How to Play Fierce Guts Poker

All versions of Guts Poker have a high element of luck involved in them. The game Fierce Guts Poker has an even higher element of luck than most other Guts Poker games, because players must decide if they will be in or out of a hand after viewing just one of the two cards that make up their hand. As in many Guts Poker variations, the pot can build quickly.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deck of playing cards
• Poker table
• Poker chips

How To Play Fierce Guts Poker

1. Invite a group of friends over to your house for a home poker night. If you are playing Fierce Guts Poker it is recommended that you dedicate the poker night to just playing variations of Guts Poker. The minimum number of five players is needed for Fierce Guts Poker, and up to twelve players can play. The ideal number of players for a game of Fierce Guts Poker is between eight and ten players.

2. Deal two cards to each player. Require that each player pay an ante. Allow each player to look at just one of his or her two face-down cards.

3. Direct each player to place his or her closed fist over the table. Instruct players if they want to be "in the hand" to put a chip in his or her closed fist. If the player wishes to fold, he or she should leave his or her closed fist empty.

4. Direct all the players to open their fist at the same time. Any player with a chip in his or her hand is in the hand. If only one player has a chip in his or her hand, he wins the pot and a new game of Fierce Guts Poker begins. If multiple players are "in the hand", continue to the next step.

5. Reveal the cards. Each player that declared they were in the hand now reveals both of his or her cards. Remember, even these players only have seen one of their own cards. The player with the best two-card poker hand wins the entire pot. The only hands in Fierce Guts Poker are pairs and high-card hands. Pairs are the highest with higher pairs defeating lower pairs. If nobody has a pair, the player with the highest card wins. If there is a tie for highest card, the second card is used to break the tie.

6. Pay the penalties. Any player that declared he or she was in for the hand by placing a chip in his or her closed fist, but did not win the hand, must now pay a penalty. That penalty is equal to the pot the winner just collected. The penalty is paid into the new pot for the next hand.

7. Collect the cards and deal another hand of Fierce Guts Poker. Players do not need to ante again if more than one player declared he or she was in for the hand that was just completed.

Tips & Warnings

• Pots can build quickly in this game if three or four hands are played with multiple players declaring in. It is recommended that you set a maximum pot amount. This means that once the pot meets that amount, players only pay a penalty of the maximum pot amount.
• Considering players only see one of their cards, it is best to only declare in if you have a face card. In large games, declaring in without an Ace or King can be very risky as it is likely someone will have one of those two cards. Remember, getting a pair in Fierce Guts Poker is pure luck, relying on the hidden card to match the card you have viewed.