Guts Poker

Guts is a non standard form of poker played with three cards and the same format as three card poker. You can use wild cards in this game, although this needs to be determined prior to dealing the hands.

How to Play Guts

Players will first ante into the pot. Each player receives three cards from the dealer, dealt face done. Players will than look at their cards and decided if they want to play in the hand simultaneously. This is usually done by taking a poker chip and discreetly placing it in your hand or hiding it. Everyone brings their close fists to the center of the table and opens. Those who drop chips are the players who are playing the hand and the others who did not drop are now out of the game.

The players will than flip their cards over and the player with the best three card hand wins the pot. We have listed a basic reference guide to the rankings for playing three card poker below this article for you.

What makes this game really interesting is the players who did play the hand but lost must now replace the value of the pot. So if the pot totalled $5 than each losing player must put $5 into the pot for the next round. When the next round begins players will again ante, expect for those who had to pay the pot.

In a dealer’s choice poker game, if “Guts” is called the game will be played until a winner has been declared and a new game is called. This is done when only one person drops and wins the pot ending the game. If by chance no body stays in the pot, than players will again ante and a new hand is dealt.

This is why as the name of the game is Guts...to see who has the guts to drop. It really takes a lot to want to play a hand when the pot is sitting at a nice size. We do suggest players set a cap at the amount someone has to pay to match the pot or this game can become very expensive.

Three Card Poker Hand Rankings for Guts

Straight Flush. Three cards of the same suit in sequence. Example 6-7-8 of spades.
Three of a Kind. Three cards of equal rank.
Straight. Three cards in sequence of mixed suits.
Flush. Three cards of the same suit.
Pair. Two cards of equal rank.
High Card. The highest card in your hand