Learning how to play chicago can turn a casual poker night into a memorable evening. Whether you first encountered the game around a kitchen table, in a smoky backroom, or on your phone, Chicago is a variation that rewards awareness, table etiquette, and flexible strategy. Below I’ll walk you through the rules, explain the common variants, share strategy and bankroll advice from real play, and offer a step-by-step sample hand so you can practice confidently.
What is Chicago? A quick, practical definition
Chicago is a poker variant most commonly played as a twist on seven-card stud. The defining feature is an extra side condition: the player who holds the highest spade in a face-down (hole) card usually wins a portion of the pot — sometimes half, sometimes the entire pot — depending on the house rules. Because that “spade prize” operates independently of the regular showdown rankings, Chicago blends traditional hand-building strategy with a concealed, competitive sprint for a single high card.
There are two widely recognized versions:
- Little Chicago — highest spade in the hole wins half the pot; the regular winner at showdown gets the other half.
- Big Chicago — highest spade in the hole wins the entire pot, overriding the usual showdown outcome.
Before you play, agree at the table whether it’s Little or Big Chicago, whether an Ace of spades is special, and how ties are handled. These variations change both risk calculus and betting patterns dramatically.
Basic rules (standard seven-card stud Chicago)
This version assumes seven-card stud structure with the Chicago twist. If your group uses a different starting structure, ask for a quick rules readout.
- Players: 2–8 recommended; more players are possible but slow the deal.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck, shuffled between hands.
- Ante/Bring-in: Usually an ante from each player; the bring-in rule follows standard seven-card stud (lowest upcard posts bring-in or the first street’s forced bet).
- Deal: Each player receives two cards face-down and one card face-up (the “upcard”) initially.
- Bet rounds: Four betting rounds as in seven-card stud. Players ultimately have seven cards: some face-up, typically three face-up and three face-down total depending on your house rules.
- Chicago rule: The highest spade held face-down among players at showdown wins the designated Chicago prize (half or whole pot, per agreed rules). A player who folds before showdown cannot claim the Chicago prize even if their concealed card would have qualified.
House rules and common clarifications
Every group adapts the Chicago rule slightly. Here are the most common clarifications you should resolve before play:
- Which card positions count as “hole” cards? (Some versions only count the final down card; others count any down cards.)
- How are ties handled? (Split the Chicago portion, or consider suit ranking.)
- Does the Ace of spades carry special meaning? (In many “Big Chicago” variants the Ace of spades might win outright if in the hole.)
- Is the Chicago prize taken from the main pot or a separate side pot? (Usually it comes from the main pot.)
I always recommend making these decisions explicit in front of the table. In one friendly game I played, an unspoken assumption about which down card counted nearly cost us a full pot — a five-minute rules debate is worse than a small wager disagreement.
How to play Chicago: step-by-step strategy
Below are practical, experience-based strategies that go beyond memorizing the rules. They’re informed by playing many hands across casual and competitive home games.
1) Start by sizing up the Chicago prize
If you’re playing Little Chicago (half-pot for highest hidden spade), your regular showdown considerations remain primary but with added incentive to protect your hole cards when you have spades. In Big Chicago (entire pot goes to holder of highest concealed spade), the Chicago prize dominates — survival to showdown with a high concealed spade may be more valuable than chasing a marginal made hand.
2) Conceal and disguise
Because Chicago rewards a hidden spade, keep your hole cards carefully protected and avoid behavior that telegraphs a spade stronghold. If you have a likely winning spade, avoid over-betting early unless you want to chase more action — underplay sometimes yields the Chicago prize quietly.
3) Adjust hand selection
In Little Chicago, hands that also leave you a chance at the spade prize (for example, high-card spades in the hole paired with a promising exposed board) are extra valuable. In Big Chicago, prioritize concealment and survivability: suited spades and hole-card strength rise in value because even a mediocre showdown hand can still claim the whole pot via spade supremacy.
4) Betting and bluffing considerations
Chicago introduces a bluff dimension into down-card contests. Feigning strength or weakness can alter opponents’ willingness to fold, indirectly affecting who reaches showdown and hence who can claim the Chicago prize. But bluffing with the intent to win the Chicago portion is tricky; the prize depends on a particular card in the hole, not on your demonstrated strength at the table.
