Chances are, you already know how to play poker.
Maybe you play at your kitchen table with buddies on a Friday night and are now looking for better, faster paced action than the friend who agonizes over a $5 raise and takes 10 minutes to act. Maybe you’ve already taken your game to the next level and studied the greats like Brunson, Hellmuth and Ivey. Hell, you may have already sat across from them in a live event (or dreamt you have).
Either way, call these pages what you will, a poker 101 or a simple refresher course for the experienced player (we won’t tell your buddies you were here).
Texas Hold’em, or simply “Hold’em” to most, is the best known form of poker today.
The goal: make the best 5 –card poker hand using any combination of cards of the two “hole card” that are dealt to you, and the 5 community cards displayed on the table. You can use one, both, or neither of your hole cards to make the hand.
Types of Texas Hold’em:
The game is offered in limit, pot limit and no-limit texas hold’em action.
In Hold'em, a disc called ‘the button’ or ‘the dealer button’ indicates which player is the nominal dealer for the current game"Blinds" are designed to stimulate betting, forcing one player to post the minimum bet and another player to post half the minimum bet each hand. The player to the immediate left of the dealer’s button posts the "small blind," and the player to the immediate left of the small blind posts the "big blind." The size of the blind depends on the game. For example, in a $2/$4 game, the small blind is $1 and the big blind is $2. After the blinds are posted, each player is dealt two cards, face down, called hole cards. Texas Hold’em is played with a single deck of cards, shuffled every game.
After the blinds are posted, two cards are dealt face down to each player in clockwise manner around the table, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button. The player may call the big blind, raise any amount within the raise limit guidelines for the game, or fold and surrender his hand. The betting proceeds clockwise around the table and continues until all players have either bet the same amount of money or folded. In Limit games, bets and raises are restricted to one bet and three subsequent raises per round (on the initial deal, the big blind is counted as the first bet). In No-Limit games, you can raise from the big blind to all your chips (“all-in”). If no player raises the big blind by the time the betting returns to the player who posted it, the player that posted the big blind can either check (no additional bet), raise, or fold if he wants. If no players call the big blind, the player who posted the big blind wins the pot.
After the first betting round completes, the first three community cards, known as "the flop," are dealt face up on the board. Betting begins again with the first active player to the left of the dealer. He can either check, bet, or fold. Poker play continues clockwise around the table with each player having the option to either check, bet, call, raise, or fold. When all players have either folded, called the last raiser, or put all of their chips in the pot, the betting round is complete and the cards are dealt for the next round.
After the flop betting round completes, another card, called the "turn card," is dealt face up on the table. The betting process is the same as after the flop, except in Limit poker all bets must be made at the higher bet limit (For example, in a $2/$4 game, betting after the turn would start at $4). The turn card is also called "fourth street."
Play continues clockwise around the table with each player given the same set of options (check, bet, call, raise, or fold). When all players have either folded, called the last raiser, or put all of their chips in the pot, the betting round is complete and the cards are dealt for the next round.
After betting concludes the showdown occurs.
After the final betting round ends, "the showdown" occurs to determine the winner. The player with the best hand wins the pot except in the case when he goes all-in in response to a bet or raise and doesn’t have enough chips to cover the bet. In that case, the player only wins the amount that he contributed to the pot. Any player who wins a part of the pot reveals his two hole cards to the rest of the players. The player who raised displays his cards first. If no players have raised, then the first active player to the left of the dealer displays his cards first.
In No Limit Texas Hold'em, the minimum amount a player can bet must be equal or greater than the big blind and a raise must equal or be greater then the last bet or raise within the same round. There is no maximum amount to bet, a player may bet his entire stack at any time. The number of raises is only limited to a player's chips total.
In Pot Limit Texas Hold'em, the minimum amount a player can raise must equal or be greater than the last bet or raise within the same round. The maximum a player may bet is equal to the amount in the pot including his call before making the raise. (Example; a player's call is $5 and the pot is $20, he may raise to a maximum of $50. His call of $5 brings the pot to $25 and he may raise the amount equal to the pot of $25, thus the raise is $25.)
In Limit Texas Hold'em, players must bet a pre-determined fixed amount per each round. The betting amount is equal to the big blind for the first two rounds of betting and doubles up for the last two rounds of betting. A maximum of 4 bets is allowed per round which includes a bet and three raises. (Example; in a $5/$10 Limit Texas Hold'em game, players must bet $5 and raise by $5 up to a maximum of $20 for the pre-flop and flop rounds, they must bet $10 and raise by $10 up to a maximum of $40 for the turn and river round).
Omaha poker is an exciting offshoot of Texas Holdem.
