Texas Hold 'emTexas
hold'em poker is a card game. It is played with a typical 52 card
deck. You can find it in countries all around the world in casinos
to card rooms, online and in home games. Hold'em can be played
with as little as two players (going "heads up"), up to a max of
eleven players. Regular poker hand ranks apply to this game. For
example a flush beats a straight. A straight beats three of a kind
and so on. You can review the hand rankings for poker here. In
some home poker games you'll find a joker in the deck (a "bug"),
but in casinos and card rooms you'll rarely find that.
The
typical hold'em game goes as follows and is broken down into five
categories. I have intentionally simplified betting and the blinds
so not to over complicate the article. Betting structure can be
read more about here:
Preflop:
Starting with the dealer button, each person is dealt one card.
Then a second card. Both cards are face down. After everyone
receives their pocket/hole cards (the two cards face down just
dealt), then betting occurs.
Note: the dealer button is a actually a button that says "dealer"
on it or "d" that is passed around the table after each hand. It
signifies where the dealing is done from.
Flop:
The dealer turns over three cards in the middle of the table
(called "the flop"). These are community cards that each player
can use to create the best hand possible out of. Once again betting
occurs.
Turn:The
dealer turns over another card making four community cards. This
fourth card is called "the turn" or sometimes "fourth street".
Betting occurs again.
River:The
dealer turns over the fifth and last community card. This is
called "the river" or "fifth street". Betting occurs for the last
time.
Showdown:The
remaining players in the hand show their cards in order from the
person who bet first. Each player uses his two cards, and the five
community cards to create the best hand (5 cards total). A player
can use any combination so even if one card from his pocket cards
and four of the community cards creates the best hand, it is fine.
When all five of the cards in the community make the best hand
then everyone splits the pot. This is called "the board plays".
Also note that in any time during the game a player can fold and
get out of the hand. All bets will be lost at that point.Play Poker Now! >>
7 Card Stud Poker
- Seven Card Stud Poker Rules and Strategy Tips
The basic
principles and strategies for 7 Card Stud Poker shown here are
those generally agreed to and recommended by the experts for bet
limit games. An understanding of these basics is needed for all
levels of competitive play. Solid intermediate and expert level
poker normally require study of the more advanced game tactics
and significant hours of actual casino or online playing
experience.
7
Card Stud Poker - Game Rules
Highest hand
wins || Ace plays both high and
low for straights || Three raise
limit per round || Cards speak
7 Card Stud - Card Distribution and
Betting Procedure
Example: $2/$4
Seven Card Stud games.
After all players have anted $.50, (1.)
Each player is dealt two cards face down and one face up. The
player with the lowest up card makes an forced bet of either $1
half minimum bet or $2 full bet (player's choice) to start the
game. The rest of the players, in clockwise order, either call
the opening bet, raise it, or not call and "fold" their hands
back to the dealer. (2.)
All get a fourth card face up followed by a round of $2 betting.
From this round on, the player with the highest up card(s) is
always first to check or bet. (3.)
After the fifth card is dealt face up, the minimum bet goes to
$4. (4.)
The sixth card is dealt face up and there is another round of $4
betting. (5.)
The seventh and last card is dealt face down and followed by the
final round of $4 betting. The dealer then determines the highest
hand and awards the pot.
Seven Card Stud Strategy
General Strategy:
Seven Card Stud is a HIGH card game. More winning hands are
decided by the highest pair of two pair or just the highest pair,
than by straights, flushes and other big hands. So if you start
with a straight or flush draw, it should have at least two high
cards or at least one card that is higher than anything up on the
board. These draw hands and low pair starting hands need to
improve or turn a high pair quickly to justify continued play.
Any time your high hand is beaten on the board, fold, unless you
think you still have the best draw hand. Fast play early high
hands ( that could win without improvement) to thin out the
competition. Slow play draw hands to keep other players in to
increase the pot odds in case you hit.
Definitions: HIGH CARDS - 10 thru A . LOW CARDS - 2 thru 9 SPLIT PAIR - Starting hand with one of your pair cards
down and the other up. CONCEALED PAIR - Starting hand with both of your pair
cards in the hole and your side card kicker up. DOOR CARD - The exposed upcard of a starting hand. DEAD CARDS - Cards that have been revealed and no longer
in the deck. FAST PLAY - Bet, raise and re-raise to get as many other
players out as possible. SLOW PLAY - Just check and call along to keep other
players in the game and increase the pot odds. CHECK-FOLD - Check when you can and fold if you are bet
into. Gladly accept all free cards offered.
Playable Starting Hands:
HIGH TRIPS
- (AAA down to 101010). Fast play these.
Your opponents will put you on a high pair. LOW TRIPS - (999 down to 222). Slow play until your 5th
street bet. Keep 'em guessing. HIGH PAIR - (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010). Fast play these, split
or concealed, if they are not over-carded on the board. Try to
narrow the field and play fast until threatened by a higher hand. LOW PAIR/ High Kicker - Slow play split or concealed low
pairs with a kicker that is higher than any upcard on the board.
Fold this hand if two or more of your key cards are dead.
Check-fold if you don't get trips or two pair on the next card. CONCEALED LOW PAIR/ No High Kicker - Slow play for trips
on 4th street. Fold if one or both of your pair cards are dead.
Check-fold if you don't make trips or two pair on the next card. HIGH OVERCARDS - Two or three high cards that are higher
than anything on the board. Slow play and check-fold if they
don't make a high pair on the next card.
(Draw Hands): HIGH 3 CARD FLUSH - (2h 10h Kh). Must have at least two
high cards.
Fold if three or more cards of your suit
are dead. Slow play and
check-fold if you don't make a four card flush or a high pair on
the next card. HIGH 3 CARD STRAIGHT - (9 10 J ) to Q K A). Slow play and
check-fold if you don't make a four card straight or a high pair
on the next card. ANY 3 CARDS TO A STRAIGHT FLUSH - (5d 7d 9d). Fold if four
or more of your key straight and flush cards are dead. Slow play
and check-fold if you don't make any four cards to a straight or
a four card flush.
Strategy Tips:
When you start with a high pair,
fast play to eliminate as many players as possible. Slow play starting draw hands like three to a straight or
a flush. You want to keep other players in to build the pot odds. Slow play starting trips until the fifth card. You want
some players around with this powerful starting hand. Usually don't begin with a small pair unless they are
concealed or your sidecard
can beat the board.
Don't play three to a low straight or a low flush. Watch the board closely for key cards that can seriously
diminish your chances of making a good hand and for opponents
hands that look dangerous. Play cautiously and fold out early if
it looks like the tide is turning against you. Beware of the paired door card. If an opponent is playing
a pair in his starting hand, and pairs his door card (first
up-card), the odds are two out of three that the door card is
part of his pair. A paired door card presents a strong
possibility that the holder has a dangerous set of trips. Unless you are playing a strong draw hand, usually fold
if your complete hand is beaten on the board by an opponent's
up-cards. Try to find reasons to fold both your starting hands and
those that develop on the later streets. Look for a dead card in
the denomination that you need and for two or three dead cards in
the suit that you are drawing to. Look for too much strong
competition developing for the winning hand. When you can't find
reasons to fold, you can then proceed aggressively.. Study your opponents, especially when you are not playing
hands and can pay careful attention. Do they find more hands to
play than they fold? Do they bluff? Can they be bluffed? Do they
have any "tells" (give away mannerisms) that disclose information
about their hands etc. Get caught bluffing once in a while. It is a way to vary
your play and not be too predictable. You win pots that you don't
deserve when your bluff works. You lose a few chips when it
doesn't work but it will get you calls from weaker hands down the
line when you are really strong and need the action. The first four cards are the major key to winning
at Seven Card Stud games. If your starting hands develop
according to plan, you can be a strong favorite to win. If they
don't, you get out early and escape the expensive second best
experience. The three card starting hands recommended above are
those with the best chance of producing a dominant four card
hand. Good four card hands that are carefully played don't always
win but they win a lot more than the others.
Play Poker Now! >>
OmahaA
close relative of Texas Hold 'Em
Omaha Hold 'Em (or Omaha Holdem) is a close relative of Texas
Hold 'Em, the version of Poker seen on the Travel Channel's
World Poker Tour and ESPN's World Series of Poker. These are
the basic rules for Omaha Hold 'Em Poker. The Shuffle, The Deal and The Blinds
The dealer shuffles a standard 52-card deck.
(In casinos, the dealer never plays. A round disc -- known as a
"dealer button" -- moves clockwise from player to player with
each hand. The button marks which player would be the dealer if
the deal were advanced from player to player as the game went
along.)
Most Omaha Hold 'Em Poker games start with the two players to
the left of the dealer (the button) putting a predetermined
amount of money into the pot before any cards are dealt,
ensuring that there's something to play for on every hand.
This is called "posting the blinds." Most often, the "first
blind" -- the player to the left of the dealer -- puts up half
the minimum bet, and the "second blind" puts up the full
minimum bet.
Each player is dealt four cards, face down. (This is the first
key difference from Texas Hold 'Em, in which players only get
two face-down cards.) These are known as the "hole cards."
Betting BeginsA
round of betting takes place, beginning with the player to the
left of the two who posted the blinds. Players can call, raise,
or fold when it's their turn to bet. The Flop
After the first betting round, the dealer discards the top card
of the deck. This is called burning the card and is done to
ensure that no one accidentally saw the top card, and to help
prevent cheating.
The dealer then flips the next three cards face up on the
table. These cards are called the "flop."
NOTE: Eventually, a total of five community cards will be
placed face up on the table. Players will use precisely three
of the community cards and precisely two of their own hole
cards to form the best possible five-card Poker hand. (This is
the second difference from Texas Hold 'Em, in which players can
use any combination of community and hole cards.)
After the flop, another round of betting takes place, beginning
with the player to the left of the dealer (the button). During
this and all future rounds of betting, players can check, call,
raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet. Fourth Street
The dealer burns another card and plays one more face up onto
the table. This, the fourth community card, is called the
"turn" or "Fourth Street."
The player to the left of the dealer (the button) begins the
third round of betting. Fifth Street
The dealer burns another card before placing the final face-up
card on the table. This card is called the "river" or "Fifth
Street." Final Betting and The Winner
Players can now use exactly three of the five community cards
and exactly two of their four hole cards to form the best
possible five-card Poker hand.
The fourth and final round of betting starts with the player to
the left of the dealer (the button).
After the final betting round, all players who remain in the
game reveal their hands. The player who made the initial bet or
the player who made the last raise shows their hand first. The
player with the best hand wins.
Winning hands in Omaha Hold 'Em tend to be better than those in
Texas Hold 'Em, so your strategy and tactics should be adjusted
accordingly.Play Poker Now! >>Razz
The lowest
hand wins the pot. The format is similar to seven-card stud high,
except the high card (aces are low) is required to make the
forced bet on the first round, and the low hand acts first on all
subsequent rounds. Straights and flushes have no ranking, so the
best possible hand is 5-4-3-2-A (a wheel). An open pair does not
affect the betting limit.
1. All
seven-card stud rules apply in razz except as otherwise noted.
2. The
lowest hand wins the pot. Aces are low, and straights and flushes
have no effect on the low value of a hand. The best possible hand
is 5-4-3-2-A.
3. The
highest card by suit starts the action with a forced bet. The low
hand acts first on all subsequent rounds. If the low hand is
tied, the first player clockwise from the dealer starts the
action.
4.
Fixed-limit games use the lower limit on third and fourth streets
and the upper limit on subsequent streets. An open pair does not
affect the limit.
5. The
dealer announces all pairs the first time they occur, except
pairs of facecards, which are never announced.
Pineapple Poker
(and Crazy
Pineapple, Tahoe
Poker)Pineapple
Poker, Crazy Pineapple, and
Tahoe Poker involve variants of Texas hold'em poker in
which each poker player is initially dealt three cards instead
of two. In Pineapple Poker, each player then
immediately discards one of the three cards he is dealt, and
the game proceeds exactly as in Texas hold'em poker. In
Crazy Pineapple Poker, the players discard their third card
after the second betting round, before the fourth community
card is dealt. In Tahoe Poker, players keep all three
cards through showdown, but may not use all three of them to
make a poker hand - each player may use none, one, or two cards
from his poker hand, combined with those cards on the board, to
make his final five-card poker hand. Crazy Pineapple
Poker and Tahoe Poker are often played high-low split, and play
reasonably well that way, though plain Pineapple Poker does
not. Play Poker Now! >>
Lowball
Lowball is draw poker with the lowest hand winning the pot.
