Guts Rules

A standard 52-card deck without jokers is used. The game works best with about five to ten players.

Before play, the players shall agree the ante that each player pays to start a pot.

The players should also agree a maximum amount that can be won from, or paid into, the pot on a single deal, for example 100 times the ante. See 4.6 for how the limit works.

If the pot is empty, every player pays the agreed ante into it. If the pot already holds chips from the previous deal, no ante is paid in the basic game.

The dealer shuffles, has the cards cut, and deals the cards one at a time face down until each player has two.

Each player looks at their own two cards.

Starting with the player to the dealer's left and going clockwise, ending with the dealer, each player says either "in" or "out".

A player who says out cannot win the pot but risks nothing more on this deal. A player who says in will compete for the pot and must pay if they lose.

If every player before the dealer has said out, the dealer is automatically in and takes the pot, whatever the dealer's cards.

Many groups declare all at once instead, as described in 5.1.

If only one player is in, that player takes the whole pot without showing their cards.

If two or more players are in, they all show their cards, and the best hand wins the pot. Aces are high, and two-card hands rank as follows:

4.2(a) Any pair beats any two unpaired cards.

4.2(b) A higher pair beats a lower pair: A-A is the best hand, then K-K and so on down to 2-2.

4.2(c) Between two unpaired hands, the one with the higher top card wins. If the top cards are equal, the higher second card wins.

4.2(d) There are no straights or flushes in two-card Guts. The lowest hand is 3-2.

Each player who was in but did not have the best hand must pay an amount equal to the whole pot. These payments form the pot for the next deal.

If two or more players tie for the best hand, they share the pot equally. If every player who stayed in ties, the pot is shared and emptied.

The game ends when the pot is won without any losers paying in, for example when a single player stays in. If play continues, a new ante is paid to start the next pot.

Pot limit. If, after the losers have paid, the pot is larger than the agreed limit, the excess is set aside as a reserve. The next deal is played for the limit only. When that pot is won, a new pot up to the limit is formed from the reserve.

Simultaneous declare. All players declare at once. Each player holds a closed fist over the table, and on a signal everyone opens their hand: a chip in the hand means in, an empty hand means out. Some groups instead hold their cards over the table and drop them on the count to go out, but this lets slow players see what others do first.

5.1(a) If everyone is out, the pot stays for the next deal. Some groups require a fresh ante from all players, and some play that the player with the best hand must pay the ante for everyone.

5.1(b) Some groups let each player discard one or both cards and draw replacements before declaring.

Compulsory first round. On the first deal of a session, or whenever the pot has just been emptied, every player must stay in.

Single loser. Only the player with the worst hand among those who stayed in matches the pot (tied worst hands all pay). Players ante on every deal, except that a player who matched the pot skips the next ante.

No split pots. If players tie for the best hand, they neither win nor pay, and the pot carries over, increased by any losers' payments.

Ghost or kitty. An extra hand is dealt that belongs to no one and is shown at the showdown. To win, a player must beat the ghost as well as the other players. If the ghost wins, everyone who stayed in matches the pot. In another version the ghost plays only when a single player stays in.

Three-card Guts. Each player gets three cards, and straights and flushes usually count. The usual order, highest first, is three of a kind, straight flush, straight, flush, pair, high card. Some groups rank a straight flush above three of a kind, or a flush above a straight, so this shall be agreed before play. Some also have each player pass one card to the left before declaring.