be determined before the hands are dealt.

It's been a while but, the last time I played, everyone who started the game could re-ante and play again if no one made trips or better. I considered it a much friendlier way to build a big pot than the match-pot games. I've also played the game with the "folders are out" rule. The latter could take a while with only two players in. Either way, trips or better had to be shown to win.

Without a contradicting precedent, TwoOuter, I'd say your game continues heads up. Hopefully it doesn't continue much longer for the sake of the players sitting out.