The goal: Make the best five-card poker hand using exactly 2 of the four hole cards dealt to you and 3 of the five community (board) cards.
Types of Omaha Poker:
The rules for pot limit Omaha are the same as limit Omaha, with the exception of the different bettting structures between them.
In Omaha poker, a disc also known as "the button" or “the dealer button”, serves to indicate which player is the nominal dealer for the current game. Before the game begins, the player immediately clockwise the button posts the "small blind", typically half a small bet (for example, $1 in a $2/$4 Omaha game). The player immediately clockwise of the small blind posts the "big blind", which is always a full small bet ($2 in a $2/$4 Omaha game). Now, each player receives their four hole cards. Betting action proceeds around the table, starting with the player immediately clockwise (left) of the big blind.
After the first betting round completes, the first three community cards, known as "the flop," are dealt face up on the board. Betting begins again with the first active player to the left of the dealer. He can either check, bet, or fold. Poker play continues clockwise around the table with each player having the option to either check, bet, call, raise, or fold. All bets and raises occur in small bets (increments of $2 in a $2/$4 game). When all players have either folded or called the last raiser, the betting round is complete and the cards are dealt for the next round.
Now the "turn card," is dealt face up on the table. The betting process is the same as after the flop, except in Limit poker all bets must be made at the higher bet limit (For example, in a $2/$4 game, betting after the turn would start at $4). The turn card is also called "fourth street." Play continues clockwise around the table with each player given the same set of options (check, bet, call, raise, or fold). When all players have either folded, called the last raiser, or put all of their chips in the pot, the betting round is complete and the cards are dealt for the next round.
After the turn betting round, the final community card, called "the river," or “fifth street” is dealt face up on the table. No more cards are dealt after this. Betting begins again with the first active player to the left of the dealer. He can either check, bet, or fold, with betting at a minimum of the higher blind level (Again, in a $2/$4 game, betting on the river would start at $4). Play continues clockwise around the table with each player given the same set of options (check, call, raise, or fold). When all players have either folded, called the last raiser, or put all of their chips in the pot, the betting round is complete.
If there is more than one remaining player when the final betting round is complete, the last bettor or raiser shows his or her cards. If there was no bet on the final round, the player immediately clockwise the button shows his or her cards. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. In Omaha poker, players must use two and only two of their four hole poker cards in combination with three of the cards from the board. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands.
After the pot is awarded, a new Omaha poker game is ready to be played. The button now moves clockwise to the next online player.
Omaha Hi/Lo (also known as Omaha hi lo 8 or better, Omaha H/L/8, Omaha/8)
Omaha hi/lo is another exciting variation of Omaha. In this game, the pot is split 50-50 between the best High Hand and the best qualifying Low Hand. Omaha Hi/Lo requires a lot of skill and usually takes a little practice to understand the intricacies of the game.
Omaha Hi/Lo is structurally played the same as Omaha High except that the highest hand wins 50% of the pot and the lowest qualifying hand wins 50% of the pot.
A Low hand must be high card "8 or better" to qualify. To be eligible to win the Low, the highest card must be a 5, 6, 7, or 8. The winning Low Hand (8 or better) is determined firstly by the player with the lowest High card. Upon a tie with the High card, the hand goes to the player with the next lowest High card.
Any hand that is high card 9 or higher can NOT qualify as a Low Hand.
If there is no qualifying Low Hand then the high hand wins 100% of the pot.
Perhaps the game most played at kitchen tables before the Texas Hold’em explosion.
The goal: Make the best 5 card poker hand of the 7 cards before you.
All players must first ante before they receive their initial cards, except the $0.50/$1 game which has no ante. There are five betting rounds in a complete game of 7 Card Stud, not including the ante.
On the first round of betting, the low card by suit is required to initiate action with a bet (the bring-in) that will be between a fifth and a half (depending on the game) of the lower limit. Suits are ranked: spades (highest), hearts, diamonds, clubs. On subsequent rounds, the high hand on board initiates betting action. If hands are tied, the player to the left of the dealer acts first. In all cases, the dealer will inform the players as to who acts first.
Each bet and raise during the first two rounds of betting is set at the lower limit of the stakes structure. For example in a $4/$8 game, all bets and raises are $4 for the first two rounds. The exception to this rule is if any player displays a pair with their 2 face-up cards on 4th Street. In this circumstance, all players have the option to bet either the lower limit or the higher limit. If a player bets the higher limit, then all subsequent raises must be made at the higher limit.
Each bet and raise during the last three rounds of betting is set at the higher limit of the stakes structure. For example in a $4/$8 game, all bets and raises are $8 for the last three rounds (5th street, 6th street and the river).
