Guts

How to Play

Guts is a fast, nerve-testing pot game. Each player gets just two cards, then everyone declares IN or OUT at the same time — fists out, drop together. Players who are IN reveal their cards; the best two-card hand wins the whole pot. The catch: every IN player who loses must match the pot, which funds the next round. Everyone antes $1 to start, and there’s no per-card betting — just one big decision.

A hand, step by step

1. Ante. Each of the four players antes $1, so the pot starts at $4. The dealer calls “Guts — two cards, declare together.”
2. The deal. Two cards face-down to each player. You look at your own two cards; nobody else’s.
3. Declare. On the count of three, every player simultaneously declares IN (staying) or OUT (folding). No peeking at others first — fists drop together.
4. Showdown. All IN players reveal. Best two-card hand wins (pairs beat high cards; then highest card, then second card).
5. Match the pot. Every IN player who lost must match the current pot, paying it into the next round’s pot. OUT players pay nothing and risk nothing.
6. Next round. A new pot (the matched chips plus fresh antes) carries the game forward until only one player is IN unopposed.

Watch a Full Hand — step by step

A complete 4-player round from the dealer’s view, with real $1 antes and a single simultaneous declare. Use Next to advance turn-by-turn, or Auto-play to watch it deal out. Player 1 (Dana) is “you” — only you can see your own face-down cards until the showdown.

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