Faldo Says “Yay” or “Nay” to Common Dealer’s Choice Poker Games – Part I

To have a home poker game run smoothly (especially after the beer and trash talk has been enjoyed to the max), what games the host will allow to be called should be established – PRE-alcohol consumption or cash redistribution.

Many a, let’s call it - disagreement - has started when there are five players still there and the guy down $80 announces its his last hand and deal and he calls $20 all ante – five card stud showdown. Admit it – we have all seen it.

If the rule is …any game can be called, I would make sure “sitting out” someone’s deal is an agreed option also.

Some games lend themselves up to disagreements, more than others. The description of all the following games have been taken from reference books or my long history of playing them.

The Yay or Nay in this series is Faldo’s opinion only. Others may like my take on a game and some will not. That’s fine. It’s all good. Here we go:

JACKS OR BETTER or ACEPOTS –
These are the same game. One you need a pair of jacks or better to win the pot and the other, a pair of aces. The game is dealt as 3-card draw usually and if there is no winner, everyone antes and the game is re-dealt by the same dealer.

The goal here is a bigger pot as everyone misses their trip 6’s, straight and flush draws for a few rounds.

Faldo’s opinion: Nay – slows the game down and makes people HAVE TO call with known losing hands and re-ante for another spin at the Wheel of Fortune.

The plus side is sometimes a huge pot forms and some monster hands collide for it. Very exciting!

But I have seen entire bankrolls for the evening’s festivities disappear when full houses collide. This can lead to some hard feelings when it was supposed to be a friendly ‘limit’ game.

ACEY – DEUCEY or HURRICANE or GOALPOSTS
Everyone antes the amount the dealer calls. A player is dealt two cards and he either bets any amount he wants that the next card will fall in between the two cards he was dealt – pip wise, that is, or he passes his chance to win any money that time around the table.

If he is right, the player takes the amount of the money out of the pot that he wagered. If he is wrong, he pays that amount into the pot.

Most people play that if the third card pairs one of the bettor’s post cards, he pays the pot double his bet.

Most play that until the first pass of players is complete, no one can bet the pot that the next card will fall in between their two cards.

Some deal it one card at a time, and the player decides if he is betting based on only one card. Most deal two cards to the player who has the turn to try and win the pot or portion thereof.

Some deal it that an Ace is always high.
Some deal that if an Ace comes out first – the player gets to call hi or low for the Ace. Some deal the player can call it no matter when the Ace shows up.
Some deal that a first card Ace is always low and the second Ace is always high.

Faldo’s opinion: Nay – Another game that can empty wallets and end poker nights, even faster than Jack’s or Better. This is a real lottery game, and not really poker. In addition, any game with that many ‘mosts’ and ‘somes’ in the description, is bound to cause problems.

More games next time.