What is Run It Twice?

Run it twice is an option in cash games where, once all players are all in with cards still to come, the remaining board is dealt out twice and the pot is split into two halves, each awarded to whoever wins that run. It does not change anybody's equity. A hand that is a seventy percent favourite is still expected to take seventy percent of the pot; what changes is the spread of outcomes, because two independent runs make the extreme results less likely. In effect it halves the variance of the all-in without touching its expected value. All players in the pot must agree, and the option is usually offered only when everyone is all in. Some rooms allow three or four runs; some charge rake on each half separately, which is worth checking because that does change the economics slightly. It is a variance tool, not a strategic edge, which is why strong players use it and why it is far more common at high stakes.