Spokane Open Wild Rules

Spokane Open Wild was contributed to pagat.com by Dave DeLine. It uses a standard 52-card deck.

Each player holds one face-down card, the hole card, and at least four face-up cards chosen from the centre of the table. The object is to make the best five-card high hand.

At every stage, one face-up card is left over in the centre. Every card of the same rank as that centre card is wild, including cards in players' hands.

Five of a kind is possible. By the usual convention it ranks above a straight flush. See hand rankings.

The source sets no limit on the number of players. Because extra rounds are played until every active player has had first choice (rule 3.5), one deck is always enough for up to six players, even if nobody folds.

Antes and betting limits are set by the house or the dealer.

Each player is dealt one card face down. They may look at it but must not show it.

The dealer then deals face up to the centre of the table one card more than the number of players. With five players, six cards are dealt.

Starting with the player to the dealer's left and going clockwise, each player takes one centre card and places it face up in front of them. The dealer chooses last, from the two cards remaining. One card is left in the centre.

A betting round follows, begun by the player to the dealer's left.

The dealer adds to the centre one face-up card for each player still in. With the card left from the previous round, there is again one card more than the number of active players.

First choice passes to the next active player to the left of the player who chose first in the previous round. The others choose in clockwise order, and one card is again left over.

A betting round follows, begun by the player with the best hand showing.

As long as two or more players remain, there are at least four rounds of choosing and betting, so each active player ends with one hole card and at least four face-up cards.

If, after four rounds, any active player has not yet had first choice, further rounds of dealing, choosing and betting are played until every active player has had first pick.

After the final betting round, if more than one player remains, each makes the best five-card hand from their face-up cards and hole card. Cards of the rank of the last card left in the centre are wild.

The best hand wins the pot.