Same'Em Rules

Same'Em is a Hold'em variant in which players match the board card for card. Each player starts with three hole cards and the flop has three cards; then each player gets a fourth hole card as the turn is dealt, and a fifth as the river is dealt. At the showdown each player makes the best five-card hand from their five hole cards and the five community cards.

Players: 2 to 8
Hole cards: 5 per player by the end
Community cards: 5
Betting rounds: 4
Pot: High only

Article 1Players, deck and objective

1.1

Same'Em was invented by JDulius, as published on pagat.com. It uses a standard 52-card deck with no wild cards.

1.2

Each player ends with five hole cards and there are five community cards, so a single deck allows up to eight players with burn cards, or nine without.

1.3

At the showdown, each player makes the best five-card hand from any of their ten available cards: five hole cards and five community cards. There is no requirement to use a set number of hole cards.

Article 2Antes, the deal and betting

2.1

Blinds or antes, the button and the betting order follow Texas Hold'em unless the group agrees otherwise.

Round	Dealt to each player	Dealt to the board	Then
1	Three hole cards	None	First betting round
2	None	Three cards (the flop)	Second betting round
3	A fourth hole card	One card (the turn)	Third betting round
4	A fifth hole card	One card (the river)	Fourth betting round, then showdown

2.2

Hole cards are dealt face down, as in Hold'em.

2.3

The source does not mention burn cards. Groups following Hold'em practice burn one card before each board deal.

Article 3Showdown

3.1

After the fourth betting round, the remaining players show their cards and the best five-card hand wins. See hand rankings.

3.2

Equal hands split the pot.

Example

Ten cards make strong hands

Board: K♠9♦7♣4♥2♠.

Player A holds 3♦5♣6♠A♥K♦ and makes the seven-high straight 3♦4♥5♣6♠7♣.

Player B holds K♥K♣9♠8♥3♣ and makes K♥K♣K♠9♠9♦, kings full of nines.

A full house beats a straight, so Player B wins.

Article 4Strategy notes

With ten cards to choose from, winning hands are much stronger than in Hold'em. Two pair is often not enough.
The starting three cards are only part of the hand. The two later hole cards can change it completely, so early betting rests on less information than in Hold'em.
Flushes and full houses are common. Look at what the board allows before valuing a straight.

Article 5Frequently asked questions

How many hole cards do you get in Same'Em?

Five in total: three at the start, a fourth with the turn and a fifth with the river.

Do you have to use a certain number of hole cards in Same'Em?

No. You make the best five-card hand from any of your ten cards: your five hole cards and the five on the board.

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.

Same'Em Rules · OPR-565 · officialpokerrules.com/sameem/

OPR-565Uncontrolled when printed