Red Dog

Most casino games have alter egos, but red dog has an inordinate number. Also known as high card pool, slippery sam, shoot, yablon, and Polish red dog, this game has more disguises than a chameleon at a fancy dress party.

To play red dog, two cards are placed face-up on the table and the player must gamble on whether a third card will fall in between the two other cards. Using standard packs of 52 playing cards, the game can incorporate from three to eight players, with each taking turn as dealer. Cards rank from a high ace down to a low two, with suits irrelevant. The game can be played with from one to eight decks, with more decks decreasing the house edge. With the deal of the third card, the following outcomes are possible:

• The two initial cards are sequential, in which case the hand is closed.
• The two initial cards are equal in value. Here, a third card is drawn, and if this is the same as the first two cards, the player receives odds of 11:1. If the third card is different to the first two, the hand is closed.
• If the difference between the two cards is more than one rank, the dealer announces a spread from a spread table, which determines the payout to the player. If the third card falls in between the two initial cards, the player receives his payout according to the previously announced odds.

The red dog spread table is as follows:

• One care - 5:1 Payout
• Two cards - 4:1 payout
• Three cards - 2:1 payout
• Four cards or more - 1:1 payout

Raising is rare, and only occurs when the spread favors the player statistically, which is a spread of seven cards or more.