[SpeakEasy]

Ante 25c. Calling the game does not favor the dealer. Everyone receives two down cards.

Dealer places the deck in the middle and takes two cards off the top and places them face up, side-by-side next to the deck.

First player to the dealer's left has four options: (1) buy the first face-up card (first off the deck, now farthest from the deck) for 25c, (2) buy the second face-up card (in between the other face-up card and the deck) for 50c, (3) buy the top card on the deck (still face down) for $1 and keep it face down in his hand, or (4) take the top card off the deck for free but then must turn it face up in his hand. Go in order around the table, with each player buying/getting one card in this manner each time.

If someone buys the 25c card, the dealer slides the 50c card over and deals the top card from the deck to the 50c space. As players buy the 50c card, the dealer places the top card from the deck face-up to the 50c space. When you purchase the 25c and 50c card or take the free card, they stay face up in front of you on the table (as in 7-stud). The $1 cards go in your hand and stay hidden -- the bonus for paying so much (kind of a stupid play, really, but that's the game...). The money from all purchases goes into the pot.

Go around the table clock-wise until everyone has a total of 7 cards. After the first 2 down cards in each hand, most of the rest of the cards will be face up in front of everyone except for the $1 cards purchased from the top of the deck that remain hidden. After everyone has 7 cards, there is a round of betting, and the highest hand showing like in 7-stud leads the betting. Then showdown. For more action, high-low splits the pot.

Look for strong hands to win high.

[AceDeuceNoUse]

Sounds complicated, but I might call it next Thursday, for variety's sake. I have a couple of questions, though:

1. How many times did it take for everyone to get the rules straight?
2. Was there enough action, or did most everyone take the freebies/.25 cards?

[Tosh]

Thanks for posting this game SpeakEasy. We ended up short handed on Valentines Day and gave it a try. Everyone had it down pat by the second time around the table and it became quite interesting. The defensive move of buying cards to deny them to others quickly developed into a big part of the game. Generally, players bought the .25 or .50 cards to block or build their own hand and very few freebies were taken. The $1 card was only bought twice, once by someone with a made monster, and once by someone representing. Our bunch really enjoyed the blocking aspect of the game and it was a pleasant change of pace.

[Captn_All_In]

Thanks for sharing this!! I will definitely be calling it this Thursday!