On the face of it Texas Hold’em Plus is a simple addition to the normal Texas Hold’em game.

The same man, Sam Shehadeh, who made the game everyone plays today (Texas Holdem) is the creator of this new game.

Once each player is dealt the two hole cards the variation takes effect. The player who would normally start the proceedings has to take a call. He can exchange one of his cards for a new one on payment of $1. If he wants to do so he puts a dollar chip on the card and slides it to the dealer. The dealer puts the chip into the pot and gives the player a new card. If the player is happy with his hole cards he waves his hands to signify that no change is required. Then the game proceeds as in normal Texas Hold’em Poker.

The million-dollar question is will this rule interest the players. This question was answered by Sam Shehadeh, the creator of Texas Hold’em and now creator of Texas Hold’em Plus. Since Texas Hold’em has practically put other forms of poker virtually out of business, this new game from the same creator is bound to be good. According to Sam, the biggest gripe that player have with Texas Hold’em is that they cannot change their hole cards. So many players have told Sam that they wished that they could change one of their hole card. So Sam decided to give them their wish, for a penalty of $1. Sam figured that this would strengthen the players’ hand and get more people playing and less people folding. The pots would grow larger and so would the rakes. The winners would be happier and so would the casinos. As for the losers - $1 in the scheme of a game is peanuts.

Sam is a perfectionist and proceeded step by step. The first thing he did was to get the game patented. He then went to the gaming authorities for approval. It took a good six months of follow up but in the end he got their letter of approval. Then Sam set up a meeting with Scott Sibella, President, Brian Binowitz, Vice President in charge of new games, and Donna Harris the Director of Poker Operations, of the Mirage. He presented his new game to them and answered their innumerable questions. He gave them a copy of the letter of approval and even showed them a logo he had designed for the new game. Mirage asked for a week. Within a week Sam got a contract in the mail. The deal was that Mirage would put two tables for Texas Hold’em Plus in their poker room on a 60-day trial. What Sam got out of the deal is not in public domain. The trial period began on March 25, 2008.

By all accounts the game is a resounding success. Players are queuing up to play. And Donna Harris is one happy woman. Once the 60 days are over all the MGM casinos will be offering Texas Hold’em Plus. These eight lucky poker rooms are Mirage, Bellagio, Treasure Island, Monte Carlo, MGM, Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay.