Poker Side Games | A Complete Guide to Cash Game Special Games

What Are Side Games?

In cash games, various side games and special rules are often added on top of regular Texas Hold'em. They're used to boost action at the table and create a more casual, fun atmosphere.

The games offered vary by venue — home games, card rooms, and overseas casinos each have their own favorites — but knowing the most popular ones will help you feel comfortable no matter where you sit down.

Straddle

An optional bet placed before the cards are dealt, where the UTG player posts double the big blind. The straddler gets to act last preflop.

The most common form is the UTG straddle, but there's also the Mississippi straddle (posted from the button) and the re-straddle (doubling on top of an existing straddle).

Straddles make the pot bigger and increase action, but since you're betting without seeing your hand, it's generally a -EV play (though the Mississippi straddle has positional advantages, making it more debatable).

For a deep dive into types, pros & cons, and strategy adjustments:

What Is a Straddle in Poker? Types, Pros & Cons, and Strategy

Learn what a straddle is in poker cash games. Covers UTG straddle, Mississippi straddle, re-straddle, and strategy adjustments.

📖 8 min ★★☆☆☆

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Bomb Pot

A special hand where everyone puts in a buy-in fee (typically 2–5 BB), skips all preflop action, and starts from the flop. Since everyone sees the flop, the pot gets big fast and the action is intense.

Popular variations include the double board bomb pot (two boards running simultaneously), the PLO bomb pot (four hole cards), and Coo Coo Richie (pot-bet or fold only after the flop).

For full details including all variations:

What Is a Bomb Pot? Double Board, Coo Coo Richie & More

Everything about bomb pots in cash games. Basic rules, double board bomb pot, PLO bomb pot, and Coo Coo Richie explained.

📖 7 min ★★☆☆☆

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7-2 Game (Seven-Deuce Game)

A side bet where if you win a pot holding 7♠2♥ — the weakest starting hand in Texas Hold'em — every player at the table pays you a predetermined amount (usually 1–5 BB).

You can win at showdown or by bluffing everyone out, but you must show your hand to collect.

Having 7-2 gives players an incentive to bluff with a hand they'd normally instant-fold. This creates more action across the entire table.

Stand Up Game & Squid Game

These are penalty-based side games that run alongside the main game.

In the Stand Up Game (also called the Nit Game), everyone receives a button. Win a hand and you return your button. The last person still holding a button pays a penalty to everyone. It's a game designed to punish overly tight play.

The Squid Game is the reverse. Everyone starts without a button and earns one each time they win. The last player with zero buttons pays everyone, and the penalty scales based on how many buttons the other players hold — making the penalty typically much larger than in the Stand Up Game.

For rules, differences, and strategic implications:

Stand Up Game & Squid Game | Poker Penalty Side Games

Learn the rules of the Stand Up Game (Nit Game) and Squid Game in poker cash games. Covers penalties and key differences.

📖 7 min ★★☆☆☆

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Win the Button

A special rule where the player who wins a hand receives the dealer button for the next hand. In standard poker the button moves clockwise, but in Win the Button, it goes to the pot winner.

Holding the button means you enjoy positional advantage (IP) on the next hand as well, so winning breeds more winning. The blinds shift with the button, which can result in the same player posting the big blind multiple hands in a row.

Ocean — One More Card After the River

In standard Texas Hold'em, there are five community cards (flop 3 + turn 1 + river 1). The Ocean adds a 6th community card after the river.

An additional betting round called the "Ocean" takes place after the river, and players use the best five of six community cards to make their hand. It gives hands that didn't connect on the river one more chance to improve, creating more dramatic outcomes.

Mushroom Game (Kitty)

A side game that originated in Australia. Each player contributes to a shared pot called the "kitty" at the start, and the kitty grows every time the button passes. Winning hands consecutively from the SB and BTN positions lets you claim the kitty.

Because the conditions are tough to meet, the kitty can balloon to hundreds of BBs, making the payout enormous when someone finally claims it. It adds a separate layer of decision-making beyond standard poker strategy — whether or not to chase the kitty.

Summary

When you sit down at a cash game, these side games may be suggested at the table. Knowing the rules means you can join in confidently — or make an informed decision to pass.