poker

Basics
Poker is a game that is best played with at least six people. Poker is played with a standard 52 card deck without jokers. One person deals the cards to everyone at the table, starting with the player to his left and ending with himself. Usually, before dealing, he will ask the player on his right if they would like to cut the deck. Before the deal, each player antes up (puts money into the pot). The games vary depending on casino-style versus a game at home. Some games at home have wild cards, whereas the casinos do not. Each player can bet after a round of cards are dealt. No matter what the game is and no matter how many cards each player gets, the object is the same - to have the best hand. The player with the best hand at the showdown (end of play), wins the pot. See the rank of hands to determine which hands beat which.

See below for details about how to play some popular poker games. Keep in mind that the rules about the games below are basic rules - all games can have their rules modified to make a new game - just make sure everyone playing the games knows the rules before the hands are dealt.

Poker games are played with minimum and maximum bets. This should be determined before beginning the game. The exception to this is a no-limit tournament. The maximum number of raises should also be determined before playing - three raises per round is usually the max. When it is a player's turn to act, he can fold, check (no bet), bet, or raise. If the player checks and another player bets after him, the player that checked can fold, bet, or raise.

High/Low games are different from regular games in that there are two winners - the player with the best hand, and the player with the worst hand. The worst hand is either A,2,3,4,5 or A,2,3,4,6 depending on the rules - some rules will not allow A,2,3,4,5 to count as low because it is a high straight. If it can count for low, a player could actually win both the high hand and the low hand with a hand like this.

Glossary of Poker Terms

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Five Card Stud
Five card stud is played by dealing a total of five cards to each player. All cards are not deatlt at the same time though. To begin, each player is dealt one card face down and one card face up. A round of betting is performed before anymore cards are dealt. Once this first round of betting is complete, one more card is dealt to each player face up (now each player has one card face down and two cards face up). After another round of betting, another card is dealt face up to each player. Once again, there is a betting round and then the final card is dealt to each player face up (everyone now has one card face down and four cards face up). There is a final betting round and then the showdown to see who wins the pot. (top)

Five Card Draw
Five card draw is the most basic game of poker. It is played like five card stud, except all five cards are dealt face down before any betting rounds, and you can draw more cards to help improve your hand if you wish. This game begins when the dealer gives all players five cards face down. A betting round occurs, then the dealer asks each player (from left to right) if he would like to draw more cards. If so, the player discards the number of cards he wants to draw, and then takes the new cards from the dealer. The player cannot keep all cards - he must discard the same number of cards that he draws - and he must choose which cards to discard BEFORE receiving the new cards from the dealer. Once all players have drawn (including the dealer), a final betting round takes place before the showdown.

It is important to note that some games allow you to discard/draw as many cards (up to five since that's all you have in your hand anyway) as you wish, some games only allow you to draw up to three unless you have an Ace. If you have an Ace, you may draw four if you wish (to prove you have an Ace, you must show it to the table). Video Poker

A variation of this game is to roll and bet. As you can see, the normal game only has two betting rounds. Many times the pot doesn't get very large with only two betting rounds, so you can have more betting action by rolling and betting. It works like this - after everyone has drawn their cards, each player flips up one of his cards for everyone to see. A betting round occurs, and then they roll the next card. This continues until all cards are face up which makes for a showdown. (top)

Texas Hold 'Em
Texas Hold 'Em is fast becoming the most popular poker game of all time. This is the game that is played at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas each year. The concept of this game is very simple. Each player receives two cards face down. There is a betting round, then the flop. The flop consists of three cards dealt face up in the middle of the table for every player to use - these are community cards. A betting round follows, then the dealer deals the turn card. This card is dealt face up beside the three from the flop. This is also a community card that each player can use. After another betting round, the final community card is dealt face up. This is known as the river card. One final betting round occurs before the showdown. Once all cards are dealt out, each player has two down cards and there are a total of five community cards in the middle of the table for each player to use with their own two cards. Each player can only use five cards to make their hand. They can use the two in their hand plus three from the board, one from their hand and four from the board, or none from their hand and five from the board. If there is a tie, the other two cards CANNOT BE USED to break the tie - each player can only use a total of five cards.

Click here for more details about the rules of Texas Hold 'Em

The game of Texas Hold 'Em is often played in tournament style. The only difference in tournament style poker is that there is are no betting limits. Once a player runs out of chips, he is out of the tournament. The player who wins all the chips is the winner.

