Poker's Hot Corner

Scorned by purists and avoided by those whose tastes run to more peaceful games, this intricate form of Stud is the choice of dealers who want sparkling action and big pots.

Baseball is Seven-card Stud, explosively modified so: the nines are wild. Any three dealt in the hole is wild, gratis.

Any three dealt open imposes on its recipient this choice: he must consider himself struck out and must immediately fold - or if he elects to stay, he must match the pot, that is, put in as many chips as are already there.

A bought three is, of course, wild. Usual practice is to put a ceiling on the price of a three and to increase the limit thereafter so that the buyer may protect his hand and the sandbagger may rejoice.

Any four dealt open entitles the holder to an additional hole card, dealt to him immediately or at the end of that round, according to group prearrangement.

It is not unusual for a player to catch a pair of open four's and to finish with five hole cards.

The stakes in the group are one chip ante by each player; two chip limit thereafter until an open pair lacking the three is dealt; then the limit is increased to four chips.

The ceiling on the price of an open three is twenty-five chips and, after a three has been bought, any stayer may bet as many as eight chips. If no open pair is dealt (a rarity), the limit is increased to four chips for the last round of betting.

For example, no wild cards show. You have A open and A K in the hole. If you can stay for only two chips, will you do so? Fold. Do not play a mere pair lacking a wild card.

On this one, again, no wild cards show. You have J open and J J in the hole; no J's show elsewhere. Do you plan to stay, or fold? Fold. Do not stay with natural triplets lower than Q's; this is a stiff BUT sound requirement.

You have K open and nine eight in the hole. Do you plan to stay, or fold? Plan to stay, unless the price becomes too high.

Now, you have seven open and seven three in the hole. Do you plan to stay, or fold? Fold. Do not play with a wild card with a pair of lower than eight's.

You have Spade J and a nine in the hole. Your first open card is the Spade four, so you get another hole card: the Spade seven. Stay, or fold? Fold. It is futile to seek a mere flush or straight on Baseball. Usually, you need at least four of a kind to win.

Say, player B deals. You are under the gun. You have Diamond K Q in the hole. Your first open card is a three, which will cost you only eight chips, if you decide to but it. F says, 'It'll never be cheaper.' Do you buy or strike out?

Reject the three. If the wild card were free, a nine, you would be justified in anything. Matching the pot with your hand IS illogical.