Rules of Spanish Poker

Spanish Poker is also known as 'Synthetic Poker' and is one of the many variants of the popular game of Hold'em. The game is quite unusually only played with 28 cards (8 through Ace - all suits) and is actually very similar in game structure to Omaha (as players are required to use both hole cards with a combination of three on the board). The game is exciting as there are more betting rounds than a standard game of Hold'em. Additionally, it takes quite a few more betting rounds before you know whether you're likely to make a hand. Quite often in Hold'em, if you don't know pre flop - you have a pretty good idea on the flop whether to proceed in the hand.

Game Play

In terms of the game play, players are dealt two hole cards face down followed by a round of betting. The first community card is then dealt to the board face up. The real difference from Hold'em is in how the board cards are dealt along with the number of betting rounds that accompany. In Hold'em, the initial deal is three cards to the flop. In this game, each community card is then dealt on it's own, followed by a round of betting - meaning there are in essence a maximum of 5 betting rounds, again different from Hold'em in which there are only 4. The name of the game is to use the two hole cards in combination with any three community cards to make the best five card hand.

The only cards which are used in this variation are 8 through to ace (all suits). The ace acts as a high and low card as a 8. In this variation however, a flush overturns a full house. All other hand rankings are unchanged from standard rankings.

Here is an illustration of the order of play.

All players are dealt 2 Hole cards (pre flop) + Round of Betting

The Flop (1st Community Card Dealt) + Round of Betting

The Flop (2nd Community Card Dealt) + Round of Betting

The Flop (3rd Community Card Dealt) + Round of Betting

The Turn (4th community card Dealt) + Round of Betting

The River (5th community card Dealt) + Final Round of Betting

SHOWDOWN (Players show their cards)

Spanish Poker Variations

There is a variation of the game called 'Shooter' which is interesting. It works is like this. The ace still represents either a high or low card but when a player is dealt an ace, this gives the player the ability to choose any other card within their hand who can play that card with a variance of one either way. This means that if you get dealt a 5, you can treat it like a 4 or a 6.. If you have a 9, you can count this as a 10 or 8, and so on. The only limitation here is that if you choose your 8 to act as a 7 or 9, it will retain its suit and as the game is only played Ace to 8 (no 7), you would go 2 up i.e. 9 or 10. So if you have a 8 clubs, you can play this either as a 8 clubs, 9 clubs or 10 clubs. Confused? It sounds more complicated than it is..

Pretty wild game and as you can imagine, big hands are a many. With the addition to being able to change the value of your card means that flushes and straights become marginal hands and you must take care as monster hands like four of a kind and full house are very common. Do remember to take the necessary cards out of the pack.

Whilst you won't find this particular game played online, you can play Texas Hold'em, a few of it's variations as well as over 20 other games! See which games are available and how rooms stack up against each game.