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Mystery Wheelbarrow is a trading game for up to four players. Each player holds three cards, and six cards sit on the table: five face up in a pentagon and one face-down mystery card in the middle. Each player gets two turns to swap a card with the table, and at the end each player's hand is their three cards plus the best two of the six table cards.
Mystery Wheelbarrow was created by Richard Peluso and Jason McCrone, as published on pagat.com. At most four players may take part.
The game uses a standard 52-card deck with the jokers removed. There are no wild cards, and hands rank according to the standard poker hand rankings.
The object is to hold the best five-card hand at showdown. A player's hand must include all three of the cards in their hand, plus any two of the table cards.
Each player is dealt three cards, which they keep hidden from the other players.
The dealer then deals five cards face up on the table in the shape of a pentagon, and places one card face down in its centre. The face-down card is the mystery card.
The six table cards together are called the wheelbarrow.
Players take turns, starting with the player to the dealer's left. Each player has two turns in total.
On a turn, a player may exchange one card from their hand for one card in the wheelbarrow:
3.2(a) To take a face-up card, the player places the card they give up face up in the space it came from.
3.2(b) To take the mystery card, the player places the card they give up face down in the centre, where it becomes the new mystery card.
A player may pick up the mystery card and look at it before deciding. If they keep it, they must give up a card as in 3.2(b). If they do not want it, they may put it back face down, but their turn then ends without an exchange.
A player who wishes to keep all three of their cards says puncture, and their turn ends.
When every player has had two turns, the mystery card is turned face up.
The game may be played for a fixed stake, with the best hand taking the pot, or with normal poker betting. The dealer shall announce which before the deal.
| Betting round | When it takes place |
|---|---|
| First | After the three cards are dealt to each player |
| Second | After the wheelbarrow is dealt |
| Third | After the first round of trading |
| Fourth | Just before the showdown |
At the showdown, each player makes their best five-card hand from all three of their own cards and any two of the six wheelbarrow cards. The best hand wins the pot.
Identical hands split the pot.
A straight flush beats four of a kind
After the mystery card is turned, the wheelbarrow is K♠K♦8♥4♣2♠J♥.
Player A holds Q♥10♥9♥. Adding the J♥8♥ from the wheelbarrow makes a queen-high straight flush.
Player B holds K♥K♣5♦. Adding the two kings from the wheelbarrow makes four kings, with the five as the fifth card, because B must use all three hand cards.
A straight flush beats four of a kind, so Player A wins.
Every face-up card you give up is available to the other players, so a trade can hand an opponent the card they need.
Looking at the mystery card and putting it back costs your turn, but you learn a card that the others may not know.
Because all three hand cards must play, a single card that fits nothing can hold a hand back. Trading such a card away is often worth more than chasing a bigger hand.
Yes. Your final hand is all three of your own cards plus any two of the six wheelbarrow cards.
Yes. You may pick it up and look at it, then put it back if you do not want it. Your turn ends without a trade.
Saying puncture means you keep all three of your cards and make no trade on that turn.
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.
Mystery Wheelbarrow Rules · OPR-650 · officialpokerrules.com/mystery-wheelbarrow/