Murder

Typical seven card stud, two down, four up, one down. Betting rounds work as in normal stud, except with one stipulation. If a player is dealt a card face-up that matches a card that player already has face-up (i.e. if a player has a pair showing), then that player either folds or matches the amount of money in the pot to stay in the game. If a player has two matching cards, that player can fold or the pot is about to be doubled. Other than this stipulation, the game is dealt and hands are counted as normal.

It stands to reason that the best (and cheapest) hand to be dealt is a flush or a straight, a good hand with no matching cards.

If in the course of the deal, all four face-up cards have been dealt to each player and nobody has paired up, then the cards are re-dealt and each player re-antes. On the other hand, if a player is dealt a pair and chooses to fold, the game is still good, but that pair must at least show up for the game to be counted. The dealer calls this stipulation by saying, “No murder, no game.” The cards are continually re-dealt until a pair has shown in the course of a game.