Poker Basic

Poker is not a ‘single version, but it involves many variations which are all played with a deck containing 52 cards. Every poker variation includes the rounds of placing bets into common ‘pot’ and the rounds of receiving/replacing cards. The total number of card draw and betting around depends upon the specific poker variation you are presently playing. The action usually proceeds in clockwise direction. Generally, the players either make ‘ante’ or make blind-bet into community pot. The cards are dealt and the round of betting occurs.

Different actions you may choose when playing poker variations

• Check: In case there is no bet on the table, you may bet 0, and pass the act onto next participant.
• Call: In case there is bet on the table already, you may elect to match bet.
• Betting:if there was no bet placed on table, you can place by ‘betting’.
• Raise: The player can choose to put in more money in the pot.
• Fold:The players do not elect to match bets on the table and give up odds at winning pot. In fact, they forfeit their cards, and the round ends when each player has ‘contributed to pot equally’.

After that, the next round of action occurs and it depends on the variation of poker one is playing. For stud type poker games, an extra card is given to each participant, while in Draw style poker, the participants are given an optionto ‘discard’ from hand, and get a new replacement card from dealer. As far as community card games like Texas Holdem are concerned, the house dealer will turnover the next cards to be exhibited.

Note that card actions and betting rounds alternate a present number of times, based on the game. Once the card dealing and betting rounds are over, the Showdown occurs. In many games, highest hand at the ‘showdown’ wins.

About Poker Hands

Poker hands lose and win as per their strength, so knowing where different poker-hands come up in official poker ranking is imperative. These are given below in order from lowest hands to highest hand.

• Hand without a flush, straight or pair, valued by the highest card only
• 1 Pair: 2 cards of same rank
• 2 Pair: 2 cards of one rank and 2 cards of other rank
• 3 of a kind: 3 cards of same rank
• Straight: 5 cards in series, but not in single group
• Flush: All 5 cards are in same ‘suit’, but not in an order
• Full House: 3 cards of same rank and 2 cards of some other rank
• 4 of a kind: 4 cards of same rank
• Straight Flush: All 5 cards in an order, and in same suit
• Royal Flush: 10, A, K, Q and J all of same suit.

In case, two or more participants hold hand of same rank, then, winner is determined by virtue of ‘Highest Card’.

Keep in mind that no suit is greater than other, and suits are never put into use to determine who has best hand.