Bull Poker

The Pack

The standard 52-card pack is used.

Object of the Game

The goal of each player is to win the pot, which contains all the bets that the players have made in any one deal. A player makes a bet in hopes that they have the best hand, or to give the impression that they do. In most Poker versions, the top combination of five cards is the best hand.

The Deal

For this version of High Low Poker, each player receives three cards face down. Players arrange them in any order desired, but may not thereafter change the order.

The Play

There is a betting interval. Then each player receives four face-up cards, one at a time, with a betting interval after each. Next, each player turns up their first facedown card, followed by a betting interval, and then their second face-down card, followed by the final betting interval. The last card is then turned up for the showdown.

Poker Hands

Five of a Kind - This is the highest possible hand and can occur only where at least one card is wild, such as a joker. Examples of five of a kind would be four 10s and a wild card or two queens and three wild cards.

Straight Flush - This is the highest possible hand when only the standard pack is used, and there are no wild cards. A straight flush consists of five cards of the same suit in sequence, such as 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 of hearts.

Four of a Kind - This is the next highest hand. An example is four aces or four 3s.

Full House - This colorful hand is made up of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as three 8s and two 4s.

Flush - Five cards all of the same suit, but not all in sequence, is a flush. An example is Q, 10, 7, 6, and 2 of clubs.

Straight - Five cards in sequence, but not all of the same suit is a straight. An example is 9♥, 8♣, 7♠, 6♦, 5♥.

Three of a Kind - This combination contains three cards of the same rank, and the other two cards each of a different rank, such as three jacks, a seven, and a four.

Two Pairs - This hand contains a pair of one rank and another pair of a different rank, plus any fifth card of a different rank, such as Q, Q, 7, 7, 4.

One Pair - This frequent combination contains just one pair with the other three cards being of different rank. An example is 10, 10, K, 4, 3.

No Pair - This very common hand contains "nothing." None of the five cards pair up, nor are all five cards of the same suit or consecutive in rank. When more than one player has no pair, the hands are rated by the highest card each hand contains, so that an ace-high hand beats a king-high hand, and so on.