Poker
There are many versions of Poker but the basic rules are the same. In general, players bet on the value of the cards they are holding by placing the bet into a common fund, at the end of a round of betting everyone has to have given the same amount to the fund.
Cards can be either hidden from the other players or from a combination of concealed cards and community cards. (Depending on the version played). The winner is the player who holds the hand with the highest value (see poker hand values below) or else the player who is still ‘in the hand’ after all other players have folded (the player who makes an uncalled bet).A poker hand has five cards, but in other variants a player can have more than five to choose from.
Poker Hand Values:
Royal Flush – 10, Jack Queen and King, all of the same suit.
Straight Flush - All cards of the same suit, rank in sequence.
Four of a Kind - Four cards with the same rank.
Full House - Three cards of one rank and two cards of a second rank.
Flush - All cards of the same suit.
Straight - All cards with rank in sequence, e.g. 5,6,7,8,9.
Three of a Kind - Three cards with the same rank.
Two Pair - Two pair is two sets of cards of the same rank, e.g. 9,9,3,3,9.
One Pair - A pair is two cards of the same rank.
High Card - When no other poker hand is possible, the highest ranking card in your hand is called the ‘high card’.
Player's have the following options:
Check - if there is not a bet already on the table, the player can bet 0 and pass the action on to the next player.
Call - if there is a bet on the table, the player can choose to match the bet.
Bet - if there are no bets on the table, the player places one by betting.
Raise - If there is a bet on the table, the player may increase the bet by raising.
Fold - the player does not choose to match the bet on the table and they surrender any chance at winning the fund. They also give up their cards.
At the end of the last betting round, if there is more than one player still in the game, then there is a ‘showdown’. In the showdown, players reveal their previously hidden cards and assess their hands. The player with the best hand according to the poker rules being played wins the fund.
At any time during a betting round, if one player bets and none of the other players choose to call the bet, the hand finishes right away. The player who made the bet gets the fund, no cards need to be shown and the next hand begins. This is what makes bluffing possible. Bluffing is an important aspect of poker.
Tie Breakers
Hands can end in a tie, and result in a ‘split-pot’. The rules are:
-If two players both have a pair, the highest pair wins.
-If both players have the same pair, the highest card in each hand is referred to. This card is known as the 'kicker'. For example, 4,4,J,9,8 is higher and beats 4,4,9,8,7.
-If the pairs and the kickers are the same, the decision depends on the next highest card in the hand. For example 8,8,Q,7,2 beats 8,8,Q,5,3. This progression continues until both hands are exactly the same or there is a winner.
Some of the most popular poker variations are:
Draw poker
Each Player receives five or more cards, all of which are concealed. They can then change one or more of these cards a certain number of times.
Texas hold'em poker
Each player is dealt only two cards.
Stud poker
Each Player receives five or more cards; some cards are dealt face up one at a time so everyone can see them. The main differences between Stud and Draw poker are that players are not allowed to dispose of or exchange any cards in Stud poker, and whilst in Draw poker the entire hand is hidden in Stud poker part of a players' hand is exposed.
Community card poker
Players are dealt cards individually and ‘community cards’ are dealt face up and shared by all players. Each player endeavors to make the best five card poker hand using the community cards and their own face down cards.
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