Guts

Steps to Play

1. All players ante an agreed amount into the pot (typically $0.50 each).
2. For the first round, deal 3 cards face-down to each player AND deal a separate face-down dummy hand of 3 cards.
3. Players look at their cards secretly, then simultaneously declare 'in' or 'out'
4. If no one stays in (everyone is out), all players re-ante and re-deal. Some groups use a 'chicken fee' — everyone adds to the pot before the next deal.
5. If two or more players stay in, they reveal their hands. Best poker hand wins the pot. All losers who stayed in must match the entire pot (adding it to the next round's pot).
6. If exactly one player stays in, that player must reveal their hand and beat the dummy hand to win the pot. If they lose to the dummy, they match the pot and the game continues.
7. After each round, the card count shifts: Round 1 deals 3 cards, Round 2 deals 2 cards, Round 3 deals 1 card, then cycles back to 3 cards for Round 4, and so on.
8. For 2-card rounds, rank hands as pairs over high cards (no straights or flushes). For 1-card rounds, highest card wins.
9. All players (even those who were 'out' last round) may participate in subsequent rounds.
10. Repeat until one player stays in alone and beats the dummy hand, winning the pot.

How to Win

The game ends when only one player stays in on a round AND beats the dummy hand. That player wins the pot. If no one stays in, or the sole staying player loses to the dummy, the pot carries over and all players re-ante for the next round.

Tips & House Rules

• Pot growth can be explosive — a $0.50 ante with 5 players starts at $2.50, but after a few contested rounds it can balloon to $50+ very quickly. Consider agreeing on a pot cap before starting.
• The simultaneous reveal is critical — players must not react to others before showing their decision. Use the chip-in-fist method to keep it honest.
• The dummy hand creates a safety valve so the game can't end on a lucky bluff — you actually have to have a good hand.
• On 1-card rounds, nearly everyone has a legitimate shot, which can shake up strategy significantly.
• Consider a 'chicken fee' rule: if no one stays in, everyone antes again before the redeal — this discourages passive play.
• The loser matching the pot (not just doubling it) means multiple losers in one round can massively inflate the stakes. Be aware going 'in' is a big commitment.