Official Poker Rules
Official Poker Rules BoardDocument OPR-720 · Updated 28 September 2026

Home game · Stud

Ten-Card Regrets Rules

In Ten-Card Regrets, each player builds two five-card hands: a low hand on the left and a high hand on the right. Cards arrive two at a time, and each must be placed in one hand or the other, where it stays for good. The lowest left hand and the highest right hand split the pot.

Also known as 10 Card Regrets

Players
2 to 5
Type
Stud-style, two hands per player
Wild cards
None
Betting rounds
5
Pot
High-low split

Article 1Players, deck and objective

1.1

Ten-Card Regrets is played with a standard 52-card deck and no wild cards. Each player receives ten cards, so no more than five players may take part.

1.2

Each player builds a left hand, which plays for low, and a right hand, which plays for high. Each has exactly five cards at the end.

1.3

Right hands rank according to the standard poker hand rankings. The source does not fix a ranking for low hands. The dealer shall announce it before the deal; ace-to-five is the usual home-game choice.

Article 2Antes, the deal and placing cards

2.1

Every player puts an agreed ante into the pot. The dealer then deals two cards to each player.

2.2

Each player places the two cards in front of them, choosing for each card whether it goes to the left hand or the right hand. Both may go to the same hand, or one to each.

2.3

A card once placed shall never be moved to the other hand.

2.4

Neither hand may hold more than five cards. Once one hand is full, every later card shall go to the other hand.

2.5

The deal of two cards, the placing of them and a betting round are repeated until each player has five cards in each hand:

StageCards placed so farThen
First deal2Betting round
Second deal4Betting round
Third deal6Betting round
Fourth deal8Betting round
Fifth deal10Final betting round, then showdown
2.6

Placed cards are shown to the table, so that the betting is based on visible hands. The order of betting and the betting limits shall be agreed before play.

Article 3Showdown and splitting the pot

3.1

After the final betting round, half of the pot goes to the lowest left hand and half to the highest right hand.

3.2

Left hands are compared only with left hands, and right hands only with right hands. One player may win both halves.

3.3

Tied hands share the relevant half equally.

Example

A two-player showdown

Player A: left 7♥5♦4♣3♠2♦, right K♠K♣9♦9♠4♥.

Player B: left 8♣6♦4♠3♥2♣, right J♥J♦J♣6♠6♥.

A's seven-high low beats B's eight-high low, so A wins the low half. B's full house, jacks over sixes, beats A's two pair, so B wins the high half.

Article 4Variations and related games

  • Seven-card Regrets is a single-hand version: seven cards arrive one at a time, two must be discarded, and the best high hand wins.
  • Henway also gives each player two five-card hands for a high-low split, but all ten cards are dealt at once and set before any are shown.
  • Cowpie Poker splits seven stud cards into a five-card and a two-card hand.

Groups sometimes allow either hand to play for high or low at the showdown. That is a house rule, and the dealer shall announce it before the deal.

Article 5Strategy notes

  • Early high cards usually belong on the right and early low cards on the left, but a pair split between the hands helps neither.
  • Filling one hand early forces every later card into the other hand. Keep both hands open for as long as you can.
  • Watch opponents' placed cards: once their low hand holds a pair or a high card, they are unlikely to win the low half.

Article 6Frequently asked questions

How do you play Ten-Card Regrets?

You receive two cards at a time and place each one in your left (low) hand or right (high) hand. Cards can never be moved. After five rounds each hand has five cards, and the best low and best high hands split the pot.

Can you move a card to the other hand in Ten-Card Regrets?

No. Once a card is placed, it stays in that hand. Neither hand may hold more than five cards.

How many players can play Ten-Card Regrets?

Up to five, because each player receives ten cards from a 52-card deck.

§
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.

Ten-Card Regrets Rules · OPR-720 · officialpokerrules.com/ten-card-regrets/

OPR-720Uncontrolled when printed