Basics:
The poker's objective is to gain money by winning the pot, which contains player's bets made during the hand. A player wagers a bet in hopes that he has the best hand, or to give the impression that he holds a strong hand and thus convince his opponents to fold (abandon) their hands. Since money saved is just as valuable as money won, knowing when to release a hand that appears to be beaten is just as important as knowing when to bet. In most poker games, the highest combination of five cards is the better hand.
The Ranking of Poker Hands:
The ranking of poker hands starting from the highest are as follows:
- 01 - 5 of a Kind
- 02 - Royal Flush
- 03 - Straight Flush
- 04 - 4 of a Kind
- 05 - Full House
- 06 - Flush
- 07 - Straight
- 08 - 3 of a Kind
- 09 - 2 Pair
- 10 - Pair
- 11 - High Card
Playing Poker:
Any number of players, typically from two to ten, can play, depending on the game. Most casino games are set up with eight players for a seven card game like Stud poker or Razz, and nine or ten players for Texas Hold'em Poker. You win hands in one of two ways:
1 You show down (reveal) the best hand at the conclusion of all the betting rounds. When two or more players are still active when all the betting rounds are done, they turn their hands face up. The pot goes to the player who holds the most high hand during this showdown.
1 You show down (reveal) the best hand at the conclusion of all the betting rounds. When two or more players are still active when all the betting rounds are done, they turn their hands face up. The pot goes to the player who holds the most high hand during this showdown.
2 All your opponents fold their hands. No, this doesn't mean they politely clasp their fingers on the table in front of them. Folding a hand (or, more simply, folding) means that a player relinquishes his or her claim to the pot by not matching an opponent's bet. In this case, you may have had the best hand or you may have been bluffing - it doesn't matter. When opponents surrender their claim to the pot, it's yours.
In games like Seven-Card Stud and Texas Hold'em, the best hand is a high hand. In other games, like Lowball and Razz, the best hand is a low hand. (The best possible low hand is 54-3-2-A; the next best is 64-3-2-A.) In split-pot games, two winners split the pot. For example, in Seven-Card Stud, High-Low Split, Eight-or-Better (mercifully abbreviated as Seven-Stud/8) and Omaha High-Low Split, Eight-or-Better (or just Omaha/8) the best high hand and the best low hand split the pot (provided that someone makes a low hand composed of five unpaired cards with a rank of 8 or lower). The worst possible low hand would consist of 87-6-54. The best of all low hands is 54-3-2-A (known as a wheel or bicycle).
While a high hand always will be made in split-pot games, there won't necessarily be a low hand. And when there's no low hand, the high hand wins the entire pot. Most games require ante or blind bets. If antes are used, each player must post a token amount of money in order to receive cards. As for blinds, one or two players are required to make a bet or portion of a bet before the hand is dealt. This requirement rotates around the table so that each player pays his fair share. Each time a round of cards is dealt, players have an opportunity to check, bet, fold, call, or raise.
Any time the player can choose to point his interest in the pot, he may release his hand when it is his turn to act (to do something like: raise, fold, check, or call). When a player folds a hand, he is not required to place any more money in the pot. If a player bets or raises and nobody calls, the pot return to that player, the cards are collected and mixed, and the next hand is dealt. If there are two or more players still active at the end of the hand, the best hand wins the pot.
In games like Seven-Card Stud and Texas Hold'em, the best hand is a high hand. In other games, like Lowball and Razz, the best hand is a low hand. (The best possible low hand is 54-3-2-A; the next best is 64-3-2-A.) In split-pot games, two winners split the pot. For example, in Seven-Card Stud, High-Low Split, Eight-or-Better (mercifully abbreviated as Seven-Stud/8) and Omaha High-Low Split, Eight-or-Better (or just Omaha/8) the best high hand and the best low hand split the pot (provided that someone makes a low hand composed of five unpaired cards with a rank of 8 or lower). The worst possible low hand would consist of 87-6-54. The best of all low hands is 54-3-2-A (known as a wheel or bicycle).
While a high hand always will be made in split-pot games, there won't necessarily be a low hand. And when there's no low hand, the high hand wins the entire pot. Most games require ante or blind bets. If antes are used, each player must post a token amount of money in order to receive cards. As for blinds, one or two players are required to make a bet or portion of a bet before the hand is dealt. This requirement rotates around the table so that each player pays his fair share. Each time a round of cards is dealt, players have an opportunity to check, bet, fold, call, or raise.
Any time the player can choose to point his interest in the pot, he may release his hand when it is his turn to act (to do something like: raise, fold, check, or call). When a player folds a hand, he is not required to place any more money in the pot. If a player bets or raises and nobody calls, the pot return to that player, the cards are collected and mixed, and the next hand is dealt. If there are two or more players still active at the end of the hand, the best hand wins the pot.
