Shared Card Games

This class of games includes all games in which cards are dealt up to the table which are available for shared use by all players in forming their final hands.

Here is a PRINTABLE PAGE with all of the games.

Elevator PLAYERS: 4-11
INITIAL DEAL: four cards to each player and seven down on the table, arranged in two columns of three (the shafts) with one in between (the elevator). PLAY: Table cards are turned up one at a time, followed by betting rounds. The player will use the four cards in his hand along with three on the table to create a seven card hand. The player must use the elevator and one card from each shaft, and the three cards must be in a line, though the elevator can be in any of the three possible positions. For example, the * cards in the following table cards could be used:

So the middle card can be thought of to be on any "floor". The order of determining which card to flip is such that the elevator is turned over last and no two shaft cards which can be used in the same hand be turned up until necessary. After all seven cards have been turned up, there is a final betting round and then each player must declare whether they are going high, low or both. If going for both, both hands must be made up of the four cards in their hand and the same set of three from the table. WINNER: High hand. STANDARD VARIATIONS: The elevator card is wild. Different rows can be used for high and low hands when going both ways.

Cincinnati PLAYERS: 3-9
INITIAL DEAL: five cards down to each player, five cards down to the table. PLAY: One of the table cards is flipped up, followed by a round of betting. Repeat until all five cards have been flipped (players keep their own cards face down). A showdown follows the last round of betting, with each player making the best hand possible using their own cards and the five on the table. WINNER: High hand STANDARD VARIATIONS: High/low Whoever has the highest card of the same suit as a specified table card (usually the 3rd or 5th) gets half the pot. If you use the 3rd card, expect someone to raise the maximum every time during the last 3 betting rounds.

Texas Hold 'Em PLAYERS: 3-20
INITIAL DEAL: 2 cards down to each player, five cards down to the table. PLAY: A round of betting is held after the deal, then three of the table cards are turned up. Another round of betting follows. One more table card is flipped, followed by another round of betting. The last card is flipped, a final round if betting ensues, and finally a showdown in which players make their best hands using their 2 and the table's 5. WINNER: High hand STANDARD VARIATIONS: Tahoe: 3 cards down instead of 2. No more than 2 hole cards can be used in final hand. Pineapple: 3 card down instead of 2. Each player must discard one before the first 3 table cards are flipped. Crazy Pineapple: same as Pineapple, but each player discards AFTER the first 3 table cards are flipped. Super Holdem: 3 cards down instead of 2, all of which may be used.

Omaha PLAYERS: 3-11
INITIAL DEAL: 4 cards down to each player, five cards down to the table PLAY: Identical to Texas Hold 'Em, but final hands must include exactly 2 of the player's four cards and exactly 3 of the table's five cards. WINNER: High hand. Cards speak for themselves. STANDARD VARIATIONS: Players may use all 4 of their cards, splitting them into two groups to form a high hand and a low hand. Cards speak for themselves. As above, but players declare high/low/both. High and low hands split, but the low must be 8-high or better (lower) or the high gets it all.

Lame Brain Pete PLAYERS: 3-20
INITIAL DEAL: 3 cards down to each player, five cards down to the table PLAY: A round of betting is held after the deal, then one of the table cards is turned up. It is wild, along with all cards of the same rank. Another round of betting follows. Repeat until all four table cards are up. Each time a table card is flipped, if it is the lowest showing table card it (and all cards of the same rank) become wild, replacing the previous wild cards. WINNER: High hand

Church (aka Iron Cross) PLAYERS: 3-9
INITIAL DEAL: five cards down to each player, five cards down to the table arranged in a cross. PLAY: As in Cincinnati, with the table cards revealed clockwise with the center card last. Players may only use cards from one arm of the cross to form their hands. WINNER: High hand STANDARD VARIATIONS: High/low. Center card is wild.

Z PLAYERS: 3-9 INITIAL DEAL: five cards down to each player, four cards down to the table arranged in a Z:

PLAY: The game begins with a betting round, the lead of which rotates each round. After each betting round, flip one of the table cards in the order indicated above (card 1 in the first round, card 2 in the second, etc.). After the last card is flipped there is one more round of betting, and then players form a hand from three of their own cards and any two orthagonally adjacent table cards (1&3, 3&4, 4&2), which they reveal in the showdown. WINNER: High and low hands split, but the low must be 8-high or better (lower) or else the high hand gets the whole pot.

Tic Tac Toe PLAYERS: 3+
INITIAL DEAL: 2 cards down to each player, nine cards up to the table arranged in a 3x3 grid. PLAY: All players place three blue chips in front of them (henceforth called "posts"). Betting starts to the dealer's left. At the showdown, players announce their best hand using their two cards plus any vertical, diagonal, or horizontal row of three cards from the table. Note that you must announce your hand-- if you miss a better one, too bad. High hand takes the pot, and all other players must toss one of their posts (if any still remain) into a separate pot. All cards are then discarded and a new hand dealt (without shuffling the deck if enough cards remain) to all players who still have posts. Play continues in this manner until only one player has posts left. That player collects the post pot and the game ends. WINNER: High hand gets the pot; last player with posts gets the posts.

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