Last Updated on February 12, 2026 by The Official Game Rules Team

Dealer’s Choice is a popular format for home poker games, typically played for entertainment rather than profit, even though money may be involved. The key feature of the game is that the dealer chooses a different poker variant for each hand. For general poker rules, refer to the page on poker basics. This page focuses specifically on the rules of Dealer’s Choice.

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How to Play Dealer’s Choice Poker

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Players and Cards

Dealer’s Choice is best played with 5 to 7 players, with six being the ideal number. With more players, the number of playable variants can be limited, while fewer players may make some variants less interesting.

A standard 52-card deck without jokers is used. To minimize downtime between hands, it’s recommended to have two decks with different colored backs so one can be shuffled while the other is dealt.

The ante and betting limits should be agreed upon by the players, and each player should buy in for at least a set minimum amount of chips, such as 50 times the minimum bet. If using cash, each player should bring at least this amount to the table.

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The Deal

The first dealer is chosen randomly, for example, by dealing cards face-up until a jack appears. After that, players take turns dealing clockwise around the table, with one exception mentioned later.

Before dealing, the dealer announces the variant to be played. It’s important that the dealer can explain the rules clearly and address any special rules or options. Regular groups often establish a set of preferred variants, but the variety of games is part of the fun, so groups may occasionally try new variants or experiment with dealer inventions, as long as the rules are thought out in advance.

To keep the game moving smoothly, players should decide what variant they’ll choose when it’s their turn to deal, allowing the game to continue without hesitation.

If issues arise, such as rule ambiguities or mistakes in dealing, the dealer is responsible for resolving them fairly. Once significant action has occurred, the game must continue, and the situation must be handled in a way that allows the current deal to proceed.

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Multi-Deal Variants

Some variants are designed to last for multiple deals, such as those that continue until the pot is emptied. In these cases, it’s often unfair for the player who called the variant to keep dealing due to the positional advantage. The deal should rotate to the left until the variant is complete, after which it returns to the player to the left of the one who originally called the multi-deal variant.

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The Games

The range of possible variants is virtually unlimited. For a full list visit out Casino Card Games page, with stud poker games and their variations being particularly popular. There are also draw and shared card games that work well. Additionally, it’s common to include non-poker games like Badugi, Guts, 7-27, Bourré, and Acey Deucey, which may not be traditional poker variants but are still suitable for similar player numbers and have a gambling element.

Some of the most popular variants include:

1. Texas Hold’em – The most widely recognized poker game, with two hole cards and five community cards.

2. Omaha (and Omaha Hi-Lo) – Four hole cards, must use exactly two with three community cards; Hi-Lo splits the pot between best high and best low hands.

3. Seven-Card Stud – No community cards; players get a mix of face-up and face-down cards over multiple betting rounds.

4. Razz – A lowball version of Seven-Card Stud where the lowest five-card hand wins.

5. Five-Card Draw – Each player gets five cards, can discard and draw replacements to make the best hand.

6. Chicago Poker – A Seven-Card Stud variant where the pot can be split for having the highest or lowest spade in the hole.

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Winning the Game

1. One Player Wins All the Chips (Cash Game or Tournament Style)

• If playing a cash game, players can leave whenever they want. The session ends when players decide to stop.
• In a tournament, the last player with chips wins after eliminating all opponents.

2. Pre-Set Time or Hands Limit

• Some groups set a specific time limit (e.g., “We play for 3 hours”), and the player with the most chips at the end wins.
• Others may set a hand limit (e.g., “We’ll play 50 hands”), and the player with the most chips after the final hand wins.

3. Buy-In and Cash-Out (If Using Real Money)

• Players buy in with a fixed amount, and after a set time, everyone cashes out their chips.
• The player with the most chips profits the most.

The specific win condition should be agreed upon before the game starts.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many players should play Dealer’s Choice?

Dealer’s Choice works best with 5 to 7 players, with six being the ideal number.

2. What deck is used in Dealer’s Choice?

A standard 52-card deck without jokers is used. It’s also helpful to have two decks with different colored backs to reduce downtime between deals.

3. Who decides the variant in Dealer’s Choice?

The dealer announces the poker variant to be played before each hand. Players may take turns choosing the variant as they deal.

4. What happens if there’s a mistake during the game?

If any issues arise, such as ambiguities or mistakes in dealing, it is the dealer’s responsibility to resolve them fairly while ensuring the game continues without restarting the hand.

5. Can non-poker games be played in Dealer’s Choice?

Yes, it is common to include non-poker games such as Badugi, Guts, 7-27, and others, as long as they are suitable for the player count and have a gambling element.