Wild Cards, By mutual prior agreement certain cards are designated as wild. The wild card can be used to represent any card of any suit and any denomination, even as a duplicate of a card already held by the player. Here are some wild-card combinations:

The joker, which when added to a standard pack makes it a 53-card deck. Often more than one joker is introduced into the play poker . If no joker is handy, any fifty-third card can be marked joker and added to the deck, as wild.
Deuces are the most popular wild cards next to the joker. Any one of the deuces, or the two black deuces, or the two red, or all four deuces may by mutual consent be declared wild.
In combination with one or more of the above variations, threes are occasionally declared wild cards.
It is not unusual for players to declare wild the low card of a five-card hand, the one-eyed jacks, the jacks with mustaches, the black sevens, or the profile kings. For that matter, any card or group of cards may be arbitrarily designated as wild.

The following are the rank of Poker hands with one or more wild cards (in order of their value, Rank 1 being the highest and Rank 12 lowest):

RANK OF POKER HANDS WITH ONE OR MORE WILD CARDS

Five of a kind (the highest-ranking hand)
Royal flush
Straight flush
Four of a kind
Full house
Double-ace flush
Flush
Straight
Three of a kind
Two pairs
One pair
High card (but of course this can occur only when none of active players has a wild card).

Rank of Low Poker Hands. Low or High Low poker differs from other forms of the game in that either low or both high and low hands bid for the pot. This one variation in Poker rules has such a great effect on the play of a hand, and provides so many unusual and interesting situations and strategies, that it has replaced many others forms of Poker. The rank or value of high hands is the same as in any Poker game; however, low hands are the reverse. Originally, aces were only treated as a high card when declaring low. Thus the best low hand was seven, five, four, three, and deuce of mixed suits. The Scarne rule that follows is to count the aces as both high and low. Therefore the “perfect” low hand is six, four, three, two, and ace of mixed suit, it counts as a flush. If you announce low, it is still counted as a flush, similarly ace-two-three-four-five, three, two, and ace. Treating the aces as either high or low adds extra zip skill to the game.

The Low Poker hand is evaluated by the rank of its highest card; if there is a tie between highest cards, by the rank of its second card, etc. The value of the lowest card is irrelevant to the hand’s value except when on the showdown the four higher cards are exactly matched by another player’s. Example: A mixed suit hand such as a nine, seven, six, five, and three, being a nine low, would beat a mixed suit nine low with nine, eight, six, five, and three. To repeat, the lowest–ranking perfect hand at High-Low Poker is the six, four, three, two, and ace in mixed suits.
Here in categories called ranks, I list the best hands at High-Low Poker. These are mixed suits, of course. Any hand in a superior rank beats any hand listed below it.

6-4-3-2-A
6-5-3-2-A
6-5-4-2-A
6-5-4-3-A
7-4-3-2-A
7-5-3-2-A
7-5-4-2-A
7-5-4-3-A
7-5-4-3-2
And so on

How to Declare in High-Low Poker. There are two basic methods of declaring (announcing) high or low, or both high-lows, before the showdown in all High-Low Poker games. They are: (1) simultaneous declaration, which is recommended for high-limit games, and (2) consecutive declaration, which is recommended for low-limit games.
The Simultaneous Declaration. Prior to the showdown, each player takes two chips and moves both hands under the table. He returns one clenched fist to the center of the table. Now, when all the active players have their hands above the table, the dealer calls “Open.” All players must open their hands immediately. The absence of a chip indicates a low call; the presence of one chip indicates a low call. The presence of two chips indicates the player is going for both high and low. If chips are not available, coins can be used.

The Consecutive Declaration. Prior to the showdown in all High-Low games, the player who made the last aggressive move (raised or bet first on the final betting round) declares first. If everyone checked on the final round, the high hand showing must declare first. Declarations then proceed in clockwise rotation from one active player to another. In all the High-Low Draw Poker games, should all players check on the last round, the last aggressive player in the preceding round or rounds must declare first.
It is a sad but true that in this consecutive method, it is a great advantage to call last, or near the end of the declaration, because very often a player with good position is able to win half of the pot with a very weak hand because all others have declared in one director. Such a position is called being in the driver’s seat.

How Winners Are Determined in High-Low Poker. A winner in High-Low Poker games is determined as follows:

When the playing High-Low Poker variations the player holding the highest –ranking hand, provided he has declared for high, and the player holding the lowest-ranking hand, provided he has declared for low, share the pot equally.
If a player declares his hand incorrectly and the port has not yet been collected, he may correct the error; but if the pot has been collected the error must stand.

The rank of a low hand is inverse to the rank of a high hand. If the hand contains less than a pair, its determinant is its highest ranking card; if two players are tied as to highest–ranking card, the next highest –ranking card decides the winner, etc. See rank of High-Low Poker hands.
When a player announces for low, he no longer has any interest in low.
When a player announces for high, he no longer has any interest in low.
When a player announces high-low both, he must win both high and low to collect the pot. Should be losing either way or tie for either high or low, he loses the entire pot.
If two or more players are tied for low, half the pot is equally divided among the winners tied for low. The other half of the pot goes to the winner, or winners, with the high hand. If there is an indivisible amount left over and a lone player has bid either high or low, he gets it. Otherwise, it goes into the next pot.
If there are two or more players in at the showdown and they all declare high, the higher of the hand takes the entire pot. If they all declare low, the lower of the hand takes the pot.

Preparation for the Play: The Banker and His Duties. One of the players is selected by mutual or majority consent to be the banker for that session of play. If cash is to be used in the betting, the banker must make change and see that players bet or ante properly. As a rule it is he who takes the cut out of certain pots (which pots and how much cut are determined by the players) and puts that cash into a kitty- used to buy cares, food, drinks, or to help pay the rent. Under the common usage, all other players help the banker with these chores during the play. If chips are used the banker keeps the supply, sells them to the players, and redeems them to settle accounts at the end of the game.
Professional Poker, or the House Game. In a house, club, or casino game, the management:

Supplies all the essentials for Poker playing, namely, the gaming room, a special kind of Poker table, the chips, and the cards, and a dealer or lookout man or both.
Takes a cut (charge) in return for these goods and services. The amount of the cut is just exactly what the traffic will bear then and there, in that ward of the city, in that month of the year. Some houses, perhaps a majority, impose a direct charge of 25 to 50 cents on the winner of each pot.
Many Poker clubs, including the licensed California Poker clubs, rent tables at hourly rates and supervise the honesty of play.

Value of the Chips. Nationwide, this is the most common evaluation of poker chips:
White – 1 unit, Red – 5 units, Blue – 10 units, Yellow – 25 units. The value of cash for each of the units is entirely up to the players. It may range from 1 to 5 cents, 10 to 30 cents, 25 cents to $1, $ 1 to $ 4, $ 2 to $ 8, etc.

Optional Rules better Discussed Before the Start of the Game. The following points should be covered before any Poker game is started:

There must be common agreement on the kind of game to be played. Local conventions on such things as royalties and bonuses must be talked over before the game, and reduced to writing on a pad. These conventions or rulings must be thoroughly understood by all players.
Although any player has the right to quit whenever he wants to, a time limit must be decided on before the start of the game.
Before play starts, there must be common agreement as to the amount of the ante if any, and minimum and maximum amount of money or chips that can be at any one time.

Freezing a Raise or Possible Raises. The following rule is recommended to Poker players who do not want restrictions on their raises but at the same time desire some protection against sandbagging. How often have you been sandwiched between two players who are raising and reraising each other with no consideration for you, and you had to cough up enough money to match their raises just to stay in till the decision?

You had made up your mind to stay to the biter end even if you lost all your money, and there were times when you did exactly that. The author counted 30 raises to stay in the pot. Then and there I decided something must be done to protect a player from being sand-bagged or whipsawed between two confederates, two cheaters, or two reckless players with no regard for the other men in the game. I give all Poker Players a rule that eliminates this hazard from Poker without putting a limit on the number of raises permitted. Here it is a freezer.
            A freezer is a special bet that can be used at any time and puts an end to all raises for that particular betting round. When a player bets the freezer, all other active players may drop out or stay by putting into the pot the amount of the freezer bet plus all previous bet amounts, if any. The amount of the freezer bet must be agreed on by mutual consent before the start of the game. I would suggest it to be equal to the maximum bet or four times the minimum bet permitted at the game in play.

            Royalties or Bonuses. Some players elect to pay a royalty to any player holding an exceptionally high-ranking hand, such, such as a royal flush, straight flush, or four of a kind. This is not incorporated in my rules, and is optional with players. I mention it just to make this chapter definitive and complete. Royalties and bonuses on a royal flush or any other kind of bonus hand are optional, but as a rule are from three to five times the amount of the maximum permitted bet. Each player, whether active or not, must pay the player holding the bonus hand the amount agreed on at the start of the game.
            Selecting the Dealer and Establishing Seating Positions at the Table. As a rule at the start of the game players may sit wherever they like. A new player may take any vacant seat he chooses unless the game is Dealer’s Edge or Ante, in which case he must wait until it becomes his turn to deal before he can have cards. Just to avoid any possible dispute about seating positions, the start of the game, the seating of new players, and the selection of the dealer, it might be well to incorporate the following rules into the game:

Any player shall by mutual or majority consent shuffle the cards, and the player to his right shall cut the deck.
The player acting as dealer shall deal one card to each player face up, starting with the player at his left, dealing clockwise around the table, and ending with himself.
The Player dealt the highest card shall become the first dealer and select any seat he wants.
The player with the next highest card selects any remaining seat, the player with the third highest any remaining seat, etc.
In case of ties, each of the tied players shall be dealt a new card face up until the tie is broken.
At the completion of each hand the deal shall pass to the player art the immediate left of the player who dealt that round.

