Burlesque Poker

[DanielM]

Burlesque Poker

I have an idea for a new type of poker game. I think I’m on the right track, but I want your feedback and especially opinions of people who try it out.

The rules are simple, can be learned in 1-2 minutes.

I tried to balance having enough luck to keep the weak player’s in, and enough skill for serious players to make decent money over time. Also, I wanted to balance the information available to the players with the hidden information. I’ve also tried to force situations where the player must make tough choices.

There is a small blind of ½ a small bet and a big blind of 1 small bet, as usual. For a limit example; $2/4 blinds, $4 pre/post flop bets and $8 big bets on the turn and river. A dealer button travels counter-clockwise around the table, the big blind acts last in the pre-flop round. The physical button’s only purpose is to track who puts in the blinds.

Each player is dealt 3 cards face down, the person to the left of the big blind acts first. They can fold, enter the pot for $4, or raise to $8. The other players choose to call or raise until the pre-flop betting is complete. Then every player who has a live hand must turn one card of their choice face up.

Each player uses 2 or 3 cards in their hand, combined with the 5 community cards to make their best 5 card hand. They may not play the board or 1 card only.

The dealer burns a card, then deals 3 community cards face up. At this point position goes to the player showing the highest card, ties broken by suit (the usual spade, heart, diamond, club order). Betting starts with the player to the left of the person showing the highest card and continues as usual. If the high card folds, the highest live hand remaining gets position during the turn.

Dealer burns and deals turn card, player to the left of the high card opens and now bets at the $8 limit. Again, the high card amongst the live hands remaining has position for the next betting round.

Dealer burns and deals river card. $8 limit. Best 5 card poker hand, the usual rankings, wins.

A few thoughts. I think this can be a good game played limit, or pot-limit; but not a good no-limit game. Like Omaha, the odds of winning with a monster pre-flop hand and junk isn’t big enough. No-limit would reward foolish play.

No reason you can’t play this low, or high-low8.

Forcing the players to choose an up-card is a tough choice, and reveals much about their play- even when they fold.

Giving the high card position in later rounds creates a conflict of interest. You want to hide your best cards, but you want position too.

Because the blinds won’t necessarily have bad position in later rounds, it gives them reason to defend their blinds.

Players can buy position by forcing the high card out.

Let me know what you think, and happy playing.

Daniel Moskal

PS: I call it Burlesque Poker because you tease the players by only showing a little bit (when you turn the card face up).

[mynameisjoe]

very nice

[Amanjyaku]

I like it. I've played a similar format with antes rather than blinds, and thought it was a good game.

I don't see a reason for the button to go counter clockwise. I think it might cause some confusion.

As for the high card that is rolled, will suits determine high when there is a tie of ranks? It's an interesting idea, but I would have to see how position played out after a couple of hours of play. It might become formulaic to roll a junk card unless you have an ace. I'm not sure whether that would be good or bad.

Also, I'm not convinced that this wouldn't be a good no-limit game. I don't see the reward for foolish play, and I'm not sure that rewarding foolish play is a bad idea for no limit. I can see reason why NL might be the best way to play it.

On the other hand, with the right player pool, Pineapple can be bad played no-limit, so this might be lousy with players waiting on AAx and KKx and jamming. How about limit before the flop and no limit after the flop?

Just some thoughts.

[DCJ311]

Good game in limit or PL form for sure. The only rules adjustment you need to make is this:

Players must turn over one of their cards in order of position. So if you're playing 5 handed and everyone stays in preflop, the SB must be the first person to flip over a card and the button the last.

This way, players can choose which card is most favorable to turn over based on the actions of the players before him and makes preflop position far more important.

Also, the ability to use all three cards to make a hand makes this game VERY interesting, especially in PL variety.

A hand like 3 flush cards on a 2-flush board could make for a well disguised hand or the potential for a huge bluff. If a player chooses to turn a suited A up, it allows the player a chance to make a big bluff on 3-flush boards. Allowing for 2 or 3 cards to be used favors the stronger player to a ridiculous degree.

I'll try playing low limit home game version of this with my friends and see how it plays out.

[DanielM]

Thanks for the input.

As far as the dealer button / blinds going around, I meant to say it travels around the table in the same way as hold-em or omaha.

Since there are no hand odds to look at (hey, it’s new), it may make a good no-limit game. Try and let me know.

As to how you reveal the card, I went back and forth whether everyone should show at once, or if you reveal one at a time. That effects strategy a lot. It’s a new game, so nothing is sacrosanct. Try different things and see what works.

Playing 3 cards does create a lot of potential hidden straights and flushes. Just keep track of your opponents betting patterns to catch them representing a 3 card hand too often.

Thanks again, let me know how the games go.

Daniel

[DanielM]

Thanks. Try playing it where everyone reveals the upcard at the same time, and one player at a time. My concern with one at a time is that it gives a huge advantage to acting last, and those acting early may not come in the pot.

Also, when everyone shows their card at once you have to try and guess what your opponents might do based on past reveal patterns.

Daniel

[PrimogenitoX]

It's like a combination of Texas Hold'em, Seven Card Stud, and Pineapple!!!

[renfurdson]

Sounds pretty neat. Have thought of doing a two card flop instead of 3? Then you would be making your hand from seven cards rather than eight.

I like the idea of the simultaneous reveal too.

[deadcat3x]

cool idea

[DanielM]

I had a thought on this. Maybe playing 2 or 3 cards out of your hand would bring too much luck into the game. I'm going to try it playing only 1 or 2 of your 3 card hand. Let me know which one you like better.