The Game

Americana is played with a 32 deck of cards, knows as a French deck, where all the 6s, 5s, 4s, 3s and 2s have been removed, hence the game is played with Ace to Seven, and where the hand rank and strategy is somewhat different as in Americana 10, 9, 8, 7, A counts as the lowest Straight, and Flush beats a Full House.

 

Note... Americana and Telesina is sometimes incorrectly taken for the same game, and while similarities there are several differences, for instance Americana has four betting rounds and no community card, while Telesina has five betting rounds and one community card, suit rank etc.

 

 

How to Play Americana

A maximum of six players can play at once (32 cards), and the dealer hands out two cards to each player in a clock-wise rotation. The first card dealt to each player is face down (dark) while the second card is face up, for all players to see, and following the initial cards the first betting round begins. In Americana there is a total of four betting rounds.

 

 

The Rules

Americana is about building the strongest five card hand from a hand of five and cards in play are ace to seven, hence card values 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 have been removed from the card deck and game.

 

The game starts with all players posting an ante bet, a forced bet to kick-start the pot and following the initial deal the player holding the highest open card brings it in. Bringing it in means they are first to bet which is usually two times the ante size. After the hole cards are dealt three more cards are dealt to each player face up, and following each card dealt there is a betting round after each deal, i.e. a total of four betting rounds.

 

 

Opening Deal

Americana is played with an ante, hence before any cards are dealt the antes must be posted by every player in the game. Following the ante being placed each player is dealt a face down card, followed by an open face up card. Cards are dealt clockwise starting with the first active player after the dealer button. The player showing the highest card after the initial two cards are dealt must make a forced bring-in bet, commonly two (2) times the ante, or make a bet higher if within the table limit.

 

 

Suit Rank

Determining which player holds the force bet, if highest cards are of the same value and hence ties, is broken by the highest suit and where suits are ranked as follows.

 

Spades

Hearts

Diamonds

Clubs

 

Where Spades is the highest suit and Clubs the lowest.

 

 

Betting Order

In Americana there are four (4) betting rounds and the first betting round takes place after each player is dealt their first two cards. Then the 3rd, 4th and 5th card is dealt to each player with a betting round after each new card.

 

 

Hand Rank

The game outcome is determined per the following poker hand ranking.

 

Royal Flush

Straight Flush

Four of a Kind

Flush

Full House

Straight

Three of a Kind

Two Pair

One Pair

High Card

 

Note... In Americana, Flush is ranked higher than Full House.

 

 

Royal Flush

An Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten in the same suit, and when two or more players have a Royal Flush the tie is broken by highest suit.

 

Straight Flush

Five cards in numerical sequence and same suit.

 

Two players holding a Straight Flush the player with the highest card in the Straight Flush wins. In case the highest cards is equal in value the Straight Flush with the highest suit wins. However there is one special rule, and that is if only two players are left in the pot the highest Straight Flush Ah, Kh, Qh, Jh, Th (hearts) is beaten by the lowest Straight Flush Ts, 9s, 8s, 7s, As (spades).

 

Four of a Kind

Four cards of the same numerical value. If two players hold Four of a Kind, the player with the highest numerical Four of a Kind wins.

 

Flush

Five cards of the same suit. If two players holds flush the player with the highest suit, in order of suit rank Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs, wins the hand.

 

Full House

Three of a Kind and a Pair, and if two players hold Full House, the player with the highest Three of a Kind wins.

 

Straight

Five cards in numerical sequence and with different suits. Ace can be used at the top of a high straight A, K, Q, J, T or at the bottom of a low straight T, 9, 8, 7, A.

 

In case two players are holding straights, the player with the highest card wins. If two players have straights with highest card of the same numerical value the player with the highest suit of the highest card wins.

 

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same numerical value. In case two or more players are holding Three of a Kind, the player with the highest value Three of a Kind wins.

 

Two Pairs

Ranking of different Two Pair hands works as follows... Two players holding Two Pair, the player with highest numerical value of his highest pair wins. If both the highest pairs are equal the player with the highest second pair wins. If also the second pair is of equal numerical value then the highest fifth card decides who wins.

 

One Pair

Two cards of the same numerical value. If two players are holding the same kind of pair, then their remaining three cards are used to determine winner, where the player with the highest kicker wins. If the highest cards are equal between players, the second highest card wins and so forth. If all three cards are equal then the suit of the highest kicker determines winner.

 

High Card

Rank order of cards are from Ace to Seven, and hence accordingly to the suits... Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs. For instance a player with Ace of Spades and Queen of Clubs wins over a player holding Ace of Heart and King of Diamonds.

 

 

Showdown

With all players holding five cards and all betting rounds completed, there is a showdown to determine the winner, and in short the winner is the player with the best five card hand, and kicker counts. Should two or more players show the same hand they will split the pot. If there is an odd chip it goes to the player nearest the dealer box.

 

If there was betting on last street the player who made the last bet or raise must show his hand first. If there was no betting the player showing the highest hand on the board will show his or her hand first.