Each player is dealt five cards facedown, after which there is
a betting round. Players are required to open with a bet or
fold. The players who remain in the pot after the first betting
round now have an option to improve their hand by replacing
cards in their hands with new ones. This is the draw. The game
is normally played with one or more blinds, sometimes with an
ante added. Some betting structures allow the big blind to be
called; other structures require the minimum open to be double
the big blind. In limit poker, the usual structure has the
limit double after the draw (Northern California is an
exception). The most popular forms of lowball are ace-to-five
lowball (also known as California lowball), and deuce-to-seven
lowball (also known as Kansas City lowball). Ace-to-five
lowball gets its name because the best hand at that form is
5-4-3-2-A. Deuce-to-seven lowball gets its name because the
best hand at that form is 7-5-4-3-2 (not of the same suit). For
a further description of the forms of lowball, please see the
individual section for each game. All rules governing kill pots
are listed in “Section 13 – Kill Pots.”
RULES OF LOWBALL
1. The rules governing misdeals for hold’em and other button
games will be used for lowball. [See “Section 16 –
Explanations,” discussion #7, for more information on this
rule.] These rules governing misdeals are reprinted here for
convenience.
“The following circumstances cause a misdeal, provided
attention is called to the error before two players have acted
on their hands:
(a) The first or second card of the hand has been dealt faceup
or exposed through dealer error.
(b) Two or more cards have been exposed by the dealer.
(c) Two or more extra cards have been dealt in the starting
hands of a game.
(d) An incorrect number of cards has been dealt to a player,
except the button may receive one more card to complete a
starting hand.
(e) The button was out of position.
(f) The first card was dealt to the wrong position.
(g) Cards have been dealt out of the proper sequence.
(h) Cards have been dealt to an empty seat or a player not
entitled to a hand.
(i) A player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand. This
player must be present at the table or have posted a blind or
ante.”
2. In limit play, a bet and four raises are allowed in
multihanded pots. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion
#6, for more information on this rule.]
3. As a new player, you have two options:
(a) To wait for the big blind.
(b) To kill the pot for double the amount of the big blind.
4. In a single-blind game, a player who has less than half a
blind may receive a hand. However, the next player is obligated
to take the blind. If the all-in player wins the pot or buys in
again, that player will then be obligated to either take the
blind on the next deal or sit out until due for the big blind.
5. In single-blind games, half a blind or more constitutes a
full blind.
6. In single-blind games, if you fail to take the blind, you
may only be dealt in on the blind.
7. In multiple-blind games, if for any reason the big blind
passes your seat, you may either wait for the big blind or kill
the pot in order to receive a hand. This does not apply if you
have taken all of your blinds and changed seats. In this
situation, you may be dealt in as soon as your position
relative to the blinds entitles you to a hand (the button may
go by you once without penalty).
8. Before the draw, whether an exposed card must be taken
depends on the form of lowball being played; see that form.
(The player never has an option.)
9. On the draw, an exposed card cannot be taken. The draw is
completed to each player in order, and then the exposed card is
replaced.
10. A player may draw up to four consecutive cards. If a player
wishes to draw five new cards, four are dealt right away, and
the fifth card after everyone else has drawn cards. If the last
player wishes to draw five new cards, four are dealt right
away, and a card is burned before the player receives a fifth
card. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion #9, for more
information about this rule.]
11. Five cards constitute a playing hand; more or fewer than
five cards after the draw constitutes a fouled hand. Before the
draw, if you have fewer than five cards in your hand, you may
receive additional cards, provided no action has been taken by
the first player to act (unless that action occurs before the
deal is completed). However, the dealer position may still
receive a missing fifth card, even if action has taken place.
If action has been taken, you are entitled on the draw to
receive the number of cards necessary to complete a five-card
hand.
12. You may change the number of cards you wish to draw,
provided:
(a) No card has been dealt off the deck in response to your
request (including the burncard).
