Red River is Texas Hold'em with one extra rule: if the river card is red, the hand isn't over. Another card comes, and another round of betting. That keeps happening until a black card shows up.
It's a small change that makes the river much more exciting, and it's easy to add to any Hold'em night.
How a hand plays
- Hold'em as normal through the river. Blinds, 2 cards each, the flop, the turn and the river, with a round of betting after each.
- Check the river's colour. If it's black (a club or a spade), the hand goes to showdown as usual.
- If it's red (a heart or a diamond), one more card is dealt to the board, followed by another round of betting.
- Keep going. If that card is red too, another card and another round. It stops at the first black card, or after 5 extra cards.
- Showdown. Your hand is the best five from your two and the whole board, however many cards that is.
How often it happens
Roughly half of all rivers are red, so about every second hand that reaches the river gets at least one extra card. About a quarter get two or more, and a long run of reds is rare.
Why it changes the game
In normal Hold'em, the river is the end. A made hand on the river can bet knowing nothing else is coming. In Red River, a red river means:
- Draws get another chance. A player who missed a flush draw on the river may get one or more extra cards to hit it.
- Made hands are less safe. The best hand on a red river can still be beaten.
- There is more betting. Each extra card brings a full betting round, so pots get bigger.
A red river that completes a flush in hearts or diamonds still has another card coming after it, so even the player who just made a flush has to bet knowing the board can change again.
An example hand
You hold K♠ K♣ and the board runs K♦ 8♥ 3♠ 5♣ 9♦. You have three kings, almost certainly the best hand.
The 9♦ is red, so another card comes: the 7♥. Still red, so one more: the 6♠. That's black, so the board stops there.
The board is now K♦ 8♥ 3♠ 5♣ 9♦ 7♥ 6♠, and it holds a straight by itself: 5 6 7 8 9. Your three kings no longer play. Every player still in has at least that straight, and anyone holding a 10 has a higher one.
Tips
- Bet your strong hands before the river. Give draws a bad price while you still can.
- On a red river, don't assume it's over. Size your bets knowing at least one more card and one more round are coming.
- Value draws a bit more. Each red card gives you another look.
Play it
Play Red River on Bink with friends in your browser, for chips. The table deals the extra cards for you, so nobody has to remember the rule.