Mike's Rules To Match Pot/Burn Poker Variants

General Rules

1. Match pot means that all losing players must put an amount of money equal to the pot into the pot at the beginning of the next hand.
2. Burn means that all losing players must put an amount of money equal to some set amount, sometimes pot up to this amount, at the beginning of the next hand. The amount is set when the game is called. If it is not set, then the burn shall be pot up to $5.00.
3. The board is a group of cards in the middle of the table that are shared by all players.
4. All of these games continue until no players burn or match pot. If the game is deemed to have gone on for too long, by a unanimous vote, then the game shall be over, and the pot remain for the next game.
5. Some universal variants:
   • Change a "deal rotates" game into a "1-2-3-drop" or vise-versa. In other words, if usually there's a drop, then go around asking "in or out" and make the deal rotate, and if usually you go around asking, then have a "1-2-3-drop" and the dealer stays the same.
   • Add a Kitty. A kitty is a hand that gets dealt as if it were the last player, doesn't get to draw or change cards in anyway, is always in, and shows only at the end. All players who stayed in now must beat each other and the kitty to win. The kitty never pays if it loses. Also, in games where the dealer goes from player to player asking "in or out" and the dealer is the first to stay in, then the dealer should not go back around giving second chances -- the hand is over and the dealer only has to beat the kitty.
   • Add Legs. A leg is something that players receive in lieu of the pot if they were the only person to stay in or if everyone who did stay in tied. Once a player has received a set number of legs, usually 3, then that player wins the pot and the game is over.
   • In "1-2-3-drop" games, instead of dropping make people declare: no chip means out, 1 chip means in. This ensures that players don't "forget" to drop or hold -- i.e. makes it harder for people to hold a split second longer in order to decided based on what others are doing.
6. After the game is over, the deal moves to the person to the left of the person who initially called the game. This is only important for games that state that the deal rotates.

3-5-7

• Maximum Number of Players: 7
• Wild Cards: 3s, then 5s, then 7s
• The Game:
  1. Object: Get 3 legs. If, at any time, only one player stays in, then that player gets a leg instead of the pot, or if all of the players who stayed in tie, then they all get a leg instead of the pot. If a player gets 3 legs, then he wins the pot and the game is over.
  2. Players are dealt 3 down and 3s are wild.
  3. The dealer says, "1-2-3-drop," and players who want to stay in this round hold their cards. Players that stayed show their hands only to each other. The high hand takes the pot, everyone else matches the pot. For the 3 card hands, the order of hands, from highest to lowest, is:
     • Three-of-a-kind
     • Pair
     • High card
  4. All players, including those that dropped on the 3 card round, are dealt 2 more down and 5s are wild, 3s are no longer wild.
  5. There's a drop, players who stayed in show their hands to each other, high 5 card hand takes the pot, everyone else matches the pot.
  6. All players, including those that dropped on the 5 card round, are dealt 2 more down and 7s are wild, 3s and 5s are no longer wild.
  7. There's a drop, players who stayed in show their hands to each other, high 5 card hand takes the pot, everyone else matches the pot.
  8. Collect the cards, and deal another 3-5-7 game.
• Variants:
  • 6-7-8: After dealing the first 3 cards, deal 3 cards up on the board. These cards are shared by all players. The 3 card round is best 5 card hand and 6s are wild -- players now have a total of 6 cards to choose from on this round. Before the next round is dealt, remove the first card on the board. Deal 2 more cards down and 7s are wild -- players now have a choice of 7 cards. Before the next round is dealt, remove the second card on the board. Deal 2 more cards down and 8s are wild -- players now have a choice of 8 cards.

4s and 44s

• Maximum Number of Players: 7
• Wild Cards: 4s
• The Game:
  1. Each player is dealt 4 cards down.
  2. The order of hands, from highest to lowest, is:
     • Four-of-a-kind
     • Three-of-a-kind
     • Two Pair
     • Pair
     • High card
  3. There's a drop. Players who stayed in can draw up to 3 cards.
  4. After the draw, the players who stayed in show their hands, and the high hand wins the pot and the losers match the pot. If only one player held, then he still gets to draw, but must beat the top 4 cards on the deck. If he wins, he gets the pot and the game is over. If he loses, then he must match the pot and the game continues.
  5. The deal rotates to the left.

