Betting Structure: Kill Game
There are lots of betting variations that inhabit home poker games; wild cards, extra bets, side bets etc. But the “Kill Game” is actually a casino cash game variation. It works like this. Based on some pre-set event, such as a large pot or perhaps two consecutive wins by one player the “Kill” option is activated. For example:
You are playing 5/10 Hold’em “with a kill” and the kill is activated when a player wins two pots in a row. When this happens the player who wins those two pots will put up a third blind bet in the amount of one standard opening raise or in this case 20. The hand is played with an opening bet of 20 and in most card rooms the kill bettor gets to act last. So effectively the kill doubles the limits at the table for the kill hand only. If the same player wins again, the kill continues (it does not double again), if that player loses the hand, the blinds revert to 5/10.
Many rooms play both what they call a “Full Kill” where the blinds are doubled and a “Half Kill” where the blinds are increased 50% for the kill hand. Obviously, half kills must be played with even blinds, 2/4 becomes 3/6 or 4/8 becomes 6/12; you wouldn’t want to play 5/10 as a half kill and have to play 7.50/15.
Most rooms use a double sided kill button; one side is blank or says “one win” the other side says “Kill” usually in big, red bold letters. When the kill game is activated the dealer will put the Kill button up in front of the player and the player will post their kill blind directly on the button for all to see.
-This is Beginner’s Poker Blog Post #115
