How to Play Stormy Weather Poker

Normally Stormy Weather is a bad thing, but not in poker. Stormy Weather Poker is a fun game that combines the luck of five card draw with the strategy of Texas Hold'em Poker. The basics of the game are very similar to that of five card draw poker. The difference is that Stormy Weather Poker gives each player an option to use one of three community cards. That is how the Texas Hold'em Poker twist gets added to Stormy Weather Poker.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Playing Cards
• Poker table, poker tabletop, or standard table
• Chairs
• Opponents
• Poker chips

How To Play Stormy Weather Poker

1. Gather your friends together for a home poker night. If you are going to play Stormy Weather Poker you can have up to seven players in the game. I have found that the ideal number of players for Stormy Weather poker is either five or six players.

2. Deal four face down cards to each player. After all the players have received their four face down cards, they may look at their own cards in Stormy Weather Poker.

3. Deal three face down cards into the middle of the table in a row. Do not flip these up at this time.

4. Flip the first of the three cards in the center of the table face up. Instruct the players that they will be able to use one of the three center cards in their hand, and have one chance to discard cards from their hand. Conduct a betting round, with the player to the left of the dealer beginning the wagering round.

5. Flip the second card in the middle of the table face up, and conduct another betting round. This time the player two seats to the left of the dealer begins the wagering.

6. Flip the third card in the middle of the table over. Remind players that they may only use one of those three cards in the center of the table to make their best hand. Conduct another betting round with the player two seats to the left of the dealer starting the wagering.

7. Discard up to two cards from your hand. Each player can discard up to two cards from their hand of four cards. Of course the cards in the center of the table can not be discarded.

8. Deal an equal number of face down cards to each player to the number of cards they discarded. Once all players have received their new cards they may view their own cards.

9. Conduct one final betting round. This round is began by the player three seats to the left of the dealer.

10. Reveal your hands. Players reveal their four cards and declare their hand using those four cards and any one card they wish to use from the middle of the table. The player with the best poker hand wins the pot.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in mind that this game will take a little longer than the traditional five card draw game, and will involve a larger pot.
• If you don't have at least a pair or a high flush draw after all three middle cards are revealed, you should usually fold in Stormy Weather Poker.