Dice Hold'em is no-limit Texas Hold'em with a die. Whenever you bet or raise, you roll it, and the roll can leave your bet as it is, double it, or turn it into a huge pot-sized bet. You choose the bet. The die chooses how big it really is.
How a hand plays
It's normal no-limit Texas Hold'em:
- Small and big blind.
- Two cards each, round of betting.
- The flop, the turn and the river, with a round of betting after each.
- Showdown: best five from your two and the board.
The only change is what happens when someone bets or raises.
The die
Every time you bet or raise, you roll one die:
- 1, 2 or 3: your bet stands as you said it.
- 4 or 5: it's doubled.
- 6: it becomes three times a pot-sized bet.
Checking, calling and folding don't roll. If someone re-raises you, they roll for their raise too. A bet can never be bigger than your stack: if the roll would take it over, you're all in.
An example
There are 30 chips in the pot and you bet 10.
- Roll a 2. You bet 10.
- Roll a 5. Your bet doubles to 20.
- Roll a 6. A pot-sized bet would be 30, so your bet becomes 90.
Your opponent then decides whether to call the bet as it came out, not the bet you meant.
Why it changes the game
- Small bets aren't small. Half the time, any bet you make gets bigger. A 6 turns a little bet into a big one.
- Bluffs can backfire, or work too well. A bluff that rolls a 6 puts a lot of chips in, but it also asks your opponent for a huge call.
- Raising is risky. Re-raise a bet that rolled a 6, and your raise might roll a 6 as well.
Tips
- Bet a bit smaller than usual. On average, your bet will come out bigger than you said, so start lower.
- Check strong hands sometimes. Let your opponent bet and roll, then decide what to do.
- Watch your stack. With bets that can triple the pot, it's easy to be all in sooner than you planned.
Play it
Play Dice Hold'em on Bink with friends in your browser, for chips. The die is rolled for you, and the table shows every roll as it happens. If you like it, try Die on the River, where the die changes the board instead.