3*5*7

This is a longer guts game to play. To win the pot, a player must win the game five times (or five “legs”), although you may wish to reduce this number.

Everybody antes; an ante a little larger than normal is called for. All players are dealt three cards. Threes are wild. Starting to the left of the dealer, players declare in or out. The twist in this game works as follows: if you declare out, but the player immediately after you declares in, then you are given the chance to change your mind. However, a player that declares in must stay in.

The players who called in exchange and look at each other’s hands (players who are out do not see anybody’s hand). The player with the losing hand pays the player with the winning hand an amount equal to what is in the pot. NOTE: this money does not go into the pot; it is paid directly from the loser to the winner.

Everybody is dealt two more cards. Threes are no longer wild; fives are now wild. Another declare round, with the players who are in looking at each others’ hands, and the loser paying the winner.

Everybody is dealt two more cards. Fives are no longer wild; sevens are now wild. Another declare round, and this time, players who are in can expose their cards to the table, since everybody is about to be dealt new cards; the loser pays the winner.

The cards are collected and the game is re-dealt, starting back at three cards. Players re-ante the same amount as before (without betting rounds, you can see now why the ante has to be a little larger).

As noted, a player must win five legs to collect the pot. The only way to win a leg is to be the only player who declares in on a declare round. That player does not win any money at that time (since there is no losing player), but wins one leg. The first player to five legs wins the pot.