Ultimate Book of Card Games: The Comprehensive Guide to More Than 350 Games (74 page)

HOW TO PLAY
All players (including the dealer) are dealt two cards, one up and one down. In some casinos, the players (but never the dealer) receive both cards face up. After the initial deal, the game proceeds clockwise, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. If your two cards equal 21, you have Blackjack and are paid immediately. Otherwise, you must hit or stay (you may also double-down or split; more on that later).
Hitting
means taking an extra card in an attempt to score closer to 21.
Staying
means refusing any extra cards.

You may hit as many times as you like, as long as your hand does not exceed 21 points. If it does, your hand
busts
and, tough luck, you’re out of the game. When you bust, the dealer immediately removes your cards and your bet from the table.

Once all players have an opportunity to hit or stay, the dealer turns up his or her cards and calculates the total. If the dealer’s hand is 17 or more, the dealer
must
stay. If the dealer’s hand is less than 17, the dealer
must
continue taking cards until the hand busts or scores 17 or more. When a dealer busts, all active players win!

If the dealer’s hand scores between 17 and 21, the dealing is over. The dealer simply pays any hand on the table that is greater in value, and beats all hands of lesser value. If you and the dealer have cards of equal value, it’s called a
push
, and no money changes hands.

The only exception is when a dealer’s hand adds to 17 points and includes an ace. This is called a
soft
17 because aces are worth either 1 or 11. In some casinos, a dealer must
hit
when dealt a soft 17. In other casinos, a dealer will
stay
on 17, soft or not.

DOUBLING DOWN
Any player with two cards may double down. This betting option allows you to double your initial bet and to receive one—and only one—extra card. For example, if you bet $5 and are dealt 6-5, you have a good hand for doubling down. Your bet is doubled (to $10), and you receive one extra card. If that card is a king, queen, jack, or 10, you’re loving life, because this gives you 21. If that card is low, such as 2 or 3, you’re loving life much less.

SPLITTING
It’s a good idea to split your hand (play two hands simultaneously) when you are dealt an initial mid-ranking pair such as 8-8 or 7-7. For example, if you split 8-8, each card becomes part of a separate hand, and you must double your bet. The dealer treats each hand individually, asking you to hit or stay on each one. Remember that the odds of drawing a 10 or face card are good, so instead of standing on a mediocre 8-8, you could end up with two strong hands of 10-8 and Q-8. Of course, you might also end up busting one (or both) of your split pairs. Life is full of risks.

Note that some casinos allow you to split an initial pair only, while others allow you to split any two initial cards. Some casinos also have special rules about splitting aces. Ask the dealer if you’re unsure.

STRATEGY TIPS
Most casinos use a
shoe
that holds up to eight decks of cards. Your odds of winning improve when there are fewer decks in play, so consider searching out the few casinos where single-deck Blackjack is still played.

You should always double down with 6-5 or 5-5. Your odds of reaching 20 or 21 are excellent in these situations. It’s wise to stay on hands between 12 and 17 if the dealer is showing a 4, 5, or 6—odds are good that the dealer will be forced to draw an extra card and, hopefully, bust.

Conversely, take an extra card if you’re holding between 12 and 17 and the dealer is showing 7, 8, 9, 10, or a face card. You may bust, but if you don’t take a card, your low hand is likely to lose to the dealer’s 17,18, 19, or 20.

1. DIFFICULTY
   :
   high
   
2. TIME LENGTH
   :
   short
   
3. DECKS
   : 2
   

The Guts family of betting games is aptly named. It takes courage and a take-no-prisoners attitude to win. Not surprisingly, they’re popular end-of-the-night games at home poker games, when alcohol-and adrenaline-infused players are all too willing to make big-money bets. Just remember: Friends don’t let friends bet the pot on a $100 hand of Psycho Shelby.

All players compete to have the highest three-card hand. Flushes and straights do not count; the highest hand is A-A-A.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Up to 10

HOW TO PLAY
All players ante and receive three cards face down. Each player must then decide if she is “in” or “out” based on the strength of her
hand. All players hold their cards in one hand and then, on a count of three, simultaneously drop or hold them. Players who drop are out of the hand and forfeit their antes to the pot. If all players drop, re-ante and deal new cards.

Assuming more than one player holds, all players show their cards and the highest three-card hand takes the pot. All losing players must also pay
double
the current pot amount into the next pot. If just one player holds, he wins the entire pot and the game is over. Otherwise all players ante and new hands are dealt.

IRREGULARITIES & DISPUTES
Players who hesitate at all in the drop—they lag a noticeable second or two behind the group in holding or dropping their cards—are automatically considered “out” for the hand. There is no recourse for players who mistakenly drop when they meant to hold or vice versa. Actions speak louder than words in Guts.

VARIATION 1: BELLY WOUND

This variation is geared to generate large pots. Follow the basic rules, but when all players drop, you play again with the same cards and continue doing so until at least one player holds.

VARIATION 2: BLOODY SEVENS

Follow the basic rules until the drop. All players who stay in receive three additional face-up cards and compete to make the highest five-card poker hands. All face-down 7s are wild; all face-up 7s are force-fold cards (you’re out of the hand instantly when dealt one). If you’re pushed out of the game with a face-up 7, unlike the other losing players, you are not required to match the pot.

VARIATION 3: HIGH-LOW COJONES

Follow the basic rules until the drop. All players who stay in may draw up to three cards from the deck, paying the ante amount for each card taken. At the showdown, the pot is split 50-50 between the highest and lowest
three-card hands (3-2-A is lowest, A-A-A is highest). All other losing players must match the pot as usual.

VARIATION 4: NO WEENIES

This is a favorite go-for-broke variation at late-night home games. Follow the basic rules, but everybody shows their hands when all players drop. The highest hand (which
would
have won) matches the pot as a penalty, all players re-ante, and new cards are dealt.

VARIATION 5: SHELBY

Shelby is a multiround version of Guts. Normally a player who drops is out of the hand and forfeits his ante. This is not the case in Shelby. A player may drop in one round and then jump back in (by holding his cards) in the following round.

In Round 1 all players receive two cards, face down. In Round 1, the goal is to have the lowest two-card hand (A-2 or A-3; in Shelby, aces play high or low). On a count of three, a player holding a strong hand will challenge other players by holding her cards; players with weak hands will drop. At this point there are three possible outcomes:

If only one player holds, she places a marker (called a
Shelby)
in front of herself. The first player to earn three Shelbys wins the entire pot and ends the game. Otherwise the game proceeds to Round 2.

If more than one player holds, all players holding cards show each other their cards to determine who has the lowest two-card hand. Hands are typically exchanged in a clockwise direction, face down, so that only players who held may see each other’s cards. After all hands are returned to their proper owners, each losing player pays the winner the value of the current pot, up to a preset limit (typically $2 to $5). The game then proceeds to Round 2.

If no player holds, all players pick up their cards, re-ante, and proceed to Round 2.

In Round 2, all players receive one face-down card. At the drop, players compete to have the highest three-card hand (A-A-A is the highest possible hand). After dropping, all players who held cards compare and pay the winner as usual.

In Round 3, all players receive another face-down card and compete to have the lowest four-card hand (4-3-2-A is lowest). Another drop, another payout.

In Round 4, all players receive a fifth face-down card and compete to have the highest five-card poker hand. And remember that if a player earns three Shelbys at any point, he wins the entire pot and the game is over. Otherwise, all players re-ante and new hands are dealt.

VARIATION 6: PSYCHO SHELBY