Game rules · Community card
Tahoe is played like Texas Hold'em, except that each player is dealt three hole cards and keeps all three until the showdown. A player's hand is the best five cards using none, one or two of their hole cards with the five community cards, but never all three.
Also known as Wichita Hold'em, Tahoe Hold'em
The game is played with a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. Hands rank according to the standard poker hand rankings.
The object is to win the pot, either with the best five-card hand at showdown or by making a bet that no one calls.
Tahoe follows Texas Hold'em in every respect except the number of hole cards and the rule on how many may be used. It belongs to the Pineapple family, but no card is ever discarded.
The dealer button, small blind and big blind are used exactly as in Texas Hold'em.
The dealer deals three cards face down to each player, one at a time, starting with the small blind.
Community cards are dealt as in Hold'em: a burn card and the three-card flop, a burn card and the turn, a burn card and the river.
| Round | When it happens | First to act |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-flop | After the three hole cards are dealt | The player to the left of the big blind |
| Flop | After the first three community cards | First active player to the left of the button |
| Turn | After the fourth community card | First active player to the left of the button |
| River | After the fifth community card | First active player to the left of the button |
Betting on each round follows the rules of Texas Hold'em. The game may be played no-limit, pot-limit or fixed-limit; see betting structures.
Players keep all three hole cards throughout. There is no discard.
A player's hand is the best five-card combination from:
4.1(a) no hole cards and all five community cards;
4.1(b) one hole card and four community cards; or
4.1(c) two hole cards and three community cards.
A player may never use all three hole cards.
Three hole cards, but only two count
Board: J♥10♣5♥2♠9♦. A player holds A♥K♥Q♥.
If all three hole cards could be used, the player would have the straight A-K-Q-J-10. Under Tahoe rules only two may be used. The best choice is K♥Q♥ with the board's J-10-9, a king-high straight.
A heart flush is not possible either: using two hearts from the hand would need three hearts on the board, and there are only two.
After the river betting, the remaining players show all three hole cards, and each hand is read under article 4.
Showdown order, ties, split pots and side pots follow the rules of Texas Hold'em. Cards outside a player's best five never count.
Using one hole card
Board: A♠A♦8♣8♥3♠.
Player A holds A♣2♦4♥ and uses just the ace: A-A-A-8-8, aces full of eights. Player B holds 8♠K♦K♣ and uses just the eight: 8-8-8-A-A, eights full of aces. Using both kings instead would give B only K-K-A-A-8, two pair.
Aces full beats eights full, so Player A wins.
Tahoe hi-lo. Tahoe can be played high-low, splitting the pot between the best high hand and the best low hand. Each hand may use at most two hole cards, but a player may use different hole cards for the high and the low. The low ranking and any qualifier follow Omaha Hi-Lo unless the dealer announces otherwise.
No. You may use none, one or two of your hole cards with the community cards, but never all three.
No. Unlike Pineapple, you keep all three hole cards until the showdown.
Yes. Wichita Hold'em is another name for Tahoe.
Omaha deals four hole cards and you must use exactly two. Tahoe deals three and you may use up to two, including none or one.
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.
Tahoe Rules · OPR-112 · officialpokerrules.com/tahoe/