Anaconda is a variety of stud poker

Stud poker

Stud poker is any of a number of poker variants in which each player receives a mix of face-down and face-up cards dealt in multiple betting rounds. Stud games are also typically non-positional games, meaning that the player who bets first on each round may change from round to round...

. Other names for this game include "Pass the Trash" and "3,2,1 Left".

Simple play

Each player is dealt seven cards. They then each select three cards to be passed to the player on their left. These cards are simply set on the table near their left-most opponent. No players get to see their new three cards until everyone has made a pass. Afterward, the players repeat the process, only with two cards, then again with one card. Players then discard two cards to make their best five-card poker hand.

In this version of the game, up to seven people can play, passing out a total of 49 cards and having three left over.

Betting

A round of betting occurs before the first pass of three cards, then again after every card pass is made. Once players have set their hands, one card at a time is rolled, with a round of betting following each card.

Variations

Anaconda can be changed in many ways, such as:

• Altering the amount of starting cards (six cards is common).
• Altering the amount of cards passed.
• Altering to whom the cards are passed.
• Incorporating Joker cards.
• Including only one betting round & showdown after all passing rounds.
• High low split - where A 2 3 4 6 is the lowest hand.
• Designating certain cards as wild.
• Removing all betting rounds.
• Dealing six cards rather than seven, followed by one card dealt face-down on the table. Players pass three cards, keep their best four (or worst, as this works as a high-low game), roll one card at a time, and bet after each roll. The card that's been dealt face-down on the table is played as everyone's fifth card, making uncertain the final outcome of one's hand until that fifth, unknown card is rolled. This version is known as "Black Edina" ("Black" because of its relation to the card game "Black Bottom"; "Edina" as a nod to the Minnesota city in which the game was invented -- by Mike Gottsacker of The Plastic Soul Poker Club).