Domino Poker (like 99 domino poker) is a Straight Poker adaptation that uses double six dominoes set, from which all the blank tiles and (1-1) have been taken off, leaving the set with 20 tiles. The game can be played by either four, three, or two players.
Before the hand is dealt, each player places a small proposed sum of money into the pot, which is called the ante bet, then the hand is dealt. There should always be five tiles despite the number of players playing the game. The tiles that are remaining should be left face down.
The Play
The game is played the same way as Straight Poker, where the play always rotates to the left, starting with the hand which is eldest. Each player has an option of doing the following when his turn to act comes:
- Check – The player can do this without adding money to the pot and still be in the game. A player can only check when no other player has bet yet, on the first-round betting.
- Fold- If a player doesn’t want to continue with the game, he has an option of folding, but he loses any claim to the money in the pot.
- Bet – The when a player decides to add money to the pot. Normally, a maximum and minimum size of the bet are proposed and agreed upon, before the hand begins.
- Call-This is done when the player decides to stay in the game, so he must put money to level with the other player. When every player hasn’t folded, and they’ve all placed the same amount of money in the pot, the betting round ends.
- Raising the bet – This happens when a player puts more money than the required amount for calling. The additional money is the raise amount; the player should announce that he has raised. The raise ups the game by increasing the amount that players should call if they want to stay in the game. The players usually agree before the game starts on the limit of the minimum and maximum size of a raise.
Scoring
Every Player shows his hand, and the player with the best hand wins the pot. Hands are ranked starting from highest to lowest:
- Royal Hand – Made up of all five double.
- Straight Sixes – Has a sequence in the sixes’ suit.
- Four of a kind – Consists of any four doubles.
- Straight Fives – Made of a sequence in the fives suit.
- Full House – The hand has two of any suit plus three doubles
- Straight Fours – This hand has a sequence in the fours’ suit.
- Triple or Three of a kind – Consists of any three doubles.
- Flush – Has five tiles of the same suit.
- One Pair – Made of any doubles.
- High card-When none of hands can be used, the winner will be decided by the highest double. When none of the hands are have a double, the winner will be decided by the highest pip in the highest suit.