The Shuffle. The dealer shuffled the cards. Any player may call for a shuffle at any time before the cut, although the dealer has the privilege of shuffling the cards last.
The Cut. After the cards have been shuffled, the dealer presents the pack to the player at his right to be cut. If he refuses to cut the cards, the player to that player’s right has the privilege of cutting, etc. If all other players refuse to cut, the dealer must cut. It is mandatory.
At least five cards must be in each of the cut packets should a player use a regular cut. Should he desire, a player may use the Scarne Cut or cut the deck more than once. After the cut, the cut portions must be squared or reunited and dealt as a complete pack. It is not permissible to pick up one cut portion of the pack and start dealing from it. A player can demand to have the cards cut again before a deal has started, but no player has the right to demand a cut after the deal has started, or at any other time.

            Asking for a New Cut. If a player does not like the way the cards have been cut before the start of the deal, doubting legitimacy of the cut or for any other reason, he may call for another cut; and any other player but the player calling for the new cut may cut the cards.
            The Deal. The dealer deals one card at a time to each player, starting with the leader (player to the dealer’s left) and continuing clockwise until each player in the game has the required number of cards. The cards are dealt face up or face down according to the rules of the game being played.
            Misdeal. In case of a misdeal there must be a new shuffle and cut. The same dealer deals again.
            Illegal Cutting of Cards. Under no circumstances may a player ask to cut the cards after a bet has been made. I must stress particularly that cards cannot be cut after the deal has started or for that matter at any other time except before the start of the deal unless some overt crookedness has been suspected.

            Five-Minute Time Period for a Play. If an active player is taking too much time to decide how to play his hand, any other active player may call time, and if the hesitant player fails to complete his play within 5 minutes, after time is called, his hand is dead: he is forced to drop out. Note: This situation happens often in a high-limit game; the author has seen players take a half hour or more to decide on a play.
            Changing Positions at the Table. At the completion of any hour of play, players may demand a new deal for a change in their seating positions. The procedure is the same as in establishing places at the table at the start of a game. The player whose turn it is to deal (10 deals for seating positions and (20 deals next hand in play.
            Tapping Out. When a player has put all his money into the pot and no longer can bet, it is called a tap-out. That player is permitted to play for the size of the pot up until the time he no longer has money. If the other players keep betting they put their bets to one side, as the tapping out player has no legal interest in that side pot. The tapping-out player receives cards until the hand is completed, and should he have the highest-ranking hand on the showdown, he wins only the original pot, not the side pot. That is won by the player having the highest ranking cards among the remaining bettors. Except in table stakes and freeze-out, when a player taps out and loses, he is out of the game. He cannot continue playing. However, if he wins on the tap-out and therefore has money, he may continue to play as before. A player is permitted only one tap-out during a poker session.

            When tapping out, a player may raise only if he still possesses an amount equal to the maximum limit so that in case of a reraise he can call the bet. A player cannot tap out with money on the table.
            Going Through the Discards. In no circumstances is a player permitted to look at the discards before or after the showdown. Nor is a player permitted to look at another player’s hand even though he is out of the pot. Looking through the undealt cards is forbidden. The above rules should be strictly enforced.
            Loaning Money or Chips. Under no circumstances is a player allowed to borrow money or chips from another player during the play. If a player desires to borrow money from another player, it must be done before the cards are dealt. Passing money or chips from one player to another during the play is not permitted.
            Betting for Another Player. Under no circumstances is a player permitted to ante or bet for another player.

            Angling. Angling is positively prohibited. For example, discussion among two or more players to split the pot regardless of the winner, or to give back part of the money, or ask for a free ride or call, or any violation of the Poker rules is prohibited.
            Over in the Pot. No money or chips may be taken out of the pot except when the stakes are cash, under which circumstances a player may take out his proper change after placing a bet at his turn of play. It must be observed by the entire player that the proper change is taken.
            Should a player ante or put into the pot an amount larger than required and thereafter should another player make a bet, the overage cannot be taken out of the pot.
            Exposed Hands on Showdown. All players, active or nonnative, are entitled to see all active player’s hands on the showdown, provided bet has been called. Therefore, on the showdown all the players in their proper turn must spread their cards face up on the table.
            Criticism. A player is not permitted under any circumstances to criticize another player’s methods. Poker is a game in which each man plays his own hand as he elects. No consideration should be expected by one player from another