Red Dog poker (or Yablon) is a pretty old card game originally a variation of acey-duecey. A standard pack of cards with 52 cards is used, although you can use up to eight packs, while each pack you add will decrease the house edge. This is in contrast to other games where more decks equals higher house edge. Blackjack is notoriously one of these games.

For Red Dog though this is not the case.

Red Dog Poker uses only 3 cards at a time, with hand rankings similar to poker. Aces are high in this game and suits do not matter.

Before the cards are dealt, each player must put an equal stake into the pot. Three cards are then dealt to each player.

Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, betting occurs clockwise and each player will have their turn to place a wager. On a players turn to wager, the player must bet at least the amount in the ante, and anything up to the pot amount. Once all bets are placed, a card is burnt from the deck (i.e. a card is taken from the top of the deck and placed at the bottom), and then one card is dealt face up in front of you. Another set of bets are placed and then the next card is dealt.

At this point there are 3 possible outcomes:

1) If the cards form a running sequence i.e. 3,4 or jack, queen, then the hand is a push and the bet is returned to the player.

2) If both cards are the same value then a 3rd card is dealt. If the third card is the same value too, the the player receives a payout of 11 to 1, otherwise the hand is a push.

3) If the difference of the 2 cards is bigger than one place, i.e. 5 to 9, then the payoff is determined by the spread difference, and a 3rd card is dealt. If the 3rd card is in between the 2 other cards, then the player wins the payoff, otherwise if the 3rd card is outside the 2 cards, the player loses. The player also has the option to double their bet before the 3rd card is dealt.