Bug (poker)

A bug in poker is a limited form of wild card. One or both jokers are often added to the deck and played as bugs.

A royal flush with a bug as the queen of hearts

In draw poker played for high and pai gow poker, the bug is considered to be an ace, unless it can be used as a missing card to complete a straight or a flush, in which case it becomes the highest card which can complete the hand.

• K-K-Joker-5-2 is a pair of kings with an ace kicker.
• A-A-Joker-9-4 is three aces.
• A♥-J♥-8♥-3♥-Joker is a flush, ace-king high, the bug becoming the K♥, even if another player holds the "real" K♥.
• 7-6-5-4-Joker is an eight-high straight, the bug becoming an eight rather than a three since both complete the straight but the eight is higher.
• Joker-J♣-10♣-8♣-7♣ is a straight flush, jack high, the bug becoming the 9♣.

In California lowball, the bug is the lowest unpaired card in a hand. For example in 8-6-4-3 plus the bug, the bug becomes an ace; in A-2-3-5 plus the bug, the bug becomes a four.

Holding the bug greatly increases the power of certain drawing hands. For example, playing for high, a natural four-straight such as Q-J-10-9 drawing one has nine outs to complete the hand, any king or eight or the bug. By contrast a four-straight including the bug can have as many as sixteen outs to complete the straight - Q-J-10-Joker can catch any ace, king, nine, or eight.