How to Play New York New York Poker

New York New York Poker is a version of the game that allows a player to peek at a card that can help his hand. New York New York Poker is a variation of 7 Card Stud Poker; the difference is that each player has the opportunity to choose a face-up card from the deck at four different times during the game. If she doesn't like the face-up card from the deck, she can take a mystery card from the draw pile. The player with the best five-card hand wins the entire pot.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deck of playing cards
• Table or tabletop
• Chairs
• Poker chips
• Snacks

1. Organize a home poker night with your friends. New York New York Poker is a great game to include on a night when you will be playing many different variations of 7 Card Stud Poker. The minimum number of players for New York New York Poker is four, and the maximum is six. The ideal number is five or six players.

2. Deal two cards face down and one card face up to each player. Allow each player to view his face-down cards after he has paid an ante into the pot.

3. Place the draw deck in the enter of the table and flip over the top card, placing it next to the draw deck. Conduct the first round of wagering, beginning with the player with the highest face-up card. If two hands are tied, the player closest to the dealer in a clockwise rotation goes first.

4. Select the player at the dealer's left to start. She can choose the face-up card sitting on the table or the top card of the draw deck, which is face down. If the player chooses a face-up card, she then flips over the top card of the draw deck to replace that card on the table. Continue until each player has added a card to his hand. These cards are placed face up-on the table.

5. Conduct a wagering round. The player with the best face-up poker hand begins the wagering.

6. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 two more times. Each player will have two face-down cards and four face-up cards.

7. Conduct one final round of choosing the face-up card or the top card of the draw deck. In this final round, any player taking a face-up card must leave it face up on the table. A player who takes the top card from the draw pile places her card face down on the table.

8. Conduct a final round of wagering. As always, the round starts with the player who has the best face-up poker hand at the table.

9. Reveal the cards and determine the winner. The player with the best hand wins the pot.

Tips & Warnings

• In traditional New York New York Poker, there are no wild cards. You can spice up the game a little by adding one, though. To limit the luck factor, it is recommended that wild cards be limited to four per game, usually all of the same face value. For example, deuces could be wild.
• Choosing that last card face up will give your opponents a very good idea of your hand. This could result in many players folding in the final wagering round and a small pot being collected by the winner.