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The game is played at a blackjack style table, using six standard decks of 52 cards each, dealt from a shoe by a house dealer. After all players have placed their wagers, the dealer deals to each player position and to themselves, four cards face down. Each player determines which two of their four cards they wish to play and discards the two unused cards. Then the dealer exposes the house hand and determines which two of the four cards they will play according to a predetermined "house-way" strategy.

Then the dealer deals five cards, face up, in the centre of the table. These five cards are common cards (also known as "The Flop" in traditional poker) and in addition to their two-card hand, are used by all players and the dealer to make the best possible five-card poker hand.

Since six decks are used, the five card poker hand rankings are modified from the standard poker rankings. The modified poker rankings are displayed on the Texas Shootout tables. If a player has a higher hand than the dealer, they are paid even money on their wager. If the player's hand is lower than or equal to the dealer's hand, the player loses their wager.

There are two variations to the basic game play described above. First, a player may "split" their four-card hand into two, two card hands, match their original wager and play both hands. Second, there is an optional independent side bet wager, known as "Shootout Bonus®", where a player tries to obtain one of several predetermined poker rankings and is paid odds according to the ranking obtained. If the player's Shootout Bonus wager is at least five dollars, they qualify for the "Envy Bonus" feature. The Envy Bonus is paid to a player if any other hand, (excluding the dealer's hand), contains any of certain predetermined arrangement of cards.

• After wagers are made, four cards are dealt face down to each player position and themselves.
• Each player keeps two cards they wish to play and discards the two unused cards.
• The dealer exposes the house cards and keeps two cards based on "house ways".
• The dealer deals five community cards face up in the center of the table - these cards are used by all players and dealer to make the best possible five-card poker hand.
• Five-card poker hand rankings are posted at the game.
• If a player has a higher hand than the dealer, they are paid even money on their wager. If the player''s hand is lower or equal to the dealer''s hand, they lose their wager.
• A player receiving a four card hand can, if they wish, split it into two, 2-card hands. They may do so at any time provided the player makes a wager on the second hand in the amount equal to the original wager.
• There is an independent side-bet wager - the "Shootout Bonus" whereby a player attempts to obtain one of several predetermined poker rankings and is paid odds according to the ranking obtained.
• If the player''s "Shootout Bonus" wager is at least $5, they qualify for the "Envy Bonus". The "Envy Bonus" is paid to a player if any other hand (excluding the dealer''s hand) contains any of certain predetermined arrangement of cards.
• Players are allowed to look at each other's hands

Hand rankings are as follows (from highest to lowest):

• Four-of-a-Kind
• Straight Flush
• Three-of-a-Kind
• Flush
• Straight (A-2-3-4 is the lowest straight)
• Two Pair
• One Pair
• High Card