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Baseball Poker Rules

This game is a variation that is almost identical to 7 card stud. The only difference is that in Baseball rules, threes and nines are wild (can count as anything). If a four is dealt face up, the recipient immediately receives another card down.

Here are the following rules for Baseball:

The Bring in Bet

After the first three cards have been dealt, the player showing the lowest up card must make what is called a "bring-in" bet. As with the ante, the size of the bring-in varies depending on the size of the stakes.

Fourth Street (The Second Round of Betting)

After the action has been completed on the opening round, the dealer gives a face-up card to each player remaining in the game. Unlike the first round, where the lowest hand was forced to start the action, in this second betting round, the highest hand on board has the option to start the betting- that is, the player showing the highest hand is called upon first to either bet or check.

If a player raises the bet to $6, all further calls or raises are in $6 increments.

Fifth and Six Streets (round of betting)

On fifth street, you receive your third up card, and then there is a round of betting, again started by the highest hand on board. There are no more $3 bets: all bets and raises are at the higher $6 increments. Sixth street is virtually identical: an up card is dealt, the highest hand acts first, and all bets and raises are at the higher $6 increments.

Seventh Street (round of betting)

In 7 Card Stud, the betting on seventh street is identical to sixth street, but the card dealt is the last card you will receive, and it is dealt face down, meaning that like your initial two hole cards, only you know what you've received. After you examine this final card, you assemble your best possible five card poker hand out of the seven in front of you. Don't forget that a poker hand is always five cards.

If your hand is (4-4) 5-6-5-7 (7), you don't have "three pair." Your best hand here is two pair, sevens and fives, with a six kicker.

Because you wind up with four cards showing and three cards in the hole in addition to wild cards, it is possible to have an extraordinarily well-disguised hand. Your board (visible cards) can look like you have a collection of garbage hands, but you could have a hand a b as four of a kind.

The only clues your opponents might have to the hidden strength of such a hand are the aggressive way you would likely bet, if you started with trips (rolled up), and the fact that they never saw another open card that matched your first open card.

The best 5 card poker hand takes the pot.

The standard variations of baseball are shown below:

Paying for wild cards

The amount to be paved is often equal to the value of the pot. Other possibilities include:

1) Face-up nines, threes, or both require the player receiving to to pay for the cards to become wild. If the player decides not to pay they retain their face value.

2) Pay for face down wilds as well as face up ones.

3) Paying for the additional card when a four comes face up.

4) Face-up threes, nines, or both require the recipient to pay for them or fold.

5) Allowing someone with a face-down four to flip it face up and receive an additional card.

Rainout's

- If the Queen of Spades is dealt face up, the hand is terminated and re dealt-- but only for players who are still in.

- Rainout's as above, but after 3 of them you build a dome over the stadium, preventing further rainout's.