§ 637a.20. Triple Draw Poker; procedures for dealing the cards; completion of each round of play.
(a) A certificate holder that offers Triple Draw Poker shall observe the procedures in this section.
(b) No more than seven players may participate in a Triple Draw Poker game. Each player who elects to participate in a round of play may be required to place an Ante bet. The rules governing the placement of an Ante bet and the amount of the Ante bet, if any, and the Kill or Half-kill option, if offered, must be specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 (relating to table games Rules Submissions) and posted on a sign at each Poker table.
(c) A button shall be used to indicate the order in which the cards shall be dealt and the order in which players shall bet in accordance with following procedures:
(1) At commencement of play, the button shall be placed in front of either:
(i) The first player to the right of the dealer.
(ii) The player randomly determined by rank of a single card dealt.
(2) Thereafter, the button shall rotate around the table in a clockwise manner after each round of play.
(d) Before any cards are dealt, the player to the immediate left of the button shall initiate the first betting round by placing a Blind Bet. A certificate holder may require additional Blind Bets to be made immediately after the initial Blind Bet. The amount and number of all Blind Bets required must be specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 and posted on a sign at the table.
(e) The player to the left of the player who placed a Blind Bet may place a Straddle Bet, if offered by the certificate holder. The rules governing the placement of a Straddle Bet and the amount of the Straddle Bet, if any, must be specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 and posted on a sign at each Poker table. No more than one Straddle Bet may be made during a round of play.
(f) Starting with the player to the immediate left of the button and continuing around the table in a clockwise manner, the dealer shall deal five rounds of cards face down to each player. The player with the button shall be the last player to receive a card each time.
(g) After each player has been dealt five cards in accordance with subsection (f), each player, starting with the player to the left of the player or players who were required to place a Blind Bet or the player who placed a Straddle Bet, if offered, and continuing around the table in a clockwise manner, may fold, call or raise the bet. The option to raise also applies to a player who made a Blind Bet or Straddle Bet. After the last player has responded to the most recent bet, the betting round shall be considered complete.
(h) The dealer shall then burn the top card of the deck. Each player who has not folded, starting with the player to the immediate left of the button and continuing in a clockwise rotation, shall have the opportunity to draw new cards one player at a time. Each player may keep his original hand or discard as many cards as he chooses. Each discarded card shall be replaced by the dealer with a new card from the deck. If an insufficient number of cards remain in the deck for a player to draw new cards, the discarded cards, except the cards discarded by that player, shall be reshuffled and the new cards shall be dealt to the player. The first player to the left of the button who has not folded shall commence the next betting round and may bet or check. Each subsequent player may, in clockwise rotation, fold, call, raise or, if preceding players have not made a bet, make an opening bet or check. After the last player has responded to the most recent bet, the second betting round shall be considered complete.
(i) Upon completion of the second betting round, the dealer shall burn the top card of the deck. Each player who has not folded shall then have the opportunity to draw new cards in accordance with subsection (h). The next betting round shall be commenced and completed in accordance with subsection (h).
(j) Upon completion of the third betting round, the dealer shall burn the top card of the deck. Each player who has not folded shall then have the opportunity to draw new cards in accordance with subsection (h). The fourth and final betting round shall be commenced and completed in accordance with subsection (h).
(k) If more than one player remains in the round of play after the final betting round has been completed, a showdown shall be used to determine the winner of the pot. The winner of the pot shall be the player with the highest ranking five-card low hand provided that:
(1) Hands are counted from the highest card in the hand to the lowest card in the hand.
(2) If a tie exists between two or more players for the highest ranking low hand, the pot shall be divided equally among the tied players. If the pot cannot be divided equally among the tied players, the excess, which may not exceed $1, shall be given to the player specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2.
(3) In 2-7 Lowball Poker:
(i) An ace is used only as a high card.
(ii) The best possible 2-7 Lowball Poker hand is 7-5-4-3-2 with all five cards not of the same suit.
(iii) A straight, flush or pair shall be considered for purposes of determining a winning hand.
(4) In Ace-5 Lowball Poker:
(i) An ace is used only as a low card.<637a-33;000000;473;Apr. ;14>
(ii) The best possible A-5 Lowball Poker hand is a 5-4-3-2-A, regardless of suit.
(iii) A straight or flush shall not be considered for purposes of determining a winning hand.
(l) Notwithstanding the requirements in subsection (k), if specified in its Rules Submission, the certificate holder may offer Triple Draw Poker and split the pot awarded between players as follows:
(1) In 2-7 Lowball Poker, if Badeucey is being offered:
(i) Half of the pot shall be awarded to the highest ranking 2-7 Lowball Poker hand and the other half of the pot shall be awarded to the player with the best Badugi hand. For purposes of Badeucey, a Badugi hand is a hand in which four of the player’s five cards are of a different suit from the others and rank in accordance with § 637a.6(c) (relating to Poker rankings) with the best Badugi hand being a 2, 3, 4 and 5.
(ii) If the pot cannot be split evenly, the excess, which may not exceed $1, shall be given to the player with the highest 2-7 Lowball Poker hand.
(2) In A-5 Lowball Poker, if Badacey is being offered:
(i) Half of the pot shall be awarded to the highest ranking A-5 Lowball Poker hand and the other half of the pot shall be awarded to the player with the best Badugi hand. For purposes of Badacey, a Badugi hand is a hand in which four of the player’s five cards are of a different suit from the others and rank in accordance with § 637a.6(c) with the best Badugi hand being an ace, 2, 3 and 4.
(ii) If the pot cannot be split evenly, the excess, which may not exceed $1, shall be given to the player with the highest A-5 Lowball Poker hand.
Authority The provisions of this § 637a.20 issued under 4 Pa.C.S. § § 1202(b)(30), 1207(3) and (9) and 13A02(1), (2) and (4).
Source The provisions of this § 637a.20 adopted January 31, 2014, effective February 1, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 619.
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