Screwin' Herman Rules

Screwin' Herman was contributed to pagat.com by Ian Blessing. The object is to hold the best five-card poker hand at showdown, or to win the pot earlier when every other player folds.

The game uses a standard 52-card deck. Hands rank according to the standard poker hand rankings.

All four fives are wild in every deal. A wild card may stand for any card its holder chooses.

Because wild cards are used, five of a kind is possible. As is usual in wild-card games, it ranks above a straight flush.

Each player is dealt eight cards in total, so a single deck can accommodate up to six players.

The source does not specify the opening stake. The usual practice is for every player to ante an agreed amount before the deal.

The dealer deals two cards face down to each player. Each player looks at both cards, keeps one and discards the other.

The source does not say whether discards are shown. The dealer shall announce this before the deal. Discarding face down is the usual practice in discard games.

After the first discard, each player is dealt two more cards, keeps one of them and discards the other. Each player now holds two cards.

The first betting round then takes place.

Each active player is dealt two more cards and again keeps one and discards one, leaving three cards. The second betting round follows.

Each active player is dealt a final two cards and must keep both. Each player now holds five cards.

The final betting round takes place, followed by the showdown.

Where the source does not say who opens each betting round, the usual practice is for the first active player to the dealer's left to act first.

Each remaining player shows their five cards. The best poker hand, with fives counted as wild, wins the pot.

Identical hands split the pot.