Spicing Up Your Home Game: An Introduction

Poker has a long and illustrious history, and while no one knows for certain when the very first hand was dealt, it probably all started with a home game. Most of us got our start in home games; the older generation may have learned five-card stud or draw at the kitchen table sitting behind a pile of pennies, while those of us who were products of the poker boom might have also gotten their introduction playing small-stakes hold’em with friends.
No-limit hold’em is the most prominent game on the planet, but limit mixed games have always had their place in home games, and they have been gaining in popularity. For example, there’s a vibrant mixed game community in Minnesota with a regular crew of around 30 to 40 playing over a hundred different variants, many of which they invented themselves.
As far as what games are played, sometimes there is an organizer who establishes a predetermined mix. In other cases, most notably in WSOP cash games, the players who start the game will typically each get to choose a game or two. While these are not technically home games, they have that same vibe about them since the stakes are low and most players are just there for entertainment.
This new series will discuss mixed games in either a casino or a private setting that are played primarily for recreation. We will introduce and explain the rules for many new games, and also suggest ways to spice up the action while maintaining a positive atmosphere for all participants.
To start this series on spicing up your home game, I thought I would look at the spiciest home that I know of. The first thing I did was reach out to my buddy Minnesota Chris and get permission to share the Jester Casino Wheel. He was more than receptive, and quite excited to present some of his crew’s creations to the community, as if he was Prometheus giving the world the gift of fire.
These Minnesota guys love poker, and when playing with them you get the sense that they truly enjoy each other’s company, but also like to good-naturedly revel in the misery of others. Admittedly I’m a bit of a Schadenfreude myself so they are certainly part of my tribe, and I would be quite entertained by someone spinning that wheel and landing on “Pay Everyone $20” or enduring other forms of punishment.
In addition to sometimes using the wheel to select games and/or randomly deal out pain, the Minnesota crew often incorporates other interesting twists into their games. For example, once per evening each player may have the ability to exercise an option (for a predetermined fee) on the first betting round to change the current game to another one with the same amount of cards dealt.
For example, suppose the game being played is 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball, and there is heavy action in front of you before the first draw. If you wake up to a monster high holding, you can exercise your available option, and change the game to Dramaha High, leaving your opponents scrambling.
Your buddy might be sitting on a low-oriented monster, but now has to ditch it, or put in more money, and then possibly end up drawing four or five cards.
The $20 option fee (or whatever dollar amount is chosen) can then go towards a donation pool for a worthwhile cause. The Minnesota crew ended up contributing over $2,000 to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Great job everyone!
Over time we will get around to discussing most games on the wheel, and also many that are not. And as we proceed, we thought it would be fun and create debate to rank the various games based upon factors such as typical action produced, ease of understanding, balance of luck versus skill, and generally speaking, how well the games are received in the typical home game or live casino environment.
Of course, it’s all relative as any mixed player knows that there is no such thing as a bad poker game, and a bad day on the felt is usually better than doing anything else. That said, some variants are better than others, and there are some that don’t perform very well in current home or mixed game environments.
For example, Dramaha High-Dugi usually isn’t well received, and new players often have difficulty understanding the rules. I recall butchering some hands the first time playing it, but in my defense I don’t think it was explained well to me. So whenever new players require instruction, I attempt to give a more thorough treatment, but no one wants to hear a mini speech or think that extensively at a poker table. At least I don’t; anything requiring 10 seconds or more to explain is probably too long for me.
Razz can be considered a niche game. While it’s a skillful and worthwhile variant, particularly in a tournament setting, it often suffers when part of an action cash game mix. An unpopular stud variant is problematic as those who don’t want to play it will often take a break, creating a situation where the rest of the table has very few antes in the middle to fight over. This usually kills the action and then then everyone asks to either remove the game or change it to something else.
Nowadays most players are primarily interested in the games containing more action, bigger hands, and additional possibilities that accompany the various draw, super stud, and other more exotic variants. Once players get exposed to games such as Badeucey, Super Stud Hi-Lo, Archie, and the more popular forms of Dramaha, they often get hooked and don’t want to play anything else.
But it’s important to note, these games’ popularity is rising due to the entertainment and often big pots they produce, not for some greedy desire to win money against new players who don’t know the rules.
If you don’t know how to play any of these games, but are possibly up for learning them you are in the right place. Don’t be intimidated by the weird names, learning the rules and becoming quickly competent in these “crazy games” is probably not nearly as hard as you might imagine.
Check back next issue as we look at Dramaha. ♠

Kevin Haney is a former actuary but left the corporate job to focus on his passions for poker and fitness. The certified personal trainer owned a gym in New Jersey, but has since moved to Las Vegas. He started playing the game back in 2003, and particularly enjoys taking new players interested in mixed games under his wing and quickly making them proficient in all variants. Learn more or just say hello with an email to [email protected].