Click here for Texas Hold 'Em Tournament Rules

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Seven Card Stud
Seven card stud is one of the most popular games played in casinos today. Seven card stud is similar to five card stud, except each player gets seven cards instead of five. To start off, the dealer deals each player two cards face down and one card face up. There is a betting round then each player receives another card face up. After another betting round, each player receives another card face up. Once again, there is a betting round followed by another face up card for everyone (each player now has two cards face down and four cards face up). Finally, the dealer gives everyone their last card face down (now each player has three cards face down and four cards face up bringing the total to seven cards each). A final betting round occurs and then there is a showdown. Each player can only use five of their cards - the other two do not count (even if two players tie, these two cards are NOT USED to break the tie). (top)

Rank of Hands
To win a game of poker, the player must have the best hand. Poker hands rank from the highest card each player has to a royal flush (or five of a kind if wildcards are used). If two or more hands tie, the next highest card in each of the players' hands (using a maximum of five cards) will determine the winner. Below is a list of how poker hands rank, in order from lowest to highest:

Other Poker Games
There are many different poker games in addition to those listed above that are played in home games. Keep in mind that any rules can apply as long as they are explained before the hands are dealt. Some of the other games are played with wild cards. Several games are explained below - any of these games can have their rules changed to become a new game. (top)

Omaha Hold 'Em
This is played almost exactly like Texas Hold 'Em. The difference is that each player is dealt four cards at the beginning instead of two. A total of five cards are turned up in the middle for everyone to play. Each player must use two and only two cards from his hand and three from the community cards in the middle of the table. This means that if you are dealt four of a kind, you can only use two of your cards and throw the other two away. Remember that in Texas Hold 'Em (where you are dealt only two cards instead of four), you can use none, one, or two cards from your hand and the rest from the board. This game is often played where the high and low hands split the pot. (top)

Follow the Queen
This game is played and dealt just like seven card stud. The only difference is that when a queen is turned up during the deal, the next card that follows is wild (and all other cards of that rank). After a queen is turned face up and the card that follows it becomes the wildcard, if another queen is turned up, the original wildcards is no longer wild - the next card that follows the queen becomes the new wildcard. If the last card that is dealt face up (before dealing everyone's last card face down) is a queen, it usually means that there will be no wildcards (since the next card to follow it will be dealt face down - some people play where the next card from the deck is turned face up and the cards of that rank become the wildcards). (top)

King Low Hole
This game is like seven card stud as well. The only differences are that all kings are wild, and the lowest card face down in your hand is wild (and if you have anymore cards of this same rank, they are wild too). Sometimes aces can count as your low hole and sometimes they cannot - be sure to find out the rules before the cards are dealt. (top)

I Got It
This game is a match the pot game. This means that the losers must put the same amount of money that is in the pot (double the size of the pot) if they lose. Each player is dealt three cards face down (some variations deal one or two face up). Players can buy more cards if they wish (usually the first card is cheaper to buy than the second card). Some variations play where more than one card can be bought. If a player chooses to buy a card, they must trade in a card to get their new card. The money used to buy the card goes into the pot and becomes part of the pot in play. Once everyone has bought their cards, each person has a chance to say I got it, which means that they are in for the pot.

If a player is in for the pot, they win if no one else gets in. If someone else does get in, they must beat their hand to win the pot. The loser must match the pot and the game is played again (usually the deal is passed to the left). The game continues until only one player is in and no one else challenges them. The player to the left of the dealer is the first to act. He can check or say I got it. If he's in, all players have a chance to be in as well (there is no limit to how many players can be in). If the player to the left of the dealr checks, each player to his left (one at a time) has the option to check or be in. If all players check, the cards are shuffled, the deal passes, and the game is dealt again. Once a player is in, all players have one chance to challenge him (even players that have checked previously). This prevents the dealer from stealing the pot. (top)

Macintosh
Macintosh is played like five card stud. If the card you have face down is the same as any of your cards face up, they are both wild (and if you have more of the same rank, they are wild too). If any of your cards face up match, you have the option to match the pot to stay in or to fold. Sometimes this game is played where you have to match again if you show trips face up, so be sure to find out the rules before the cards are dealt. (top)

High/Low Chicago
Both games (High Chicago and Low Chicago) are played exactly like seven card stud. In High Chicago, the highest spade face down in a player's hand wins half the pot. The best hand wins the other half. It is possible for the same player to have both the best hand and highest spade - and if they do, they win the entire pot. In Low Chicago, the only difference is that the lowest space face down wins half the pot instead of the highest spade. These games are sometimes played with the low hole wild (wildcards cannot be used for the high or low spade - these cards must be natural to win half the pot). (top)

