Red Dog is a variation of a card game known as ‘in-between’ and is popularly known as "yablon" or Red Dog Poker. Apart from this, there are several other poker games that are also called Red Dog which can prove to be a bit confusing.
The game is played on a standard 52 card deck and can be played with any number of decks between one and eight. The player is dealt three cards and the hand rankings are the same as in poker, with the ace as the highest card, the suit is not relevant. The player places a bet and is dealt two cards face up.
If the two cards are consecutive, then the hand is called a ‘push’ and the wagered amount is returned. If the cards are of the same value, then the third card is dealt, and if the card is also of the same value, the player gets a pay-off of 11 to 1. If the third card has a different value, then the hand is a push. If the cards are neither consecutive nor equal, then the dealer announces a spread which determines the payout. The third card is then dealt, and if the third card’s value is in between the value of the first two, the player wins, otherwise he/she loses.