Kill Games-Rules and Procedures

Kill Games are exiting variations on common poker rules, usually used to spice up fixed-limit games. In fixed-limit games players are bound to bet and raise for predetermined amounts of chips, and for a set number of times. The ‘kill game' factor, when activated, raises the stakes of certain hands, adding urgency - and extra money - to those rounds. The ‘kill game' variation is commonly used with communal games such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha. Here is how it works.

Kill Games feature an extra blind - the kill blind. Once it is in use (or ‘activated'), the person sitting behind the ‘kill button' must post a blind that is twice as high as the big blind, thus effectively doubling the betting amount for that round. For example, if you are playing a $5/$10 Limit Hold'em game, during the first two betting rounds of a typical hand you would only be able to bet, raise and re-raise in $5 increments (equal to the big blind). During the final two betting rounds the amount is limited to $10 - double the big blind. If the same $5/$10 Limit game is played as a kill game, then during rounds where the kill is active the game would be played almost like a $10/$20 Limit game. The small blind would still remain $2.5, the big blind $5, but the additional kill blind would be $10. This makes the first two betting rounds played for $10 units, and the last two for $20.

So how is a kill round activated? When is the kill blind posted, and by whom? The rules on this may vary, but here is a list of the most common kill-activators:

 

 

• After a player has won two pots in a row, he or she will post the kill blind. The kill blind will be in effect until someone else takes the pot. This ‘two stage' qualifying process is played using two extra buttons - the ‘partial kill' which is placed in front of a player after he or she has won their first hand, indicating that if they win the next hand, they will receive the next button - the ‘kill' button. 
• Some kill games only consider certain size pots as qualifiers for the kill, even with the two-pot qualifying rule. Most commonly, a pot must be 5 times (or 10 times) the big blind. Using our previous $5/$10 Limit game example, a pot must be at least 5x$5 = $25 (or 10x$5 = $50) in order for it to qualify.
• After a player has won a single pot that is at least 10 times the big blind (or the big bet). For example, in a $5/$10 Limit game, if a player took down a 10x$5 = $50 pot (or 10x$10 = $100) he or she will automatically post the kill blind during the next round.
• Splitting the pot does not usually qualify as the first win towards earning the kill button, but does usually qualify for the second win. So, to earn the partial kill button in Omaha Hi-Lo, for example, the player must scoop the pot - winning both the high and low hands.

Kill games are played in so many different ways that even the pre-flop betting order varies between different card rooms. Most commonly, the kill blind will act last after the big blind, regardless of where they are seated at the table. After the flop, normal betting order resumes, though the stakes are higher. Other card rooms stick to the seating order before and after the flop.

Another common variation is the ‘half kill'. It is exactly the same as a normal kill game, except that the bets are raised only by half. Using our longstanding $5/$10 Limit game example, when a half kill is in play the game will be played with $7.5/$15 betting limits.