How to Play Baseball Poker

Baseball poker is a great game if you like wild cards and big hands. It is called baseball poker because the bonus cards all relate to the rules of baseball. There are 3 outs per inning and 9 innings in a baseball game. In baseball poker, 3's and 9's are wild. After 4 walks, you get a free base in a baseball game. In baseball poker, you get a bonus card if you get a 4.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deck of cards Poker chips

1. 1

   Deal cards around the table from your left to your right. Deal 1 card face down to each player then go around again and deal each another card face down. Go around again, but this time deal 1 card facing up to each player. After the opening round of dealing, each player should have 2 cards face down and 1 card face up.

2. 2

   Look to see if any player has a 4 facing up. If they do, deal them another card face up. Next, go around and ask if any player has any 4's face down. If they do, they must turn the 4 face up. For every 4, a player turns over they are dealt another card face down. In baseball poker, 4's entitle the player to an extra card. If any bonus card dealt to a player is also a 4, they get another card and get to keep all the cards they are dealt.

3. 3

   Start the betting with the player who has the best hand facing up. Bet around the table from his left. Players can "check" and bet nothing if there is no pending bet. They can bet up to the table limit if no bet has been made yet. If there is a bet on the table, a player can either "call" to match the bet, "raise" to increase the bet or "fold" to surrender the hand.

4. 4

   Deal another round of cards face up. Remember to give players with 4's an extra card. Follow with a round of betting. Repeat this sequence of dealing and betting twice more. The remaining players should have 2 cards face down and 4 cards face up, plus any bonus cards they accumulated for having 4's.

5. 5

   Deal the last round of cards facing down. If any player is dealt a 4 facing down, they should turn it over and get another card face down. All remaining players should have 3 cards facing down and 4 cards facing up, plus any bonus 4's.

6. 6

   Finish with a final round of betting. Baseball poker is essentially 7 card stud except 3's and 9's are wild and 4's get you an extra card. Players are trying to form their best 5-card hand regardless of how many cards they accumulated. If there is more than one player remaining, the cards are turned over and the winner takes the pot.

Tips & Warnings

• Since 3's and 9's are wild in baseball poker, the hands are very big. It is common to get straight flushes and 5 of a kinds. Consider this when you are betting. A straight, low full house or flush is not a good hand in baseball poker.