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Basic Poker Rules
For playing Poker use a standard pack of
playing cards, 52 cards (there are some poker games that uses
more or less depending on the variations such as adding wild cards
like jokers). The card ranking is as follows Ace (the highest),
King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (the lowest), Ace
(this may also be the lowest card depending on the variations
you are using, but it is usually the highest).
There are four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds
and clubs). No suit is higher than another. All poker hands contain
five cards, the highest hand wins.
The number of cards dealt is dependant
on what type of game you are playing. On the left there is a list
of the most popular types of poker along with their specific rules.
Games Rules: Texas
Hold 'em In Texas Hold'em:
Each player is given 2 pocket cards. The game
continues with a total of 5 community cards face up, first 3, then
1 after the other. Between each deal there is a round of betting.
Hold'em is played with two blinds (a bet before
the pocket cards are received). The first two players after the dealer
pay the blinds. The small blind is posted by the first player and
the big blind by the second. In heads-up games, the player seated
after the dealer pays the big blind. The first two betting rounds
are played with the lower limit while the last two rounds of betting
are played with the higher limit.
Omaha: Omaha
is a poker game derived from Texas Hold’em. Each player is dealt
four cards ("hole cards"), which belong only to that player. Five
community cards are dealt face-up on the "board". All players use
three of the five community cards together with two of their hole
cards to make the best five-card poker hand.
Omaha Hi/Lo:
The player with the best five-card hand for high wins half the
pot, and the player with the best hand for low wins the other
half. In Omaha, players must use two and only two of their four
hole cards in combination with three cards from the board. In
the event of identical hands, the high and low shares of the pot
will be equally divided between the players with the best hands.
In the event that no hand qualifies for low, the best hand(s)
for high wins the pot.
For a five card hand to qualify for low,
it cannot include cards higher than 8 or contain any pairs. Aces
can be used for both high and low. When comparing low hands, the
winner is the hand with the lowest high card, thus 3, 4, 5, 6,
7 is better than Ace, 2, 3, 4, 8. The best possible low hand is
Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5.
In Seven Card Stud:
Players are dealt seven cards throughout
the course of the hand, but only the best five-card hand possible
for each player is used to determine the winner.
Before a game of Seven Card Stud starts,
all players ante a nominal amount, for example $1 in a $10-$20
game. Each player is dealt two hidden hole cards and one exposed
card. The player with the lowest exposed card is the "bring-in",
and is forced to make a wager of either a half a small bet or
a full small bet (for example, either $1 or $2 in a $2/$4 game).
Action continues clockwise around the table until betting is complete
for the round.
In the unlikely event that all 8 players
are still in the hand on the river, the total number of cards
needed for all the players to receive their own card would not
be available in a standard deck of cards. In this case the river
card is dealt face up on the table and it will be used as a community
card.
Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo:
The player with the best five-card hand for high wins half the pot,
and the player with the best hand for low wins the other half. In
the event that no hand qualifies for low, the best hand(s) for high
wins the pot.
5 Card Draw: In
5 Card Draw, players are dealt five down (concealed) cards each.
After the first round of betting, all remaining players are given
the option of drawing (changing) one or more of their cards. After
a second round of betting, the game goes to a showdown. The player
with the best high hand wins.
5 Card Draw is played with two blinds (forced
bets), paid by the first two players seated after the dealer.
Available Betting Structures:
Limit: In
structured limit games, the only valid bet/raise is the current
limit, for example $5 on the first two rounds in a $5-$10 Hold'em
game. There may be a maximum of 4 bet/raises in a round of betting.
This includes a bet, raise, re-raise and a cap.
No-Limit:
In no-limit, a valid bet/raise must be at
least the higher of the current limit and the last bet/raise. No
higher limit is available, other than the players’ credits. No maximum
number of raises exists.
Pot-Limit: In
pot-limit, the valid bet/raise must be at least the higher of
the current limit and the last bet/raise. A pot-limit bet/raise
may be at highest the value of the pot, plus all bets at the table
including the current player's call. No maximum number
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