Deadly 69s

• Maximum Number of Players: 17
• Wild Cards: 6s and 9s down
• The Game:
  1. Each player is dealt 2 cards down.
  2. The dealer asks each player, starting with the player to the left, if he wants another card. If the player says yes, then he is considered in, and is dealt another card up. If the card dealt is a 6 or a 9, then that player is dead, automatically loses, and will match the pot at the beginning of the next hand. If the player decides not to take a card, then he is considered out of this hand, but is still in the game.
  3. If the dealer is the first player to take a card, then everyone gets a second chance. If nobody takes a card, then everyone re-antes and the hand is over.
  4. All players who stayed in (and did not receive a 6 or 9) reveal their hands (unless only one player stayed in). The highest hand wins the pot, and all of the losers match the pot for the next hand. The order of hands, from highest to lowest, is:
     • Three-of-a-kind
     • Pair
     • High card
  5. The deal rotates to the left.
• Variants:
  • Deadly 7s: 7s down are wild, and 7s up kill players.
  • Deadly Low: Lowest card in your hand is wild. If your lowest card is up, then you are dead.
  • Deadly Spades: All spades down are wild, and a spade up kills players. Not pretty, but fun after 3:00am.
  • Lively Diamonds: All cards that are NOT diamonds down are wild, and anything other than a diamond up kills players. Not at all pretty, but fun to watch the idiots die for spare change.

Guts

• Maximum Number of Players: 17
• Wild Cards: None
• The Game:
  1. Each player is dealt 3 cards down.
  2. Each player passes 1 card to the left.
  3. Players decide if they're in, and then holds their hands, face-down, over the middle of the table. Once all players have their hands over the table, the dealer says, "1-2-3-drop," and on the word "drop" players who don't want to stay in this hand must drop their cards.
  4. Players still in, then reveal their hands (unless only one player stayed in). If nobody stayed in, then everyone re-antes, and another hand is dealt. The highest hand wins the pot, and all of the losers match the pot for the next hand.
  5. The order of hands, from highest to lowest, is:
     • Three-of-a-kind
     • Straight Flush
     • Straight
     • Flush
     • Pair
     • High Card
• Variants:
  • Wimp Rule: If all players drop, then the player with the best hand must match pot or pay some set amount instead of each player re-anteing. I'm a big fan of a $1.00 wimp rule.
  • Alternate Passing: On the first hand pass left, on the next pass right, then left, then right...
  • One Card Guts: Each player is dealt 1 card, then there's a drop. High card wins, everyone else who stayed in matches the pot. Note that this changes the maximum number of players to 52.
  • One Card Guts With A Pass: Same as One Card Guts, but each player, starting with the player to the dealer's left, has the option of swapping his card with the player to his left and the dealer can swap with the top card on the deck. The deal rotates. Note that this changes the maximum number of players to 51.
  • Two Card Guts: Each player is dealt 2 cards, then there's a drop. Only pairs and high cards count. High hand wins and everyone else who stayed in matches the pot. Note that this changes the maximum number of players to 26.
  • Four Card Guts: Each player is dealt 4 cards, then there's a betting round, then each player can discard 2 cards and get 2 new cards, then there's a drop, and then play continues as per regular Guts -- players use their best 3 cards to make their hands. Note that this changes the maximum number of players to 8.

Indian Poker (Guts Style)

• Maximum Number of Players: 52
• Wild Cards: None
• The Game:
  1. Each player is dealt 1 card, which, without looking at it, they put on their foreheads so that all other players can see it.
  2. The dealer asks each player, starting with the player to the left, if he is "in or out." If the dealer is the first to stay in, then the dealer asks everyone a second time.
  3. Show. High card takes the pot, everyone else who stayed in matches the pot.
  4. Deal rotates
• Variants: Why bother to give variants -- if you're actually playing this, then you probably don't need my help in coming up with things to do to it!

Omaha Burns (Listed here due to popularity)

• Maximum Number of Players: 11
• Wild Cards: None
• High-Low Split
• 8 or better low
• Cards Talk
• Goal-Posting
• The Game:
  1. Each player is dealt 4 cards down, then 5 cards are put face-down on the board -- 3, 1, 1.
  2. Bet, then flip the first 3 cards.
  3. Bet, then flip the next card.
  4. Bet, the dealer asks each player, starting with the player to the left, if he is "burning" -- anyone who says no must fold, then flip the last card.
  5. Bet and show. Each player must use exactly 2 cards from his hand -- different cards may be used for the high and for the low (if one exists). The high and low (if one exists) players split the pot, and everyone else who stayed in after the burn burns. If there is no low, then the high player wins the entire pot.
  6. Remember, this is an "8 or better" low game, thus, in order for there to be a low, there must be at least 3 unpaired cards that are 8 or less on the board and the player must use 2 cards that are also 8 or less and don't create a pair, straight, or flush in his hand.
  7. The deal does NOT rotate.
• Variants:
  • Deal rotates: The fact that the deal does not rotate causes a certain amount of unfairness, and one solution is to make the deal rotate. In general, this works best to solve the problem.
  • Instead of asking each player in turn if he is burning, have a "1-2-3-drop". The fact that the deal does not rotate causes a certain amount of unfairness, and this can solve that. The problem this creates is that anyone who calls the bet prior to the drop is definitely going to burn -- they have no reason not to, which eliminates a certain desirable part of the game -- bluffing prior to the burn.
  • Progressive Omaha Burns: Start the burn at a set amount and add that amount to the burn each round. For example, start the burn at pot up to a $1.00, the second round's burn will be pot up to $2.00, the third will be pot up to $3.00...
  • Omaha: The original game. There's no burn, therefore this game would actually end after one hand.
• Suggestions:
  • A high burn, even as high as pot can be fun, although expensive. A low burn, say $1.00, makes the game go on for ever -- players figure, "Yeah, I'll a risk a buck to win all that! Shit, everyone else'll stay in, so even if I lose, the game'll continue. Fuck, I could lose 6 or 7 times so long as I win once..." I've found a $5.00 burn to work pretty well. Maybe go out on a limb, make the burn a function of the pot, e.g. 50% of pot.
  • Make damn certain, as the dealer, to announce when there is and is not a low.
  • Make sure everyone understands all of the rules, exactly 2 cards from the hand, 8 or better low, goal-posting,...
  • Put a time limit or a number of hands limit on the game before the first hand is dealt. This is a game that's been known to go all night or at least for hours.
  • Instead of just ending the game when it goes too long, play Omaha as the last hand.
  • Consider playing without goal-posting.
  • Consider playing Piranha.

Piranha

• Maximum Number of Players: 11
• Wild Cards: None
• The Game:
  1. Each player is dealt 4 cards down, then 3 cards are put face-up on the board, and 2 more are put face-down on the board.
  2. Players decide if they're in, and then holds their hands, face-down, over the middle of the table. Once all players have their hands over the table, the dealer says, "1-2-3-drop," and on the word "drop" players who don't want to stay in this hand must drop their cards.
  3. Flip the last 2 cards on the board.
  4. Show. Each player may use any number of cards in his hand with any number of cards on the board to create his best 5 card hand.
  5. The winner takes the pot, and the losers must match the pot for the next hand.
  6. The deal does NOT rotate.
• Variants:
  • Bet after the last 2 cards are flipped over.
  • Evolution: If only one player stays in, then he gets a leg instead of the pot, or if all of the players who stayed in tie, then they all get a leg instead of the pot. If a player gets 3 legs, then he wins the pot and the game is over. Perhaps 4 legs would make more sense given the name of the game, but getting 4 legs tends to take a long time.

Position

• Maximum Number of Players: 6
• Wild Cards: None
• The Game:
  1. Each player is dealt 5 cards down.
  2. The dealer asks each player, starting with the player to the left, if he wants to be in. If the player says yes, then he is allowed to draw up to 3 cards. If the player decides not to be in, then he is considered out of this hand, but is still in the game.
  3. If the dealer is the first player to draw cards, then everyone gets a second chance. If nobody draws cards, then everyone re-antes and the hand is over.
  4. All players who stayed in, reveal their hands (unless only one player stayed in). The highest hand wins the pot, and all of the losers match the pot for the next hand.
  5. The deal rotates to the left.

Two More Inches

• Maximum Number of Players: 7
• Wild Cards: None
• The Game:
  1. Each player is dealt 5 cards down.
  2. The dealer asks each player, starting with the player to the left, if he wants "2 more inches." If the player says yes, then he is considered in, and is dealt 2 cards up. If the player decides not to take a card, then he is considered out of this hand, but is still in the game.
  3. If the dealer is the first player to take a card, then everyone gets a second chance. If nobody takes a card, then everyone re-antes and the hand is over.
  4. All players who stayed in, reveal their hands (unless only one player stayed in). The highest 5 card hand wins the pot, and all of the losers match the pot for the next hand.
  5. The deal rotates to the left.
• Variants:
  • Have a wild card.
  • Two More Deadly Inches: Select a wild card, if this card is down then it is wild, if it is up, then that player is dead. See Deadly 69s for the meaning of dead.