When Poker Gets Wild...

Over the many years of poker's existence, players have sought to invent creative ways to liven up the traditional way of playing land-based as well as online poker . One such a way of introducing a certain twist into the classics, such as 7-Card Stud, is adding a 'wild card.' The concept behind a wild card is that this particular card can be designated by its holder as any other card in the deck with no restrictions. A wild card can be a joker, or it may be a normal ranked and suited card given the role of a wild card.

A decision on whether or not to incorporate a wild card in the game is normally made by players before they start placing bets. For instance, people playing 5-Card Stud poker can juice up the action up by announcing at the beginning of the game that Kings are wild. This would mean that any player holding a King in their hand can decide the King to be any card they wish in order to make their hand stronger. Someone with two Kings and three Jacks would have a Full House in their hand, rather than a pair or a three-of-a-kind.

In addition to a particular card being treated as wild, players can vary the game by making a certain suit wild, such as all hearts. Further spice is added when announcing that certain ranks are wild. For example, all eights. Another option of introducing wild cards into the game is using the jokers. Most playing card decks feature a pair of jokers, which are usually discarded. The jokers are often used to replace Aces. By implementing the jokers in the game and making them 'wild' an additional twist is added to the game.

Interestingly enough, some poker players regard wild card games as somewhat amateurish. While it is true that a game with numerous wild cards may become so random that it loses its skill element, the use of a moderate number of wild cards is an excellent way to add variation to any game. The most popular poker game using the wild card concept is Deuces Wild. The game is fun and exciting to play because the deuces are wild and can substitute any other card. The more classic games, such as Texas Hold 'em and Omaha, do not play well with wild cards.

One important thing to remember when playing wild card games is that sometimes two players may end up with equal hands. For instance, two players who both happen to hold a straight flush. In this particular case, the player who has the greatest number of 'natural' cards in his hand, meaning the least amount of wild cards, typically wins the game.

Remember, the wild card provides players with endless winning opportunities, victory is just a matter of playing your cards right!

Good Luck!