A type of 3 card poker, Guts poker is gaining popularity online. While still not so
common, find a table near you, just to shake things up a bit.
Rules of Guts Poker
If
you know how to play basic three card poker, then you’ll automatically know how to play
Guts poker. First, all players have to decide whether or not to make the compulsory bet
(known as the ante). For those that do, they begin play; all others automatically
“fold.” The fee for the bet is the same of that on the table. The players in the game
are all dealt 3 hole (face down) cards and then players have the option to either play
their cards or opt out. All players decide this simultaneously so that everyone can see
what everyone else is doing. Next, the players reveal their cards to see who has the
best hand and thus wins the money. All players (except the winner) has to replenish the
pot (or in some variations of the game, just the losing player with the worst hand is
forced to pay this penalty).
Why The Game is Called Guts Poker
Basically because of the
penalty (losers having to replenish the pot), this 3 card poker variation was given the
name “guts.” It kind of takes the “guts” out of you. Or, a player really has to have
“guts” to even consider playing the game. In effect, you’re losing double each time,
unless you win. That is a real gamble.
Bets and Guts Poker
It takes a lot to place a
bet in guts poker. It really takes a level of commitment to gambling and to just having
fun without expectations. The smallest amount of money one needs is actually 100 times
the amount of the compulsory (ante) bet. So even on a 25 cent table, one needs to
haveR$25 minimum.
Winning Guts Poker
The best hands in guts poker are the straights and
flushes as in many other poker games, but the difference here is that these are
comprised of only three cards. As well, a straight in guts poker is higher than a flush
(and thus would win. In a tie situation, the winning hand is the one that has the
highest card not held in common. This is known as the kicker. In a situation in which
the hands are totally identical, the pot is split. After this point, a new hand
commences but it is more exciting since the money in the pot will have increased.
