Hold em High: House Rules is a light-weight, modern twist on Texas Hold em. The player with the most money after 6 rounds wins! Each player starts the game with 6 poker chips in their color. Players take turns to either Pass, Lock, Bet or Cheat. There are 6 cheats, each are worker placement spaces (Swap, Shoot, Buy, Peek, Re-Draw, Double-Down). Lock a card by placing a chip on it, so it s safe from cheats. Pass to add a card to the card row. If you pass with a full card row, then trigger the Showdown instead. Passing doesn t use workers. Whoever wins the showdown (comparing poker hands) wins as many dollars (victory points) as they have unused poker chips. To start the next round, recollect your 6 poker chips and deal new poker cards! The biggest selling points are that it simulates cheating at a poker table, no one is ever out of a round, you can always redraw so you re never stuck with a bad hand, and there s tension between using workers or scoring more points. Even if you lose the pot, you can earn money by betting on the winner. What s more, you have a hidden card and face cards are marked! —description from the designer

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