Online Poker » Dealers Choice Games » Elevator

Betting on poker games has been occurring for centuries. The only true commonality between the various games that now exist is the betting aspect. One broad category of poker games is known as community card poker. Community card poker is different form draw poker in that the games do not allow players to exchange cards in their hands for new cards from the deck. Many variations of community card poker exist. One of these is Elevator poker. Elevator poker introduces a multiplicity of betting rounds as well as unique elements that make it one of the most exciting poker games to play.

How to Play Elevator

In Elevator poker, players begin by placing antes. The quantity of a game's ante will be determined by the specific context in which you're playing. Some games of Elevator will integrate blinds. Usually, there are two types of blinds - small and large. The large blind is equal to the sum total of all players' antes, and the small blind is equal to half the large blind.

4 cards are initially distributed to each player. 2 are dealt face up and 2 are face down. Following this, the dealer places 7 community cards face down in the shape of an H. There are 2 columns, each containing 3 vertical cards and one card in the middle.

The community cards are then turned face up one by one, starting with the left column, moving to the right and finishing with the middle. After each card is turned over, there is a betting round. Betting proceeds to the left of the dealer, starting with the player to the left of the player who placed the large blind, if applicable. If not, betting starts with the player to the left of the dealer. In some variations of Elevator, the first player to bet is determined by having high or low face up cards.

Creating an Elevator Hand

Like Texas Hold'em, Elevator players make the best possible 5-card hand out of 7 available cards. The catch, however, is that players may only use 3 of the 7 community cards, and these three must all be in the same row. Elevator gets its name from the mobility of the middle card. Players can choose to use either the top, middle or bottom row of cards, always including the middle card.

For example, say the left column contains a 9, 3 and King. Respectively, the right column contains a 6, Jack and 10, and the middle card is a Queen. You can choose to use 9, Queen and 6, 3, Queen and Jack or King, Queen and 10. Make sure to understand the difference between columns and rows in determining which cards you can use. Horizontal rows, not vertical columns are available for use.

Once you choose which row to use, you'll have 7 possible cards from which to make a 5-card - 4 cards that were dealt to you and 3 community cards. In Elevator, bets can get very high. Furthermore, it's hard to predict who'll win until the final card is flipped.