Baseball
This game is played the same way as seven card stud. However, threes and nines are wild. Also, if a player gets a four face up in their hand, they have the option of getting an extra card (sometimes this card costs extra money and sometimes it does not). This card may have to be traded in to get another card (check the rules before the cards are dealt). This game can also be played in a five card draw fashion. (top)

Criss Cross
In this game, each player receives five cards (sometimes only four). Five cards are placed face down in the middle of the table in a cross (three cards in a row and three cards in a column- the middle card is the middle card in both the row and column. A betting round takes place, then one card is turned face up. After another betting round, another card is turned face up (the cards are turned over in clockwise order and the middle card is always turned over last). This game can also be played with wildcards. (top)

Pass 'Em
Each player is dealt seven cards. Before any betting takes place, each player must pass three cards to his left (or right, depending on the choice the dealer makes). After passing and receiving three cards, each player must pass two cards in the same direction. Finally, each player passes one card. This game is usually played where the high and low hands split the pot (although it can be played high only or even low only). After all cards have been passed, each player discards two cards. Then a betting round takes place. Each player then turns one of their cards face up. Another betting round occurs. This cycle continues until all cards are turned face up (if this game is played high/low, players must declare if they are going high, low, or both ways before the last cards are turned face up. (top)

Mexican Sweat
Each player is dealt seven cards face down. Threes and nines are wild. Players cannot look at their cards. The player to the left of the dealer turns up one card - it must be higher than the top card on the deck. If not, the players continues turning cards face up until he beats the top card on the deck. Once he beats this card, the next player turns over his cards, one at a time, until he beats the player's hand. If at any time a player turns a seven face up, he automatically loses and is out of the game. This cycle continues until there is either one player left or all cards have been turned face up - the player with the highest hand wins. (top)

Alabama Guts
Each player receives four cards face down and one card face up. Players cannot look at their cards at this point. The player with the highest card showing on the board must decide if he's in (if he is and he loses, he must match the pot) or not. If he is not in, he is out of the game for good and the player with the next highest card must make this choice. Once a player decides to be in, all other players can look at their hands. The player to the left of the player with the high card is next to act. This player can challenge the blind (the player who is in without looking at his hand) or pass. If the player passes, he is NOT out of the game like the players that don't go in when they have the high card showing. There is no limit on how many players can challenge the blind. Once everyone is either in or out, all players show down their hands.

The best hand wins the pot and all other players that were in must match the pot. If the pot was matched, the deal passes and it is played again (without players that folded the high card). This game ends when only one player is in and no one challenges him. (top)

River Guts
River Guts is played just like Alabama Guts except that each player gets seven cards (this game is sometimes played with only six cards, but the original game is played with seven - this game was created at the Alabama River camp house). Another difference is that twos and fives are wild. (top)

Stupid Game
This is a game of five card draw with a twist. This twist is that a dummy hand is dealt in the middle of the table (four cards down and one card up). The card face up is wild if any player has this card in their hand. The player to the left of the dealer acts first. He can check or be in - each player makes this choice in a clockwise manner. Once a player is in, all players have one chance to challenge them (even if they have checked previously). Each player has the option to draw just like in five card draw, but only if they are in. There is no betting because this is a match pot game. The player who has the highest hand must also beat the dummy hand. If he does, he wins the pot. All players that are in and don't beat all other players that are in and the dummy hand must match the pot. The deal passes to the left and the game continues until only one player is in and they beat the dummy hand. This game is sometimes played where the players do not play against the dummy hand unless they are the only ones in. (top)

Two or Twenty-two
Each player is dealt one card face down and one card face up. The object of the game is to get your hand closest to the number two or twenty-two. Aces count for one or eleven and face cards count for half a point. Most of the time, only cards of one color (red or black) count - the other color is zero. Betting rounds occur after the first two cards are dealt to each player and after a hitting round. Each round, a player has the option to take a hit card or to stay. Usually once a player stays for three rounds in a row, they are frozen, and they cannot take another hit for the rest of the game.

The game ends when no more players want to take anymore hit cards. The player with the hand closest to two and the player with the hand closest to twenty-two split the pot. If two players are the same amount away from these numbers, the player that is lower wins. If a player gets both two and twenty-two exactly (using aces as both high and low), they win the whole pot no matter what - even if another player has two or twenty-two on the nose). (top)

Seven or Twenty-seven
This game is the exact same as two or twenty-two, except the numbers to get are seven and twenty-seven. Remember that this game can be played with only one color counting, or all cards counting. A player can get both seven and twenty-seven on the nose by using two aces and a combination of five with the other cards. In this case, the player wins the whole pot no matter what.

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