Official Poker Rules BoardDocument OPR-507 · Updated 28 September 2026

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Breaker Rules

Breaker is Texas Hold'em, or any Hold'em game, played with one joker added to the deck. The joker, called the Breaker, is not wild. A player who holds it as a hole card may use it at the showdown to cancel every straight, flush and straight flush, but only when that makes their own hand the winner, and the Breaker then counts as a kicker higher than an ace.

Players: As in Texas Hold'em
Type: Shared card (Hold'em)
Deck: 52 cards plus one joker
Wild cards: None
Pot: High only

Article 1Players, deck and the Breaker

1.1

Breaker was invented by George Weissenberger and contributed to pagat.com. It may be added to any form of Hold'em; this page describes it as a variation of Texas Hold'em, whose rules apply except as stated here.

1.2

The game uses a standard 52-card deck plus one joker. The joker is called the Breaker. It has no suit and is not a wild card. There are no wild cards in the game.

1.3

Hands rank according to the standard poker hand rankings. In this game a five-card hand means a straight, a flush or a straight flush: a hand whose value depends on all five of its cards. A full house is not a five-card hand for this purpose.

Article 2The deal and the board

2.1

Blinds, the deal of two hole cards, the flop, turn and river, and the four betting rounds are the same as in Texas Hold'em.

2.2

If the Breaker is dealt as a community card, it is dead. It is removed from the board and replaced by the next card from the deck.

2.3

The Breaker can be used only by a player who holds it as a hole card.

Article 3Playing the Breaker at the showdown

3.1

A player holding the Breaker may play it with four other cards from their hand and the board. When it is played:

3.1(a) every straight, flush and straight flush held by the other players in contention for that pot is broken, and counts only as whatever lower hand its cards make without the straight or flush;

3.1(b) the Breaker counts as the highest possible kicker, above an ace.

3.2

The Breaker may be played only if doing so makes its holder's hand the winning hand. It may never be played merely to spoil another player's hand, and it only ever helps its holder.

3.3

If the Breaker cannot be played under rule 3.2, it is dead at the showdown. Its holder's hand is then their best five cards without it.

3.4

The Breaker does not break a full house, four of a kind or any other hand whose value does not depend on all five cards.

3.5

A player whose own best hand is a straight or flush may only play the Breaker by giving that hand up, since the Breaker breaks every five-card hand, including the holder's own.

3.6

If the board itself makes a straight, flush or straight flush, a player with a playable Breaker may break the board, subject to rule 3.2.

3.7

When there are side pots, the Breaker affects only the pots in which its holder is in contention. Each pot is judged separately.

Example

The Breaker wins the pot

Board: Q♠J♠8♠5♦2♣

Player A holds Q♣ and the Breaker. A has a pair of queens.

Player B holds K♠3♠, a king-high spade flush.

Player C holds Q♦9♣, a pair of queens with jack, nine and eight: Q-Q-J-9-8.

If A plays the Breaker, B's flush is broken and counts only as king high. A's hand becomes a pair of queens with the Breaker as top kicker, which beats C's pair of queens with a jack. Because playing the Breaker makes A the winner, A may play it, and A wins the pot.

Example

The Breaker cannot be played

Board: Q♠J♠8♠5♦2♣

Player A holds A♦ and the Breaker. B holds K♠3♠, a flush. C holds Q♦9♣, a pair of queens.

If A played the Breaker, B's flush would be broken, but A's ace-high hand would still lose to C's pair of queens. Since playing it would not make A the winner, the Breaker is dead and B wins with the flush.

Article 4Variations

4.1

Dual Breaker. Both jokers are added to the deck, so two Breakers can appear in the same deal. The rules above apply to each. Only a player who can win by playing their Breaker may play it; any other Breaker is dead. A player dealt both Breakers as hole cards shall fold.

4.2

In Dual Breaker, the Breakers are judged separately in each pot. One player may play a Breaker to win the main pot, and a different player may play the other Breaker to win a side pot in which the first player is not involved.

4.3

Locked Breaker. This may be combined with Breaker or Dual Breaker. The result of the main pot is locked: the order of finish in the main pot is applied to every side pot, instead of judging the Breakers separately in each.

Article 5Strategy notes

A straight or flush is less secure than usual, because an opponent may hold the Breaker. The risk is limited, since only one card in the deck can do it, and it works only if its holder would then win.
The Breaker is most useful alongside a pair or better: with a weak hand, breaking an opponent's straight or flush often leaves another player's hand in front.

Article 6Frequently asked questions

Is the joker wild in Breaker poker?

No. The Breaker is not wild and has no suit. Its only power is to break straights, flushes and straight flushes, after which it counts as the highest kicker.

Does the Breaker beat a full house?

No. It breaks only straights, flushes and straight flushes. A full house, four of a kind and other hands are unaffected.

What happens if the Breaker comes on the board?

It is dead. It is removed from the board and replaced with the next card from the deck.

Can you play the Breaker just to stop someone else winning?

No. You may only play it if doing so makes your own hand the winner. Otherwise it is dead and your hand is judged without it.

Final authority

Where any doubt remains in the application of this document, Rob is right.

Hand rankings, high to low: royal flush · straight flush · four of a kind · full house · flush · straight · three of a kind · two pair · one pair · high card. Suits never break ties.

Breaker Rules · OPR-507 · officialpokerrules.com/breaker/

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