Seven card stud poker
Seven Card Stud is probably one of the most popular of all the poker games most commonly played. In this game, every players are dealt seven cards of their own: one face up and two cards in the hole, followed by an opening bet. Then three cards face up, with a betting round after each card dealt, and a final card in the hole with a final bet. (CC) C bet; C (bet); C (bet); C (bet); (C) bet. The player makes a hand using any five cards from the seven dealt. The biggest hand wins the pot.
Caribbean stud poker
Caribbean Stud Poker is a casino table game based on the standard 5-card stud poker game played on a Blackjack-type table. Some casinos also offer a progressive jackpot paid to high ranking hands. This table game is played with one deck of cards. Here the player fight against the dealer's hand. Each player makes the opening bet called “ante”. Players then have the option to bet $1.00 to participate in the progressive jackpot. Players win all or part of the progressive jackpot with a Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House or Flush.
Players place the opening bet “ante”. Then the dealer deals in turn giving five cards each face down, including himself except for the dealer's fifth card, which is face up. After examining the cards, the player must decide on one of two options:
Either place a bet on the “play” mark equal to the “ante” amount and continue the game, or Fold and withdraw from that round and forfeit the 'ante' wager. Once that all players made their choice, the dealer will look at his or her cards. The dealer's hand must contain an Ace-King or better to qualify and challenge the players hands, otherwise the dealer folds and only the “ante” wagers are paid, at 1:1 irrespective of ranking. The 'play' bet is returned to the player.
If the dealer's hand qualifies with an Ace-King or better, then the players cards are opened and compared against the dealer's. If the dealer's hand is better than the player's hand, then the player loses both, the 'ante' and 'play' wager.
If the player's cards are better than the dealer's, then the dealer pays the player for both wagers: the “ante” and the “play”. For the 'ante' the payoff is fixed at 1:1 irrespective of the hand ranking. For the 'play' wager the payoffs vary according to the ranking of each player's hand.
The payoffs may differ between casinos but basically they are as follows:
- A Pair - Even Money
- Two Pairs - 2 to 1
- Three of A Kind - 3 to 1
- Straight - 4 to 1
- Flush - 5 to 1
- Full House - 7 to 1
- Four of A Kind - 20 to 1
- Straight Flush - 50 to 1
- Royal Flush - 100 to 1
Irrespective of the dealer's hand, if a player has a hand that qualifies for the progressive jackpot, the player wins according to the ranking of his hand. If two or more players win, the winnings are shared. The jackpot payoffs are as follows:
- Royal Flush - 100% of the Jackpot
- Straight Flush - 10% of the Jackpot
- Four of a Kind - $100
- Full House - $75
- Flush - $50
House advantage 5.22%
Let it ride poker
Let it ride is a poker variation. The object of the game is to get a pair of 10s or better using three cards dealt to the player and two “community” cards given to the dealer. At this game everybody plays against the casino. To begin with, all player makes three bets of the same amount. Then the dealer gives each player three cards and takes two community cards placed face down. After looking at their first three cards every player has the chance to take back one of their three bets or to leave it out “let it ride”.
Then the dealer turns over one of the two community cards, which apply to all hands on the table, and each player has the option to take out another bet or to “let it ride”. The player may choose to leave their bet in or take it out the second time regardless of their first decision.
Than the dealer shows the second community card. Winners are paid based on hands which have
a pair of 10s or better with a pair of 10s paying even money, as follows:
- Tens or better 1 to 1
- Two pair: pays 2 to 1
- Three of a kind: pays 3 to 1
- Straight: pays 5 to 1
- Flush: pays 8 to 1
- Full house: pays 11 to 1
- Four of a kind: pays 50 to 1
- Straight flush: pays 200 to 1
- Royal flush: pays 1,000 to 1
House advantage 3.5%
Pai gow poker
Pai Gow Poker is a fusion of the ordinary American poker with the ancient Chinese game of Pai Gow. It's played with 53 card deck, joker included. The Joker can be used only as an Ace, or to complete a Flush or a Straight. The game is one-to-one, the player (or players) plays against the banker, each fight to make the better possible hand. Due to a rather slow pace and a lot of ties pai gow poker is less intense than most casino games and a modest bankroll can usually last a long time.
Each player is dealt seven cards. The cards are arranged into two hands: a 2-card hand and a 5-card hand. Rankings are like the classic poker. The biggest 2-card hand is Aces and the biggest 5-card hand is a royal flush.
The 5-card hand have to be biggest than the 2-card hand. For example, if the 2-card hand is a pair of fours, the 5-card hand must contain a pair of fives or better.
The game's object is for the player to have both hands to have a most high rank than those of the banker. If the player wins on one hand but loses on the other, it's a push and no money changes hands. If one hand ranks the same as the banker's hand, it's a tie but the banker still wins. Winning hands are paid even money, less a 5% commission. Losing hands lose the amount wagered.