Red Dog

This fast betting game, also known as High Card Pool, is very popular among American news reporters. It needs little skill, and is usually played for low stakes.

a) One standard pack of 52 cards;
b) Betting chips or cash.

From two to ten.

The cards rank in normal order, with Ace high. The suits are not ranked.

Players bet on holding a higher ranking card of the same suit than a card dealt from the pack.

This is by deal: first Ace to appear.

Standard.

Before each deal, each player, including the dealer, puts an equal amount into the centre of the table to form a pool. This amount is known as the ante.

The dealer deals five cards face down to each player, including himself, beginning with the player to his left, and going clockwise. (Fours cards each are dealt, if players prefer, or if more than eight are playing.)

All players look at their cards. Play begins with the player to the dealer's left. He must bet, if he wants to stay in the game. To bet, he places his stake in front of him, near the pool.

The minimum bet is equal to the ante. The maximum bet is equal tothe total in the pool at the time. The dealer must keep note of all bets.

If a player does not wish to stay in the game, he must pay a forfeit equal to the minimum bet, but may then place his hand face down on the table without showing it.

The dealer deals the top card of the pack face up onto the table in front of the bettor. If the player holds a card of higher rank in the same suit, he wins; If not, he loses.

If he has won, he shows the winning card only; He receives back his bet and an equal amount from the pool.

If he has lost, he shows his entire hand, and his bet is added to the pool.

In either case his hand is then placed face down in front of him.

It is then the turn of the next player to the left to bet and play.

When all players, including the dealer, have had a turn of play, the deal passes to the next player to the left. Any money in the pool remains, but all players ante again before the next round is dealt.

If the pool is emptied during a round, all players ante again, to allow the round to continue. They must still ante again before the next round begins.

Sometimes the pool becomes too large for the level of betting. It is best if a limit for the pool is agreed beforehand. If the pool passes that limit, it is divided among the players at the end of that round.

1) If a player receives no hand, or too many cards in his hand, he may not take part in the round. The dealer is not penalised.

2) If a player receives too few cards in his hand, he may bet if he wishes, or he may discard his hand without showing it, and without betting or paying a forfeit. The dealer is not penalised.

3) If the top card of the deck is accidentally exposed, it is discarded.

4) Once a player has stated his bet, he cannot alter it. A bet paid into the pool in error cannot be returned. A bet received from the pool in error cannot be taken back once the top card for the next player has been dealt.

Variants

Burning card version

The dealer burns a card from the top of the deck before each card that he exposes to settle a bet. That is, at each bettor's turn, the dealer discards the topmost card after turning it face up, and showing it to all the players. The next card is then turned up to decide whether the bettor has won or lost.

Red Dog can also be played as a banking game. The current dealer acts as banker. He does not deal himself a hand. Before the hand, the dealer places in front of him the money or chips he wishes to put at risk. This can be any amount he wishes. The players do not ante.

Each player in turn, excluding the banker, bets any amount he wishes upto the total then in the bank.

Any amount left in the bank at the end of the hand is returned to the banker. The bank and deal then pass one player to the left.

If the bank is emptied before all the players have had a turn, the hand ends, and the bank and deal pass at once.

From 'The Official World Encyclopedia of Sports and Games'
© Diagram Visual Information Ltd 1979