Poker/Control

Control is a variant of Seven-Card Stud poker.

How To Play

Each player antes and is dealt two cards face down followed by one face up card. Betting begins with the player with the highest card. The other players follow.

Next, the person with the highest "up" hand is in control, and must decide to "let it ride" or re-deal. If the player wants to re-deal, then the cards are shuffled and everyone re-antes and the game is re-dealt. If the player "lets it ride", he can then check or bet.

After everyone has called, raised, or folded; everyone is dealt one more down card. After this, there is no more betting to take place. The winner is the one with the highest hand. Everyone who stays and loses owes a pre-set amount to the next pot. The game is not over until only one person is left in.

Notes

Most of the time no betting takes place until the end of the last up card. If you have a flush on the fifth card, you could only have a Jack high up, while someone has a pair of threes they are in control and can re-deal it if they see you betting.

When the controller goes, and bets if you are on his left you could raise with a medium or good drawing hand in the hope of getting more people out, and if they do not fold you could still hit and win a bigger pot.