Red Dog Rules

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Red Dog Poker is often known as In Between Poker. Players bet according to the odds of receiving a 3rd card that falls between the ranks of their two pocket cards. Players play against the ‘house’ or dealer rather than against each other.

The Deal Each player puts up their bet and is dealt two face-up cards.

Starting with the player to the dealer’s left, the players decide whether or not to add money to their original bet based on their two cards. Players can bet an extra amount up to his original bet (if a player originally bet $2, that player can bet up to $2 more, for a total of $4).

The Play When a player decides to play on, there are three outcomes:

1) If a player’s two cards form a pair (e.g. 3♠ 3♥), the dealer deals that player a 3rd card. If the 3rd card matches the other two (and forms a three-of-a-kind), the player is paid 11:1 on their bet (i.e. 11 times their bet, plus their original bet). If the 3rd card does not match the other 2, then a ‘push’ occurs where the player neither wins nor loses, but keeps their original bet.

2) If the player’s two cards are consecutive (e.g. 2♣ 3♥), then it is a push.

3) If the player’s two cards neither match nor are consecutive, the dealer announces how many cards fall between the player’s two cards. This is called the ‘spread’ (e.g. if a player has 3♥ 10♦ the spread is six, as six cards fall between 3 and 10 – 4,5,6,7,8, and 9).

Players now must decide to bet based on their spread and the payout rates associated with each spread. Essentially, the player is betting on receiving a 3rd card that falls within his spread (i.e. between the values of his two current cards).

Players with a spread then choose how much to add to their original bet (again their maximum bet is up to the amount of their original bet). Then the player is dealt a 3rd card.

If the player’s 3rd card’s rank is between their first two cards, the dealer pays the player according to the spread table below: 1-card spread pays 5:1 (player wins back their bet plus a win of five times their bet) 2-card spread pays 4:1 3-card spread pays 3:1 4(+)-card spread pays 1:1

If the 3rd card does not fall between the player’s two cards or is equal to one of them, the player loses his bet.

Variations

Hitting the post – When playing a spread, if a player’s third card is the same rank as one of his other cards, the player loses double his bet.