Rules and how to play Poker:
(The most popular poker games: Omaha,
Hold'em, 7-card Stud and Let
it Ride.)
Poker originated in the saloons of the Wild West and
has probably the most game variants. It is played player against
players and not just against the dealer as in Blackjack, and
there is a lot of psychology involved during play.
Poker is played from a standard deck of 52 cards.
Some variant games use multiple decks or add Jokers
or Wild Cards.
The cards are ranked in descending order starting from the
highest; Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3,
2, Ace. Ace can be high or low. There are four suits;
spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs,
but no suit is higher than another.
Each player is dealt five cards and is called a hand. The
hand highest in ranks wins. In some games there are Wild
Cards or Jokers, which can be labelled whatever
suit and rank the possessor wishes to.
The Ranking of Poker Hands
The ranking of poker hands based on probability starting
from the highest are as follows:
- Royal Flush
- Five of a Kind (with a Wild card or Joker)
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- Pair
- High Card
Five of a Kind is only possible when using wild cards
and is the highest possible hand. If more than one hand has
five-of-a-kind, the higher rank wins; e.g. five Aces
beat five kings, which beat five queens, and so on.
Straight Flush is the best natural hand. A straight
flush consists of five cards in sequence and of the same suit.
An Ace high straight-flush is called a Royal Straight Flush
or Royal Flush and is the highest natural hand.
Four of a Kind is a hand that contains of four cards
of the same rank. The hand with the highest rank of four-of-a-kind
beats other four-of-a-kind hands. If there are many wild cards,
as used in some game variants, there could be two four-of-a-kind
hands with the same rank. In this case, the hand with
the higher ranking fifth card wins. This rule applies to hands
that tie, such as a pair or two pairs. Dead heats split the
pot.
Full House is a hand consisting of three-of-a-kind
and a pair. Again, where Wild Cards are used, ties
are compared first by the three-of-a-kind ranking,
then the pair.
Flush is a hand consisting of cards that are all of
the same suit in any order.
Straight is a hand consisting of 5 cards in sequence,
such as 5-6-7-8-9. An Ace may either be high (A-K-Q-J-10)
or low (A-2-3-4-5).
Three of a Kind is a hand similar to the four-of-a-kind
hand, except that if the remaining two cards are a pair, then
it becomes a Full House.
Two Pair is a hand that contains two pairs only.
Pair is a hand that contains one pair only.
High Card is a hand that is none of the above and
is a weak hand. If no player has a pair or better, then the
hand that contains the highest ranking card wins. If multiple
players tie with the highest card, then the second
highest card decides, followed by the third and so on.
Note on Wild Cards
How the wild card can be used depends on the game you are
playing and the rules. A wild card can be defined as a joker
or standard card that, by player agreement and/or dealer's
choice, can be used to represent any card desired.
When a joker is in play, it usually can only be used as an
Ace or to complete a straight or flush.
It cannot be used as a true wild card, for example, as a king
to make KK75X play as three kings. When playing for low, the
joker becomes the lowest rank not already held, so
864AX is played as 8642A, with the joker used as a deuce.
Wild cards add an additional hand, five of a kind,
which normally ranks above a straight flush. They can
also cause confusion when two players hold the same hand composed
of different wild card combinations. The standard rules of
poker do not distinguish between such hands, but some players
prefer to rank hands using fewer wild cards above less 'natural'
versions of the same hand.
Playing Poker
In most games players must 'ante' a nominal amount just to
have the cards dealt. Once the cards are dealt, the
betting starts. Players bet into the pot in the middle
of the table and it is done in turn clockwise.
The player with the highest rank showing, is the first to
speak and to bet. He can either bet or check.
By saying 'Check', he passes the decision to bet to the next
player who can also check. If all players check, then it is
the end of the round. Everyone opens his cards and the highest
hand wins.
Only after one player places a bet the real betting starts.
Each player in turn can either 'Call', 'Raise'
or 'Fold'. To fold is to pass or drop out of the round
and not play. To call means willing to match the bet, and
the same amount must be placed on the pot. To raise means
to match the bet and add an extra bet.
Say you start with a $5 bet. If someone else raises $10,
he puts $15 in the pot. When your turn comes again you need
to add $10 difference to the pot to stay in the game, and
if you want you can also raise or even say 'Pot'. Pot
is a raise to the maximum, which means to bet the same amount
as the total money available in the pot.
If there are no more raises and all the cards have been dealt,
then it is the end of the round. Everyone opens his closed
cards and the highest hand wins the pot.
Where to play Poker (choose "Poker Rooms" tab):
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