(b) No player has acted, in either the betting or indicating
the number of cards to be drawn, based on the number of cards
you have requested.
13. If you are asked how many cards you drew by another active
player, you are obligated to respond until there has been
action after the draw, and the dealer is also obligated to
respond. Once there is any action after the draw, you are no
longer obliged to respond and the dealer cannot respond.
14. Rapping the table in turn constitutes either a pass or the
declaration of a pat hand that does not want to draw any cards,
depending on the situation.
15. Cards speak (cards read for themselves). However, you are
not allowed to claim a better hand than you hold. (Example: If
a player calls an "8", that player must produce at least an "8"
low or better to win. But if a player erroneously calls the
second card incorrectly, such as “8-6” when actually holding an
8-7, no penalty applies.) If you miscall your hand and cause
another player to foul his or her hand, your hand is dead. If
both hands remain intact, the best hand wins. If a miscalled
hand occurs in a multihanded pot, the miscalled hand is dead,
and the best remaining hand wins the pot. For your own
protection, always hold your hand until you see your opponent’s
cards.
16. Any player spreading a hand with a pair in it must announce
"pair" or risk losing the pot if it causes any other player to
foul a hand. If two or more hands remain intact, the best hand
wins the pot.
ACE-TO-FIVE LOWBALL
In ace-to-five lowball, the best hand is any 5-4-3-2-A.
Straights and flushes do not count against your hand.
1. If a joker is used, it becomes the lowest card not present
in your hand. The joker is assumed to be in use unless the
contrary is posted.
2. In limit play, check-raise is not permitted (unless the
players are alerted that it is allowed).
3. In limit ace-to-five lowball, before the draw, an exposed
card of seven or under must be taken, and an exposed card
higher than a seven must be replaced after the deal has been
completed. This first exposed card is used as the burncard.
[See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion #8, for more
information on this rule.]
4. In limit play, the “sevens rule” is assumed to be in use
(the players should be alerted if it is not). If you check a
seven or better and it is the best hand, all action after the
draw is void, and you cannot win any money on any subsequent
bets. You are still eligible to win whatever existed in the pot
before the draw if you have the best hand. If you check a seven
or better and the hand is beaten, you lose the pot and any
additional calls you make. If there is an all-in bet after the
draw that is less than half a bet, a seven or better may just
call and win that bet. However, if another player overcalls
this short bet and loses, the person who overcalls receives the
bet back. If the seven or better completes to a full bet, this
fulfills all obligations.
DEUCE-TO-SEVEN LOWBALL
In deuce-to-seven lowball (sometimes known as Kansas City
lowball), in most respects, the worst conventional poker hand
wins. Straights and flushes count against you, crippling the
value of a hand. The ace is used only as a high card.
Therefore, the best hand is 7-5-4-3-2, not all of the same
suit. The hand 5-4-3-2-A is not considered to be a straight,
but an ace-5 high, so it beats other ace-high hands and pairs,
but loses to king-high. A pair of aces is the highest pair, so
it loses to any other pair.
The rules for deuce-to-seven lowball are the same as those for
ace-to-five lowball, except for the following differences:
1. The best hand is 7-5-4-3-2 of at least two different suits.
Straights and flushes count against you, and aces are
considered high only.
2. Before the draw, an exposed card of 7, 5, 4, 3, or, 2 must
be taken. Any other exposed card must be replaced (including a
6).
3. Check-raise is allowed on any hand after the draw, and a
seven or better is not required to bet.
NO-LIMIT AND POT-LIMIT LOWBALL
1. All the rules for no-limit and pot-limit poker (see Section
14 - No-limit and Pot-limit) apply to no-limit and pot-limit
lowball. All other lowball rules apply, except as noted.
2.2. A player is not entitled to know that an opponent does not
hold the best possible hand, so these rules for exposed cards
before the draw apply:
(a) In ace-to-five lowball, a player must take an exposed card
of A, 2, 3, 4, or 5, and any other card must be replaced.
(b) In deuce-to-seven lowball, the player must take an exposed
card of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7, and any other card including a 6 must
be replaced.
3.3. After the draw, any exposed card must be replaced.
4. After the draw, a player may check any hand without penalty
(The sevens rule is not used).
