Hold'em High: House Rules 2026

Hold’em High: House Rules is a light-weight, modern twist on Texas Hold’em. The player with the most money after 6 rounds wins! Each player starts the game with 6 poker chips in their color. Players take turns to either Pass, Lock, Bet or Cheat. There are 6 cheats, each are worker placement spaces (Swap, Shoot, Buy, Peek, Re-Draw, Double-Down). Lock a card by placing a chip on it, so it’s safe from cheats. Pass to add a card to the card row. If you pass with a full card row, then trigger the “Showdown” instead. Passing doesn’t use workers. Whoever wins the showdown (comparing poker hands) wins as many dollars (victory points) as they have unused poker chips. To start the next round, recollect your 6 poker chips and deal new poker cards!

The biggest selling points are that it simulates cheating at a poker table, no one is ever “out” of a round, you can always “redraw” so you’re never stuck with a bad hand, and there’s tension between using workers or scoring more points. Even if you lose the pot, you can earn money by betting on the winner. What’s more, you have a hidden card and face cards are marked!

—description from the designer