Community card poker variants III
There are many home variations of community card poker games and although often played for fun and less serious low stakes, these can give much thrill and enjoyment to the quintessential poker player with their rich variety of gameplay.
As the name suggests, the tic-tac-toe game of community card poker involves a 3 X 3 square arrangement. So the players have two cards initially dealt which they can combine with any three consecutive community cards out of the 9-card board either in horizontal, vertical or diagonal set of three. The variation of this game differs in how many betting rounds are played and how the community cards are dealt. The basic tic-tac-toe game of community card poker is played when after the two private hole cards are dealt and the top three set of community cards are placed, the betting round is opened. Next the bottom three community cards are dealt and another betting round happens. This is followed by placing two community cards in the middle layer so that the centermost position lies vacant and yet another round of betting takes place. The fourth and final round of betting is done when the ninth and final community card is placed in the center of the arrangement. Then is showdown time for the players.
A variation of the game gives each player three or four hole cards of which he can use only two along with the three community cards from the board arranged in the 3 X 3 grid pattern. An adaptation of the game favored by rookie players practicing with poker hand play is where the 9-card board is set up and retained. Now two hole cards are dealt to each player and one who has the highest hand is determined as the winner. Here, the community cards remain set throughout a single game involving many hands while the players receive a new dealing of hole cards during each new hand of play.