5) Table position and reading upcards
Because Chicago is typically played as stud, you have the advantage of observing upcards. Track which spades have been folded and which opponents are showing spades: this informs the likelihood that any surviving player holds the highest concealed spade.
Common mistakes beginners make
- Failing to confirm house rules. Nothing camouflages bad feelings like a missing rules converstaion.
- Ignoring the Chicago prize when the structure makes it important. In Big Chicago, giving up early without considering the spade possibility can be costly.
- Over-committing to chase a low-probability spade while ignoring clear opportunities to win at showdown.
- Telegraphing your hole cards through physical tells or inconsistent betting patterns.
Sample hand walkthrough
Here’s a realistic hand to illustrate practical decision-making:
Table: five players. Agreed rules: Little Chicago (highest hole spade wins half-pot). Ante posted. You are dealt two down and one up. Your upcard is King of hearts. Your hole cards are 10 of spades (face-down) and 7 of clubs (face-down).
Early betting rounds: You see an opponent showing an Ace of diamonds and another showing a 9 of spades. Because you have a spade in the hole and decent upcard, you decide to limp-call modest raises rather than bet aggressively — you both want to reach showdown to claim the Chicago portion and keep pot size manageable. Midway through, one player folds, another raises; you call.
At showdown you and one opponent remain. Your final seven-card hand is a pair of kings (with the king upcard), but your opponent has two pair. They win the regular half of the pot. Your concealed 10 of spades happens to be the highest spade among hole cards, so you take the Chicago half-pot prize despite losing the showdown. This hand demonstrates the strategic value of a hole spade even with a non-premium final hand.
Bankroll and risk management
Chicago’s extra prize changes variance. In Big Chicago the variance is especially high; you can win the whole pot through a single high hole card even when your showdown hand is weak. Manage your bankroll accordingly:
- Use lower stakes as you learn how Chicago changes hand value.
- Set loss limits for each session and stick to them; the swing potential is larger than in standard stud.
- If playing online, monitor session length — it’s easy to chase Chicago outcomes.
Etiquette and fairness
Good table manners build trust. Keep your hole cards protected, avoid slow-rolling at showdown, announce “Chicago” variations before play, and be explicit when folding or making claims. If a dispute arises, a quick vote or referring to a written rule sheet is better than arguing over an ambiguous memory of a prior session.
Play online or on mobile: pros and cons
Online Chicago tables speed up play and offer consistent rule enforcement. Mobile platforms let you practice many hands in a short time to internalize spade-focused decisions. However, you lose read-based advantages and the social context that affects live betting psychology.
If you want a place to try the game and learn interfaces, a reputable site or app can be useful. For a simple starting point and practice, consider checking resources like how to play chicago which aggregates game types and tutorials (remember to verify rules per table).
Variations and local twists
Local groups add house rules frequently: variations on which downcard counts, whether the Chicago award is based on highest or lowest spade, or whether specific spade ranks (e.g., Ace of spades) have unique payouts. Some groups add secondary prizes (best flush among hole cards, etc.). My experience is that players enjoy experimenting — but consensus before play keeps things friendly.
Advanced tips from repeated play
- Keep a mental tally of visible spades — it sharply improves your assessment of Chicago odds.
- When playing Big Chicago, tighten your early-range hand selection: survival to showdown with a spade counts more than marginal improvements in exposed hand strength.
- Use defensive betting when you suspect opponents have a concealed spade but want the pot to grow; you can induce call errors from players who overvalue their exposed hands.
Where to practice and learn more
Practice is the fastest way to develop intuition. Small, friendly home games teach you how different personalities bet around the Chicago prize. Online play and video tutorials accelerate pattern recognition. If you want to bookmark a reference or guide, visit resources like how to play chicago for explanations and community tips — but always confirm the specific rules for any table you join.
Final thoughts
Chicago blends the best of stud poker with a secret-card twist that rewards discretion, observation, and adaptable strategy. Start by agreeing on the variant and house rules, practice conservative bankroll habits, and pay attention to spade distribution and opponent tendencies. With a few nights of play you’ll develop the instincts to judge whether the Chicago prize or the showdown is your best path to the pot.
If you’d like, I can create a printable rules sheet tailored to your preferred Chicago variant or walk through additional sample hands with odds estimations. Which variant do you plan to play — Little Chicago or Big Chicago — and will you be using seven-card stud as the base? I can adapt examples to that setup.
