Lucky House

Contributed by William Chamberlin

Players: 2-8

History: In a late night June 2007 my mother and I were playing with cards. Still thinking of ways to mix a poker hold'em game with a trick-taking game this amazing wonderful fast paced card game was born. After inventing a simple version of this game I later refined it to this. A true fusion of Texas Hold'em and Trick-Taking games. I give credit to my mother Patricia for the game's name.

Card Rankings from low to high: 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,Jack,Queen,King,Ace, Little Joker, Big Joker. There is no trump suit.

Object of the game: Match the suit of the house card and out rank it.

The game can be played with or without Joker cards.

Deal and Betting System:

There are two versions: a two-card game omitting the optional steps 7 and 8 below, and a three-card game including all steps.

1. Shuffle then put the deck face down on the table. Players place blinds and/or antes as in poker.
2. Deal one card to each player face down. Players may look at their own cards.
3. Have a betting round, as in poker.
4. Deal one "House" card face up on table (Flop)
5. Have a second betting round
6. Deal everyone another card face down. (Turn)
7. (Optional) Have a third betting round.
8. (Optional) Deal everyone third and final card face down. (River)
9. Have Final betting round and "Showdown" where all players who have not folded show their best card, placing it face up on the table in hopes to win the trick and the pot.

The "trick" is won by the best joker, or if there is no joker in play by the highest card of the same suit as the house card. Cards of other suits have no power to win.

If the house card takes the trick, the pot is split equally between the players who did not fold.