Poker guide
Multi-board poker: Squid, Octopus and board elimination
Two-board poker doubles the contest; three-board poker adds a cut. In Squid and Octopus three complete boards are dealt, and after the third river the board whose river card has the lowest rank is removed before the final betting round. Only the surviving boards pay.
This guide explains the elimination rule precisely, what it does to hand reading, and how the two games differ. The exact rules text lives on each game's page.
How a three-board hand is dealt
- Preflop betting.
- Three flops are dealt side by side, then flop betting.
- Three turns, then turn betting.
- Three rivers, then board elimination.
- River betting on the surviving boards, then showdown.
Until the rivers are out, the hand plays like a two-board game with one more board: every board is live and every pot will eventually be shared among whatever survives.
The elimination rule
Elimination compares only the three river cards, by rank alone: suits do not matter and the Ace is high. The board with the lowest river card is eliminated. If two boards tie for the lowest river rank, both are eliminated and one board survives. If all three river cards share a rank, no board is eliminated and all three survive.
| River cards (Board 1 / 2 / 3) | Eliminated | Survivors |
|---|---|---|
| 2 / 8 / K | Board 1 | Boards 2 and 3 |
| 2 / 2 / K | Boards 1 and 2 | Board 3 only |
| 8 / 8 / 8 | None | All three |
| A / 5 / 5 | Boards 2 and 3 | Board 1 only (Ace is high) |
Elimination happens before river betting, so the final betting round is played knowing which boards count. A board you were winning can disappear at the last moment, and a board you were losing can be the one that is removed.
How the pot is paid
Each eligible pot is divided equally among the surviving boards, and each surviving board is evaluated separately. With two survivors you can win one, tie one, or scoop both; with one survivor the whole pot rides on a single board; with three survivors each pays a third. Cards are never combined across boards.
Squid versus Octopus
| Squid | Octopus | |
|---|---|---|
| Hole cards | 2 | 4 |
| Showdown on each surviving board | Hold'em: any 0, 1 or 2 hole cards | Omaha: exactly 2 hole cards plus 3 board cards |
| Betting | Pot-Limit | Pot-Limit |
| Seats | 2-7 | 2-7 |
| Elimination rule | Identical | Identical |
Squid is the one to call first: the elimination is the only new idea and the Hold'em showdown is familiar. Octopus adds the Omaha rule on every board, so a four-card hand must find exactly two cards that work on each survivor.
Reading three boards
Before the rivers, consider how many boards a hand is strong on, not just its best board: that board may be eliminated. After the rivers, betting uses one, two or three surviving boards; a three-way river-rank tie keeps all three. Strength on one board does not guarantee a share of the final pot.
Related formats
The two-board games without elimination, Hold'em Bomb Pot, PLO Bomb Pot and Double Sophie, are covered in bomb pots and double-board poker. All five multi-board games fit a Dealer's Choice pool and seat two to seven.
Games in this guide
FAQ
How is a board eliminated in Squid and Octopus?
After the third river, compare only the three river card ranks, Ace high, suits ignored. The lowest board is eliminated; tied-lowest boards are all eliminated; if all three tie, every board survives.
Can all three boards be eliminated?
No. At least one board always survives: a three-way tie keeps all three, and a two-way tie for lowest removes two.
How is the pot divided among surviving boards?
Equally. Each surviving board is evaluated separately and each eligible pot is split into equal shares, one per survivor.
What is the difference between Squid and Octopus?
Squid deals two hole cards with Hold'em showdown on each surviving board; Octopus deals four with Omaha's exactly-two rule. The elimination rule is the same.