Online Poker » Dealers Choice Games » Kings and Deuces

Wild card games like Kings and Deuces are not commonly found on the casino floor or at an online poker site. They are, however, a fun way to change the house rules for private games and to level out the playing field so that players of all skill level can enjoy. Kings and Deuces is a variation of Stud Poker and can be played with either five or seven cards. Kings and Deuces is strictly a high/low split game.

Kings and Deuces Rules

Learning to play Kings and Deuces will require a basic understanding of stud poker rules. Whether you are playing with five cards or seven, the rules of game play are relatively unchanged, save for the appearance of wild cards. The reason why Kings and Deuces must always be played high/low split is because the card which is wild will change depending on which half of the pot you are going for. When playing for a low hand, your kings will count as wild cards. When playing for a high hand, your deuces will count as wild. These cards can also be played for face value.

The actual game play of Kings and Deuces is identical to stud poker without any wild cards. When playing in a five card game, you are dealt one face down card and four cards facing up, with betting rounds taking place after the second, third, fourth and final card are dealt. In a seven card game of Kings and Deuces you will receive two face down cards to start, four face up cards and then a final face down card, with betting rounds starting after the third card is dealt. When playing in a high/low split half of the pot will go to the player with the highest hand, while the other half will go to the player with the lowest.

There are some variations on the way that Kings and Deuces is played. In some versions, there is an eight or better rule in effect to win the lower pot. This means that no player going for the lower pot can have anything better than a seven in his hand. There may also be rules that make pairs, straights and flushes count against you when going for the lower pot and aces may count as a high card. In some games of Kings and Deuces, you will have to properly declare your hand in order for it to count. Always check with the house rules before buying into a game of Kings and Deuces.

Kings and Deuces Strategies

When playing in a game of Kings and Deuces, you should use the same basic strategy you would use for a split pot high/low stud game albeit with a few tweaks to compensate for wild cards. As most house rules will not allow you to win both pots in a Kings and Deuces game, you will have to decide which pot you want to try for. It may not always be worthwhile to use the wild cards as such, especially if they were better used at face value. Be aware of which potential wild cards your opponent has and plan accordingly. You can also bluff opponents and make them think you are using a king or deuce as a wild card while going for the other pot.