Burlesque Poker

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. I think it works better if everyone turns their card up simultaneously, because if the cards are revealed one at a time it would provide too large of an advantage to the player showing last.

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).