There are a dozen or more variations to this fascinating game of Poker, all of them hailing from America, and all agreeing with the general principles of comparative value of the cards and hands, the method of dealing, etc., as previously laid down for " Draw Poker." Some of them are merely additional calls, the adoption of which may or may not be agreed upon by the players at the start; others introduce variations in the play and the betting. We will deal with the first-named group first.

" Tiger," " Blaze," " The Skip " and " Round the Corner " are optional and additional combinations. By some they are classed as fantastic, and by none are they reckoned in the general run of play unless the inclusion of one or more has been decided upon before the commencement of play. The ten combinations previously defined are those in universal use.

TIGER is a hand consisting of Seven high and Two low that is devoid of a Pair, Sequence or Flush—in other words, a broken Straight. In order of value it is sandwiched between the ordinary Straight and the Flush.
A BLAZE is five court cards (a " picture gallery ") irrespective of rank, with the Ace excluded. Really, a Blaze is only a technical term, as it either forms a Pair, Two Pair or a Full Hand ; it ranks between Two Pair and Threes.

A SKIP (also known as a " Dutch Straight") is formed, as its name denotes, by skipping pips in sequence. A sample hand—Two, Four, Six, Eight, Ten. The Ace here is counted as one only. In the order of merit, this combination takes precedence over a Two Pair, and also over a Blaze.
ROUND THE.CORNER is a freak form of Straight or Sequence, in which the Ace plays the dual r6le of One and Thirteen—" Alpha " and " Omega," as one might say. It forms an intermediate card between the King and the Deuce, simultaneously acting as the highest and lowest, as in Queen, King, Ace, Two and Three. The combination ranks after Threes and below the regular Straight.
THE JOKER
Having mentioned the Joker, we will now proceed to explain the part it plays or may play in the game. Many players object to the introduction of this fifty-third card, in the belief that it stultifies the betting; invariably, therefore, before play starts, the company vote as to whether it should be included. When it is brought into play, the Joker is the most coveted card in the pack, for the holder can call it any card that suits, him. Even, if his other four cards are rubbish, he remains in the draw, as whatever happens, he is always assured of a Pair at least. With the Joker in action, the possibilities of improving a hand are increased twofold, and as a consequence its presence has a steadying influence on speculation, even with the holder of a natural Full Hand. High counting hands become prolific—supposing you draw four cards to the Joker, and pick up Two Pair, say a Pair of Jacks and a Pair of Fives. That is transformed into a Full Hand— Three Jacks and a Pair of Fives. Two Aces along with the Joker and any Pair is an unbeatable Full Hand, because it is impossible for an opponent also to hold three Aces. This all-powerful fifty-third card goes to form many Straights, Flushes and Straight Flushes; and if you are born with Four Aces, and for your discard, you secure the Joker, you, on a show of hands, declare Fives ! Five Aces is, of course, top-weight in any form of the game; but, though it is extremely rare, it is generally agreed upon at the start of play that if any Five does occur and happens by some miracle to be up against a natural Royal Flush, the latter takes precedence. An Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten Royal Flush should always be classed as the only invulnerable hand.
POKER JACK POTS
With the idea of making the game more varied, the Jack Pot is generally introduced into ordinary Poker. Briefly, a Jack Pot is a special pool to which all players contribute an equal amount before the cards are dealt, and when Jack Pots are being played no betting can take place until a player claims the necessary qualification, viz., the possession of a pair of Jacks or better.

Jack Pots may, by agreement, be declared at any time, or to follow any particular winning combination ; but a usual method is to decide that each tune the deal comes round to the player winning the opening hand, a Jack Pot shall be played. He is handed a " Buck " (any convenient article, say a pocket-knife) which, when his turn has come to deal, he places in the centre of the table as a reminder to the company in general. Simultaneously all the players place an agreed amount in the Pot. Keeping to our £i as a betting limit, the first contribution to the Pot should be 33. All having paid, the deal is proceeded with, and then the player on the left (Ante-man is temporarily abolished) declares whether he will open the Pot, or pass. As already mentioned, the opener must have a pair of Jacks or a better combination in his hand. No one is compelled to open even if he is qualified, and if he does not, or cannot, open it, he retains his cards, for he is allowed to come in, if he wishes, after the Pot has been opened by someone else.

