Whether you're participating in your first poker run or organizing one, understanding the rules is essential. Here's everything you need to know about poker run rules, hand rankings, and common variations.

Basic Rules

  1. Register and pay the entry fee at the starting point
  2. Sign a waiver (required for liability purposes)
  3. Ride the route in any order (unless specified) visiting each checkpoint
  4. Draw one card at each checkpoint (5 cards for standard, 7 for extended)
  5. Return to the final stop by the deadline
  6. Hands are ranked using standard poker hand rankings
  7. Best hand wins the grand prize; additional prizes may be awarded

Most poker runs have a time window (e.g., 10am-3pm). You can ride at your own pace, but all cards must be drawn before the deadline.

Standard Poker Hand Rankings (Highest to Lowest)

  1. Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10 — all same suit
  2. Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit
  3. Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank
  4. Full House: Three of a kind plus a pair
  5. Flush: Five cards of the same suit (not consecutive)
  6. Straight: Five consecutive cards of mixed suits
  7. Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank
  8. Two Pair: Two different pairs
  9. One Pair: Two cards of the same rank
  10. High Card: No matching cards — highest card wins ties

Aces can be high (above King) or low (below 2) in straights.

Tie-Breaking

When two players have the same hand type, ties are broken by:

  1. Rank of the matched cards (e.g., pair of Kings beats pair of Queens)
  2. Kicker cards — the highest unmatched cards, compared in order

Example: Player A has K♠ K♦ Q♥ 9♣ 3♠ and Player B has K♥ K♣ J♦ 10♠ 8♥. Both have a pair of Kings, but Player A wins because their highest kicker (Q) beats Player B's (J).

In the extremely rare case of an exact tie, most poker runs split the prize.

Common Variations

Extra Hands: Many events allow purchasing additional hands for $5-15 each. Your best hand counts.

Wild Cards: Some events use wild cards (Jokers or designated cards) that can represent any card. This increases the chance of strong hands.

Low Hand Wins: Some events award a prize for the worst hand — a fun consolation.

Community Cards (Texas Hold'em Style): Each rider gets 2 "hole" cards at their first stops, then community cards are revealed at the end. Best 5-card hand from 7 cards wins.

7 Card Draw: Draw 7 cards across 7 stops. Best 5-card hand from 7 cards wins. More stops means a longer ride and more venue visits.

Digital vs Paper Card Drawing

With paper cards, a physical deck is shuffled at each checkpoint and the rider draws from the top. The card is recorded on their score sheet.

With digital poker runs, cards are drawn from a cryptographically shuffled virtual deck. Each card assignment is recorded instantly and can't be lost, damaged, or disputed. Digital platforms also enable: