Commander Poker: Revised Betting Rules for EDH
Overview: Commander Poker adds a structured betting phase to EDH, where players wager chips each round, similar to poker. The game continues until a single player remains, with betting rounds influencing strategic decisions, alliances, and concessions.
Setup: Each player starts with 50 chips (or another agreed-upon amount). – Before the game starts, each player antes 5 chips into the central pot. – Chips are used for betting rounds but have no real-world cash value unless all players agree otherwise.
Betting Rounds: Betting occurs at the end of each round (after the last player in turn order has gone). – The first player (starting with the one after the last player in turn order) may check (pass) or raise (increase the bet). – Once a player raises, the other players must respond in turn order by:
1. Calling – Matching the current bet.
2. Raising – Increasing the bet (forcing another round of calls).
3. Folding – Conceding the game and forfeiting all bets already made
All-In & Separate Pots- If a player cannot cover a full bet, any chips they cannot match go into a separate pot that they are not eligible to win. – Players who go all-in may still continue playing, but they cannot bet further.
Winning & Pot Distribution: The game continues until only one player remains. The last surviving player wins the main pot and any additional pots they are eligible for. – If the last player standing is not eligible for a side pot, it goes to the second-to-last player still in the game. If they are also ineligible, it goes to the third-to-last, and so on. – If multiple players are tied for a side pot (e.g., a combo wins the game but doesn’t directly eliminate all other players), the game continues without the winner for the remaining players to compete for the pot.
Additional Strategy & Variations: Bounty Rule: Players may offer side bets to eliminate specific opponents (e.g., “5 chips to the first player who knocks out Jeff”). Buy-Back Rule: If all players agree, players can purchase extra chips by sacrificing cards, permanents, or life points.
Final Thoughts: This revised Commander Poker format blends the strategic depth of EDH with the tension and mind games of poker. The structured betting phase after each round creates an exciting layer of risk, bluffing, and tactical concessions while keeping gameplay fair and engaging. Would your playgroup try this? ♠️🎲💰