Supposing all pass, each player puts a " refresher " or " fattener " in the Pot (on our betting maximum basis, say is.) and the same dealer deals again, the same process of opening being repeated. If this time still no one opens, another " refresher " of a shilling is placed in the centre—making 53. each, which is our agreed limit. Should there be further abortive attempts at opening, no further " refreshers " are put up. When the Pot is opened the opener places in the Pool any amount he chooses within the agreed limit (say 35., 45. or 55.) for single bets. Then after the usual draw, betting proceeds as in ordinary Poker—excepting that the opener starts the wagering, and the next player in turn must either see, raise, or throw in.

If before the betting has concluded the opener decides not to see any raise, he must expose his hand before throwing in, in order to prove that he had the qualifying openers; other players, as they drop out, throw their cards face down. There is the possibility of a player accidentally opening without having the desired qualification, and should he discover his error before the discarding, it is the general practice to declare his hand foul, in which case he forfeits whatever amount he has placed in the Pot, and those who have already paid their deposits continue with the game. Should it transpire, on a show of hands to ascertain who is the winner of the Pot, that the opener has inferior to a Pair of Jacks, he is penalized to the extent of double the whole of the pool, a severe but necessary penalty.

The winner of the Jack Pot having been declared, he takes the pool, along with the Buck, which he retains, until his turn arrives to deal—another Jack Pot.

It occasionally arises that a Jack Pot opener desires to " split " his openers. For instance he may have the Jack of Clubs, the Jack of Hearts and three other Hearts. Here is a possible Flush, so he draws only one card, discarding the Jack of Clubs, placing it by his side for future reference, at the same time announcing that he has split his openers. This is a wise manoeuvre when the opposition is numerically strong.

Another little piece of advice : when a Jack Pot opener has an exceptionally good hand, he should make his preliminary bet as light as possible, so as to entice the others in, even to the extent of raising him. If, however, he has only the bare openers, it is generally considered advisable to open for the limit, on the principle " the smaller the opposition the better the chance of winning." Finally, it is a golden rule to open the Jack Pot whenever you can, even if you are the first man called upon.

POKER OTHER VARIATIONS
WHISKY POKER introduces an extra hand, called " the Widow." The player on the left of the dealer has the first option of taking this pack, failing him, the next on the left and so on. Whoever takes " the Widow " must place his original cards face upwards, when the next player on the left can take any or all of these exposed cards, replacing them by as many as he takes. If no one takes the Widow, the draw, one card at a time, takes place. As soon as a player decides that he has a hand good enough to stand on, he signifies the fact by rapping on the table. Then the other players have one other single card draw, if they desire. Finally, the hands are considered " called " and the highest wins.

TABLE STAKES savours a little of Straddling. Each player puts up any stake he pleases, and when it happens that they are of uneven value, a player may " call a sight" upon a lower bet. Say, for example A has put down 55., but B has only 35. in front of him. He " calls a sight," by putting his 35. in the Pool. Then A removes from the pool the difference between the two bets, and places that sum apart from other money. Now C may appear on the scene by producing 33. to balance B, and he can even raise if he likes. Suppose he raises A 2s., he must put 43. more into the Pool, making his stake 73. If A does not see his way to cover this bet he retires, and further interest in the proceedings is confined to B and C. If B's hand is better than C's, he rakes in the Pool up to the value of his own bet, but C would take everything above that level, such, for instance, as A's two extra shillings.

STUD POKER resolves itself into speculating while the deal is in progress. The first card to each player is handed face down, and the second exposed. The player with the highest exposed card glances at his unknown card, and decides whether he will bet or not. If he will not, he retires ; if, on the other hand, he bets, the player next him must see him, or throw hi. Then, to those who remain in play, a third exposed card is handed, then a fourth, and then a fifth—when the Hand with the best combination takes the Pool.

FLAT POKER is the simplest of all variations. There is no fixed ante-money (" Blind "), but the Age planks down whatever stake he pleases within a prescribed limit. Other players must cover what he deposits—or drop out. There is no Straddle, Ante, or Raise, and after the deal and discarding, any player can back his hand against the Table, meaning that he must increase his bet to the total amount paid in by all the other players taken together. There are no raises—only the player who is backing his hand can be seen, and the best hand wins.

Those who realise the many subtle points with which ordinary Poker bristles, may be pardoned for remarking that this particular variety of play is aptly named— FLAT!