Online Poker » Dealers Choice Games » Hex

Hex is a relatively simple community card game that is played in the style of traditional Texas Hold'em or Omaha. If you're familiar with either of these card games, you should have no problem learning the rules of Hex. Although there are some strategy differences between Omaha and Hex, the main difference lies in the ways in which the community cards are dealt and revealed. It's also important to understand how to complete a poker hand in Hex, as it is much different from making a hand in Omaha. Hex can also played with an additional community card which is wild. This variation is known as Wild Hex.

Hex Rules

In the game of Hex, each player receives four hole cards similar to Omaha. The dealer then puts six community cards face down on the table in a hexagonal shape. Starting with one card and moving in a clockwise direction, you can think of these cards as A, B, C, D, E and F. This sort of labeling becomes important when the dealer begins to reveal the community cards. The order of the cards will also come into play when you are attempting to complete a winning poker hand.

After all of the cards have been placed on the table, it's time for the first round of betting. Next, the dealer flips over cards A and C simultaneously. Another betting round follows. The dealer then reveals cards D and F, followed by betting, and finally the reveal of cards B and E. A final round of betting then occurs. Any remaining players then enter into the showdown, where they'll be required to put together a poker hand according to the rules of Hex.

Forming a Hand in Hex

Your winning hand in Hex will be required to contain five cards, just as in basically any poker game. As in Omaha, you'll need to use exactly two of your own cards and three community cards. However, in Hex, you'll only be able to finish your hand with three consecutive community cards. Community cards are considered consecutive in accordance with their position on the table, not in the order in which they were revealed. For example, you might choose to complete your Hex hand with community cards D E F, E F A, or B C D. So long as the cards are adjacent on the table, they can be used to make a poker hand.

Wild Hex Variation

If you wish, you can play a variation of Hex known as Wild Hex. In this game, a seventh community card is placed facing down in the middle of the hexagon. This card is revealed after all of the other community cards, and it signifies which card rank will be wild. For example, if the wild card is a 10, then all 10s that are being used as hole cards are wild. Community cards cannot be wild.