Playing Poker at the Door
When the fever of Whiskey poker died down, the sole survivor was the Knock or Rap poker. This alluring game for three to five players is consciously not only for draw poker players by also rummy players too.
At the beginning of the game, players toss antes into the pot and is dealt five cards. This game uses the standard deck of 52-cards. The cards not distributed to players are placed facing down on the middle of the table forming a stock from which player will draw.
The top card of the stock card is positioned such that the face of the card is known and placed in another part of the table to lead the discard pile. The player to the left of the dealer (or nondealer if played with two players) starts the drawing. That first player may draw from the stock or from the discard pile.
After drawing, player must discard a card to reduce hand to only five cards. The card that a player gets from the discards cannot be eliminated back to the discard pile until the next turn.
Whenever a player thinks he has a good hand, player knocks, after having made one's discard. Knocking means the other players will have their last draw and discard. Player may decide to drop out of the game. The quitter should then pay one chip to the knocker.
The knocker has no other play. Player is stuck with the card one has during the knock or as soon as another player knocks. After all has made their last draw and discard, there is a showdown of cards. If the knocker has the highest hand, the knocker takes the pot and those who did not give up pays the knocker two chips each.
If another play beats the knocker, winner takes the pot while knocker pays the remaining players two chips each including the winner. In Knock poker there is no betting between rounds. The betting is dependent on the outcome of the game.
Others also have come up with bonuses. All players including those who retreated pay the bonus. This bonus must be agreed at the start of the game. The players may conclude to paying additional two chips for those who knocked, did not draw a card and won. If the winner wins with a royal flush, the other players may award him with four chips in addition to the two chips.
It could be two chips more for a straight flush win and one chip for winning with a quad. If the stock becomes exhausted and no one has knocked, there will be a showdown of hands and the winner takes the pot and the usually paying of two chips by active players occur.