Each bet and raise during the first two rounds is set at the lower limit of the stakes structure. For example in a $5/$10 Texas Hold'em game, all bets and raises are $5 for the first two rounds (after pocket cards are dealt and after the flop).
The maximum allowable number of bets per player during any particular betting round is four. This would consist of (1) a bet, (2) a raise, (3) a re-raise, and (4) a cap. The term cap is used to describe the 3rd raise in a round since betting is then capped and cannot be raised anymore. Once the pot is capped, players will have only the option of calling or folding.
Very rarely, a situation occurs where there are not enough cards left in the deck to give each player their own river card. In this event, the dealer will turn one boardcard face-up and it will be used as a community card.
You understood 7 card stud right? Now throw in this: at the showdown the pot is split evenly between the holder of the highest hand and the lowest hand, if the low hand qualifies.
The goal: Make the best 5 card hi or low hand from the 7 cards you are dealt.
The game begins with a small ante from all players at the table and each player is dealt two cards face down and one card face up and the player with the highest up card begins the betting with forced bet (called the bring in). Play moves in a clockwise direction with players either calling the bring, completing the bet (raising to the lower limit) or folding. There is a limit of three re-raises in all betting rounds.
Remaining players are then dealt another up card, followed by another betting round that begins with the player whose up card's make the best hand.
When betting has finished in the round, a third up card is dealt followed by another betting round, then a fourth up card is dealt again followed by a betting round.
Finally, a down card is dealt. This is followed by the final betting round and then a showdown.
At the showdown players must make their best 5-card hand out of the seven cards they were dealt.
Also known as 7 card stud Low, is a poker game in which the best Ace to Five low poker hand wins the pot at showdown. Unlike Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo or Omaha Hi/Lo, there is no "eight or better" requirement to win the pot in Razz.
Razz uses the ‘Ace to Five’ or ‘California’ system for ranking low hands. Straights and flushes do not count against a hand, and aces are low, so the best possible hand is a "wheel": 5, 4, 3, 2, A.
As in 7 card stud, players are dealt seven cards in five rounds and must make their best possible 5 card poker hand from the cards they are dealt.
The game begins with a small ante from all players at the table and each player is dealt two cards face down and one card face up and the player with the highest up card begins the betting with forced bet (called the bring in). Play moves in a clockwise direction with players either calling the bring, completing the bet (raising to the lower limit) or folding. There is a limit of three re-raises in all betting rounds.
Remaining players are then dealt another up card, followed by another betting round that begins with the player whose up card's make the best hand.
When betting has finished in the round, a third up card is dealt followed by another betting round, then a fourth up card is dealt again followed by a betting round.
Finally, a down card is dealt. This is followed by the final betting round and then a showdown.
The best Ace to Five low poker hand wins the pot at showdown
Five cards, best poker hand wins. Simple.
After the ante, players are first dealt 2 cards: 1 up, 1 down
The player with the highest up card begins the betting with forced bet (called the bring in) and play moves in a clockwise direction with players either calling the bring, completing the bet (raising to the lower limit) or folding. There is a limit of three re-raises in all betting rounds.
Next each player still in the hand is dealt another up card, followed by another betting round that begins with the player whose up cards make the best hand.
Next a third up card is dealt followed by another betting round and then a final up card is dealt followed by the final betting round and then a showdown.
Winner goes to the best 5 card poker hand.
As with flop games, draw games are played with blinds to force the action.
Each player is dealt five hidden hole cards. The first player after the big blind has the option to fold, call, or raise. Action continues clockwise around the table until betting is complete for the round.
Once the first round of betting is complete, there is a draw.
Specifically, each player selects which (if any) cards he wishes to discard by clicking on them. By clicking a second time on a card that you have planned to discard, you remove it from the discard set. Discarding continues around the table clockwise. When it is your turn to discard, you press the button to confirm you wish to discard the selected cards.
After the first draw, there is another round of betting, beginning with the first active player to the left of the button.
At showdown, the the player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.
The most common version of Lowball poker is A-5 triple draw.
Play works the same as 5 card draw but with players trying to make the best possible low hand, and there are three draws instead of one. Straights and flushes don't count so the best possible hand is A-2-3-4-5 regardless of suit.
Before the cards are dealt the two players to the left of the dealer button (a small D in a circle identifies the current dealer position) must make forced bets, called blinds. The first person left of the dealer pays the small blind, and then the next person pays the big blind, which is double the small blind. These amounts are the table limits. The minimum bet in a hand is the amount of the big blind.
Once all the players have their cards there is the first of 4 betting rounds and players have the 3 options: fold their hand, call the big blind (bet equal to the big blind) or raise (bet a higher amount).
