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Rules of Poker:
Texas Holdem:
Texas Holdem is today’s most popular form of poker.
It was introduced during the 1970’s and since than has
quickly grown to be extremely popular, and the game of choice
for most avid players. There are three variations of play
in Texas Holdem.
No Limit Texas Holdem: No limit is easily
the most popular type of holdem. In no limit, a player may
wager all of his or her poker chips
at any time by declaring “all in”. No limit makes
for an exciting game but remember, one wrong move and your
whole bank roll can be lost.
Pot Limit Texas Holdem:
Pot limit is played in the same manner as no limit except
that a player may only wager the amount that has already been
bet, which is the amount that is already in the pot.
Limit Texas Holdem: Like pot limit, limit
holdem is also played the same way as no limit except there
are predetermined betting increments. Commonly the betting
structure looks similar to $2/$4, $3/$6, $5/$10 and so on.
A player may bet the small bet before the flop and on the
flop. During the last two betting rounds, a player may bet
in the large bet increments.
The hand begins with the two players left of the dealer button
posting two forced bets known as the “blinds”
The player directly to the left of the dealer is the “small
blind” and the player two positions left of the dealer
is known as the “big blind”. Once the blinds are
posted, the dealer will begin to deal two down playing
cards to each player starting with the small blind. Once
all cards are dealt, the play will begin the player seated
to the left of the big blind. This player has the option to
call the amount of the big blind, raise the hand, or fold.
Once all players have acted accordingly, the dealer will discard
one card, and place three community cards face up on the board.
This is known ad dealing the flop. Each player still in the
hand can use community cards to make their best five card
poker hand. After the flop is dealt, play begins with the
small blind. He or she has the option to “check”
passing play to the next player, or raise the pot. After all
players have again acted accordingly, the dealer discards
another card, and deals a fourth community card known as the
“turn”. Another round of betting occurs, and than
the dealer discards a final card and deals a final card known
as the “river” or “fifth street”.
After all players have acted, if there is a showdown between
two or more players, they will turn their two down cards up
to the dealer. The best five card combination will be used
to make a players hand. The player with the best hand made
from their two down cards, and the five community playing
cards will win the hand.
Omaha
Omaha is another variation of poker that has recently become
very popular, usually among more advanced players. There are
normally two types of Omaha.
Limit Omaha: (there is a specific betting
limit applied in each game and on each round of betting, similar
to limit holdem)
Pot Limit Omaha: (A player can bet the amount
of chips that is already in the pot).
Omaha is exactly like Texas Holdem in almost every way that
it is played except for one exception. In an Omaha game, each
player is dealt four down cards instead of two like in Holdem.
A player can only use two of his four down cards to make their
best poker hand. Everything else such as the betting and the
flow of the game is the same as Texas Holdem.
7-Card Stud
Each player contributes a set ante amount to the
pot before play begins. The dealer begins to deal cards to
the left of him. Two cards are dealt to each player and are
placed face down. These two cards are known as the hole cards.
The next card is dealt face up to each player and at this
time the players may look at their two down cards. The betting
starts with the player showing the highest value card that
is face up. After the first round of betting is complete,
each player that is still in the game is dealt another card
face up. Another round of betting begins with the player showing
the best hand that is face up. This continues until each player
that is still in the hand has six cards, two face down and
four cards face up. During the final round, the players are
dealt their seventh card face down, and then subsequently
begin the final round of betting. After all the betting is
finished, the player with the best five card hand from the
seven cards that are dealt will be the winner. In a stud game,
players must pay close attention to the cards that other players
have discarded or are showing face up in order to properly
calculate which cards are still available to draw to, thus
good focus and sharp memory are important attributes to have
in a stud game.
Normally under regular circumstances, there is a maximum
of four bets allowed per betting round (one bet and three
raises). When four bets occur, this is known as “tapping”
or making the maximum four bets. After betting is complete
the hand will move to the next round of “street”.
Folding is the only option that a player may make at any time.
Once a player has folded, he or she is out of the hand and
has no right to the pot even if they would have made a winning
hand after the show down occurs.
5-card draw
Each player contributes a set ante to the pot before the dealer
begins to deal the cards. Once each player has contributed
their ante, the dealer will begin to deal cards to the left.
Five cards are dealt to each player face down. Betting begins
in a clockwise sequence with the player to the direct left
of the dealer. Players may place an opening bet or check.
A check defers action to the next player. Once betting has
begun, players must either call the current bet, or make a
raise in order to stay in the game. If a player does not wish
to call the current bet amount, he or she may chose to fold
his or her hand. After the first round of betting, a player
may choose to stand with his current hand “pat”
or choose to discard up to four of his cards and draw up to
four new cards. Once every player has discarded and received
his new cards a second round of betting begins with the opening
player. If a bet is not called, the better may “muck”
his cards without showing his or her hand and collect the
pot. If the bet is called, a showdown occurs and the best
hand will win the pot.
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