Forty-Three Rules

Forty-Three, or 43, is a high-low split game in which each player has four cards and there are three face-down community cards. After a first bet, players may exchange up to two cards; the community cards are then turned one at a time with a bet after each, and players declare high, low or both with chips. It was contributed to pagat.com by Bob Procter.

Also known as 43

Cards per player: 4
Community cards: 3
Draw: Up to 2 cards, once
Betting rounds: 5
Pot: High-low split, with declaration

Article 1Players, deck and objective

1.1

Forty-Three was contributed to pagat.com by Bob Procter. The name appears to refer to the four cards dealt to each player and the three community cards.

1.2

The game uses a standard 52-card deck with no wild cards. The pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand.

1.3

Each player makes the best five-card hand from their four cards and the three community cards. The source sets no requirement to use a particular number of cards from either.

1.4

The source does not specify the low-hand rules or any qualifier. The dealer shall announce them before the deal; see hand rankings.

Article 2The deal, the draw and betting

2.1

The source does not specify forced bets. An ante from each player is the usual practice in home games.

2.2

Each player is dealt four cards face down, and three community cards are dealt face down to the table.

Round	What happens before the round
1	The deal
2	Each player may exchange up to two cards
3	The first community card is turned face up
4	The second community card is turned face up
5	The third community card is turned face up

2.3

In the exchange, each player in turn may discard up to two cards and be dealt the same number of replacements by the dealer. A player may also keep all four cards.

Article 3Declaration and showdown

3.1

After the fifth betting round, the remaining players declare simultaneously. Each holds chips in a closed fist and all open their hands together: no chip means low, one chip means high, two chips mean both ways.

3.2

The best high hand among those declaring high wins the high half, and the best low hand among those declaring low wins the low half.

3.3

A player who declares both ways shall win or tie for both high and low. A two-way player who loses either side wins nothing.

Example

A two-way hand

A player holds A♣2♦3♥K♠ after the draw. The community cards are 5♣K♦4♠.

For high, A♣2♦3♥4♠5♣ is a five-high straight, which beats the pair of kings the player also holds.

For low, the same five cards make 5-4-3-2-A, the best possible low under ace-to-five rules. The player may reasonably declare both ways, but wins nothing unless they win or tie on both sides.

Article 4Notes and related games

Bob Procter also contributed Doogie (with Robin Procter), which uses a four-card, four-suit low hand in a similar high-low format.

Each player has seven cards to choose from, four of them private, so the draw is the main chance to shape a hand.
Declaring both ways risks the whole pot on winning or tying both halves.

Article 5Frequently asked questions

How many cards can you draw in Forty-Three?

Up to two, in a single exchange after the first betting round.

How do you declare in 43 poker?

Simultaneously, with chips in a closed fist: none for low, one for high, two for both ways.

What happens if you go both ways and lose one side?

You win nothing. A player declaring both ways must win or tie for both high and low.

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.

Forty-Three Rules · OPR-530 · officialpokerrules.com/forty-three/

OPR-530Uncontrolled when printed