Bullseye

How to Play

Bullseye flips "make the best hand" on its head: you want the 5-card poker hand that comes closest to the Target — the six-card hand in the middle — without going over it. Like blackjack with poker hands. Climb toward the mark by buying cards, but reach too high and you bust right out of the pot.

🎯Chase the Target. A six-card Target is dealt from a second deck and turns its cards face-up one per street until it shows five. Your best five must land at or below the Target — the closest one below wins.

💥Two tiers over and you bust. The moment your up-cards make a hand two poker categories above the Target's showing (its pair showing → your three of a kind), you're out. Your two original hole cards stay face-down on the table — only you see them — until the showdown, so only your up-cards can bust you.

🃏Buy your way closer. Once the Target shows five, buy extra up-cards for $1 each to climb nearer the mark — but every card can still bust you. Stop when you're happy; a card too far and you're gone.

A hand, step by step

Ante & deal the Target. Everyone antes $1. From a second deck the middle gets six cards — one down, one up, four down, showing a single card.

Deal the players. Each player gets two down and one up. A betting round follows.

Build to five. Each street, every player gets another up-card and the Target turns one of its down cards up, with a betting round after — until the Target shows five up (one still down) and each player shows five.

Bust check. As each up-card lands, a player whose showing climbs two categories over the Target's showing is out — they've overshot.

Buy cards. Now anyone may buy an up-card for $1 to get closer. Every round with a buyer is followed by a betting round; a bought card can still bust you. When nobody buys, the draw is done.

Reveal, last bet & showdown. When nobody buys, the Target turns up its sixth and final card; then, seeing the whole Target, everyone still in gets one last bet. At the showdown each remaining player makes their best five at or below the Target: the highest hand that isn't over wins; ties split. If everyone is over, the hand is redealt with the pot carried.

The mark, at a glance

Goalclosest 5-card hand to the Target without going over it (blackjack-style)

The Targetsix cards from a second deck — shows one, flips to five, then turns up its sixth before the final bet

Bustyour up-cards reach two poker categories over the Target's showing — you're out

Hole cardsyour two original down cards stay face-down on the table — only you see them — until the showdown; they never bust you, only your up-cards can

Buying$1 per extra up-card once the Target shows five; keep buying to climb, but risk busting

Over the Targeta best hand above the Target can't win; if everyone's over, redeal (pot carries)

High hands only — closest below the mark takes it. Stacks start at $150.

Watch a Full Hand — step by step

Step through a complete Bullseye hand. Watch the Target build in the middle, a rival bust by climbing two tiers over it, and a buried card decide it. Player 1 (Dana) is “you” — you see your own two hole cards, but they stay face-down on the table until the showdown.

Pre-deal

Step 1 / 1

🎯 The Target is the middle hand. 🔴 A red “Bust” bubble marks a player whose showing climbed two poker tiers over the Target’s showing — they’re out. The winner is the closest hand that’s still at or below the Target.