Die on the River is Texas Hold'em where a die gets the last word on the board. Once the river is dealt, a die is rolled, and the number picks one board card to throw away and replace. The best hand on the turn can be the worst hand by the last bet.
How a hand plays
- Hold'em through the turn. Blinds, 2 cards each, the flop and the turn, with a round of betting after each.
- The river. The river card is dealt as normal.
- The roll. A die is rolled straight away, before any betting on the river.
- The replacement. The number rolled picks a board card, counted left to right, and that card is scrapped and replaced with a fresh one from the deck. See the list below.
- Final betting. A round of betting on the updated board.
- Showdown. Best five from your two and the five board cards.
What each roll does
- 1, 2 or 3: that flop card is replaced.
- 4: the turn is replaced.
- 5: the river is replaced.
- 6: nothing. The board stays as it is.
How often the board changes
Five times in six, one board card is replaced. Only a 6 leaves the board alone. Each single card, including any card that's key to your hand, has a one in six chance of going.
An example hand
The board after the turn is A♠ K♦ 7♣ 7♥.
- You hold 7♠ 6♠. You have three sevens.
- Your opponent holds A♦ Q♣. They have two pair, aces and sevens.
The river is the 2♠. Then the die rolls a 4, so the turn card, the 7♥, is replaced by the Q♥. The board is now A♠ K♦ 7♣ Q♥ 2♠.
You're down to a pair of sevens. Your opponent has aces and queens. The final round of betting is played on that board.
Tips
- Don't trust a made hand on the turn. If your hand depends on one board card, it has a one in six chance of disappearing.
- Hands made with your own cards are safer. A pocket pair or two cards that work together can't be rolled away.
- The last betting round is the real one. Everyone sees the final board before it, so the river bet is made with full information.
- Draws get a second try. A missed draw on the river may still get lucky when a card is replaced.
Play it
Play Die on the River on Bink with friends in your browser, for chips. The table rolls the die and swaps the card for you, and the log shows what changed.