How to Play Tennessee Poker

One of the biggest complaints poker players have about home poker games is other players trying to "buy the pot." Limit poker games help alleviate this complaint. Tennessee Poker is one of those limit poker games that can make a home poker game more friendly. The amount you can wager each round is capped at a reasonable amount. This results in hands being determined more often by the cards than by bluffing skills.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Gather up to 9 players. The ideal number for Tennessee Poker is anywhere from 5 to 8 players. This game has a large number of hole cards, so your number of players is limited to 9.

2. Deal 5 face down cards to each player. In addition, deal 4 face down cards to the middle of the table; these will be the community cards. After all these cards have been dealt, the players may look at their own cards. The community cards remain face down.

3. Flip over the first community card and begin a wagering round started by the player to the left of the dealer. Tennessee Poker is a limit poker game, and therefore the wagering is restricted. The minimum wager in the first round is one of the lowest value chip, and the maximum raise is two of the minimum value chip.

4. Flip over the second community card, and begin a wagering round started by the player 2 seats to the left of the dealer. In this second round of wagering the minimum bet is twice the lowest chip value, and the maximum raise is 4 times the lowest chip value.

5. Flip the third community card and allow the player 3 seats to the left of the dealer to start the wagering. This time the minimum bet is 3 times the lowest chip value, with a maximum raise of 6 times the lowest chip value.

6. Reveal the final community card. The player sitting 4 seats to the left of the dealer starts this final round of wagering. The minimum bet in this fourth wagering round is 4 times the lowest chip value. The largest raise is 8 times the lowest chip value.

7. Reveal your cards and declare your hand. Any player that has not folded now reveals their cards and declares their best 5-card poker hand using their 5 hole cards and the 4 community cards. There are no wild cards in Tennessee Poker. The player with the best poker hand wins the entire pot.

Tips & Warnings

• It is recommended that each round only allows 1 raise. This eliminates the issue of players trying to buy the pot in a limit game.
• Typically a flush is the minimum hand you should have to remain in Tennessee Poker until the showdown. Flushes rarely win in Tennessee Poker though, so be careful betting with these.