This is one of the wild card games we play at our Thursday night Oak Point poker game ( see Wild Card Poker: Hot Potato for another). I call it "Killer 55" and often deal it when it is my turn.

Five cards are dealt to each player, and five community cards are dealt face down. The community cards will be turned over one at a time, with a round of betting after each turn. Each player makes their best five card poker hand using their own cards and the community cards.

The "high" card that is turned up from the community cards is a "killer" - that is, if you have it in your cards, your hand is dead. Ace is always high, so if an Ace turns up in the community cards, that is the killer - but, if by chance that Ace pairs (two Aces turn up in the community cards), then the next highest card is the killer.

The "low" card in the community cards is wild. As a "2" is the lowest possible card, that would be the wild card if it turns up, and if you had a pair of two's in your hand, you'd have three wild cards to work with. But once again, if the low card pairs, then the next lowest card becomes the wild card.

It's possible (though unlikely) that the killer and the wild card turn out to be the same card. For example, if the community cards were two Aces, two threes, and a seven, the seven would be both the killer and the wild card. Players without a seven in their cards would only have one wild card to work with, as those who had sevens would have to discard their hands.

It's also possible (though very unlikely) to have no killer and no wild cards: three eights and a pair of sixes in the community cards would accomplish that.

You won't know for sure what will be wild and what will be a killer until the last community card is turned, but certain hands are obviously better than others. For example, if your cards are a 2-6 straight, you have an excellent chance of having a wild card. On the other hand, if you have a 10-A straight, you have a very good chance of being killed by the high card.

It's a fairly quick and fun game, give it a try.

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