How Does One Play Red Dog Poker?
After each player places his initial bet, he is dealt two face-down cards. When players see their cards they can decide whether they want to place an additional bet or not. This second bet can not be larger than the first one.
When the decision is made, the player is dealt the third card. Unless the first two cards of the player match or are consecutive, the player wins if the third falls in between the two cards dealt earlier. If these two cards match, the third card is dealt, and if it also matches the two previous cards, the player wins and is paid 11:1. Otherwise it is a push. If two first cards are consecutive, it is an automatic push, and the third card is not dealt at all. Otherwise, the dealer announces the spread, which is the numerical difference between two cards of the player, and if the third card falls in between these two cards, the player is paid according to the spread he has. Here is a list of the different Red Dog Poker spreads:
- 1 card spread: 5:1
- 2 card spread: 4:1
- 3 card spread: 3:1
- 4 or more card spread: 1:1
Example: A player is dealt an 8 and a Queen. The dealer announces 3 card spread, which represents three possible cards (9, 10 and Jack) that can fall in between the two cards. If the third cards dealt to the player is one of these three cards, the player wins and is paid 3:1. Otherwise he loses his bet.
Unlike In Between, in Red Dog poker nothing special happens when the third card matches one of the previous two. The player simply loses.
