Poker is arguably the most popular card game in the world. But there are many different versions of it. In this game guide, we’ll be looking at the Baseball card game. This version of Poker isn’t quite as common but is still good fun.
The rules and gameplay might seem familiar if you have played similar games like Irish Poker or Seven Card Stud. But like all variations of Poker, there are some unique rules to learn.
If you’re looking for a fun group card game like Five Crowns or a game to play down at the pub/ bar, then Baseball Poker would be a great choice. But, first, let’s learn a bit more about how the game works.
What is The Baseball Poker Card Game?
Baseball Poker is similar to five and seven-card stud. But there are a few crucial differences; for one thing, threes and nines are always wild. This is because, in Baseball, there are three strikes and nine innings.
Cards are also dealt in a slightly different way in this game. When the game starts, each player is dealt three cards (two cards are dealt face down, while the other is dealt face up); all players need to make a bet.
Then each player is dealt one more card, and another round of betting takes place. Anyone still playing after this can bet again, and the remaining players are dealt one final card. Players will then turn over their cards to see who wins the pot.
Baseball Poker isn’t a game you’ll find in casinos or online, but it’s an enjoyable card game well worth playing. It’s a bit of a “hidden gem” and recommended for fans of other Poker-style games. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to play.
What You’ll Need To Play?
All you need to play the Baseball Poker card game is a deck of playing cards and Poker chips. Any cards can be used, but we like these Hoyle Waterproof Clear Playing Cards. They have an eye-catching design, and because they are waterproof, they can be used in bars/ pubs without issue.
Playing cards are good fun for all manner of games but can get damaged easily. So, opting for waterproof cards or high-quality playing cards like those from Bee is a good idea. While you can play with money, most play with Poker Chips.
You can find Poker Chips online in many different sets. We like these Da Vinci Poker Chips, there and they come in a variety of different colors.
Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of The Game
The aim of Baseball Poker is to win! You do this by getting the best hand and out bluffing your opponents. However, like all versions of Poker, you can still win even with a bad hand if you can make your opponents think your hand is better than it is.
Poker is a simple game when you learn what all the hand values are. But mastering the game is quite tricky a lot of it comes down to how you present yourself. Therefore, the importance of a good Poker face can be overestimated.
The Set-Up
To start, one player should be chosen to be the dealer. You can decide this however you want; the dealer doesn’t have an advantage or disadvantage during the game. Ideally, it should be the most experienced card player.
The dealer will shuffle the deck and then deal each player three cards one at a time. The first two cards should be dealt face down, with the third being dealt face up. Once all this is done, players should look at their hands and decide whether to bet or not.
Any players that decide to stay in the game will receive one more face-down card. After this, they’ll be another round of betting, and then the remaining players will receive one final face-down card. Thus, in the last game, players should have four face-down cards and one face-up card.
Players then turn over their cards, and the player with the highest hand value will take the pot. While this might all sound simple enough, there are a few other essential things to learn if you want to play. So first, let’s take a look at the hand values.
The Hand Values
Learning the hand values can be difficult, especially for beginners. So, feel free to have them written down while you play till you get the hang of things. We’ve listed the values below from the lowest to the highest value.
No Hand/ Pair: If you have no pair or sequence, you can’t build a proper hand. This is the lowest value combination and more common than you might think.
- One Pair: One pair of matching cards alongside three others.
- Two Pair: Two matching pairs of cards alongside a single random card.
- Three of a Kind: Three matching cards alongside two other random cards.
- Straight: Five cards in a numerical sequence, but not of the same suit.
- Flush: Five cards in the same suit, but not in a numerical sequence.
- Full House: Three matching cards of the same rank, alongside a matching pair.
- Four of a Kind: Four matching cards of the same rank, alongside a single random card.
- Straight Flush: Five cards of the same suit in a numerical sequence.
Special Rules
Learning the hand values isn’t the only homework; you need to know a few unique rules in Baseball Poker. The first is the wild cards; in this game, both three and nine cards are wild. These wild cards work in the same manner as they do in games like Uno.
Which means they can take the place of any other card, making them very valuable. The other special rule to remember is the face-up card. Every player is dealt one face-up card; if this is a three, you will need to match the current pot on your next bet.
If your face-up card is a four, you are dealt a bonus card, known as a hole card, and should be dealt immediately face down. So, that’s everything you need to know about the Baseball Poker game.
Baseball Poker – An Underrated Card Game
So, that’s the low-down on this underrated card game. Baseball Poker can be played with between two to six people and is sure to be a good time. Experienced Poker players will enjoy it, but even beginners to Poker-style games will have plenty of fun.