After all players have acted, the players who stay in the hand for the have a chance to change or improve their hand by discarding up to 5 of their cards and getting the same number of new cards back. They also of course have the option to keep all their cards in their hand.
There is a second round of betting (where players have the option of checking, raising or folding) followed by another opportunity to draw, followed by a third round of betting and the third and final draw.
There is then a final round of betting followed by a showdown, at the showdown the player with the lowest hand takes down the pot.
Play works the same as A-5 Lowball Triple Draw but this time straights and flushes count as high hands, so the best possible hand is 7-5-4-3-2 with no flush.
Before the cards are dealt the two players to the left of the dealer button (a small D in a circle identifies the current dealer position) must make forced bets, called blinds. The first person left of the dealer pays the small blind, the next person pays the big blind, which is double the small blind. (These are the table limits) The minimum bet in a hand is the amount of the big blind.
Once all the players have their cards there is the first of 4 betting rounds and players have the 3 options: fold their hand, call the big blind (bet equal to the big blind) or raise (bet a higher amount).
After all players have acted, the players who stay in the hand for the have a chance to change or improve their hand by discarding up to 5 of their cards and getting the same number of new cards back. They also of course have the option to keep all their cards in their hand.
There is a second round of betting (where players have the option of checking, raising or folding) followed by another opportunity to draw, followed by a third round of betting and the third and final draw.
There is then a final round of betting followed by a showdown, at the showdown the player with the lowest hand takes down the pot.
This is an offshoot of draw poker that has its roots in Asia and has many similarities with Lowball in that the lowest hand wins. However, its quite different than most versions because the hand ranking system is different.
The goal: make a Badugi - a four-card low hand with four different suits, and no pairs. The best possible starting hand therefore is 4-3-2-A (with each card a different suit).
Badugi hands are ranked by their highest card, with aces always playing as a low card, and straights ignored. A player holding 9-8-4-3 of different suits (a ‘Nine Badugi’) would lose to an opponent holding 8-7-3-2 (an ‘Eight Badugi’) of different suits. Likewise, 6-3-2-A (a ‘Six Badugi’) would lose to 5-4-3-2 (a ‘Five Badugi’). If the top cards in the hand are tied, then the next-highest card is considered, and so on. Therefore, a 6-5-4-A (a ‘Six-Five Badugi’) would lose to a 6-4-3-2 (a ‘Six-Four Badugi’).
Another game that uses blinds as opposed to antes, each player is dealt four cards face down. The first round of betting then takes place, where you can call, raise or fold. Players still left in the hand after this first betting round now have the option to draw. The idea of the draw is that you can choose to discard any cards that you don’t want, and have them replaced with new ones that you hope will improve your hand. Click the cards you want to discard, and then click the ‘Discard’ button. You can opt to discard all four cards if you want. A second round of betting then takes place, with players having the option to bet or fold, unless there are no bets, in which case you can check. Once this round of betting is complete, another draw and betting round takes place. This is followed by a final draw and betting round, after which a showdown occurs if more than one player remains. The player with the best hand takes the pot.
If a hand reaches showdown and no player has a Badugi, the player with the best three-card or two-card hand wins the pot. For example, if you hold 6h-4d-3s-Ah, you have two hearts, so the highest one is ignored, leaving a 4-3-A-x. That hand is known as a ‘Three Card Four’, and would lose to any Badugi, but it would beat 7h-5d-4d-3s (the highest diamond is ignored, making a ‘Three Card Seven’, 7-4-3-x),. All three-card hands, in turn, beat all two-card hands. For example, Ad-As-2d-2c is a ‘Two-Card Deuce’, 2-A-X-X, because there are two pairs). It’s even possible to have a ‘One Card’ hand; for example, Qd-Jd-8d-4d has four cards of the same suit, so three of them are ignored, leaving just the 4d, a ‘One-Card Four’.
(Psst, its actually an acronym)
Tired of each game on their own? Shake it up a bit and try playing a mixed game like HORSE to develop your expertise in multiple games.
Hold’em
Omaha hi/lo
Razz ( 7 card stud low)
Stud (7 card stud high)
Eight-or-better (7 card stud hi/lo)
HORSE is played as one "round" of each of its component games. It begins with limit hold'em, then limit Omaha high-low, razz (seven card stud low), seven card stud, and finally seven card stud high-low. When the seven-card stud high-low round is complete, the game goes back to limit hold'em, and so on. You can tell which game is being dealt by looking at the top border of the table window.
Caribbean Stud Poker is a 5-card poker game played with a single deck of 52 cards, where you play against the Dealer. You have the option of placing a jackpot bet before the beginning of each hand. The progressive jackpot total is show at the top of the screen.
Play begins when you place an Ante (initial bet), receive a hand, and decide whether you would like to bet against the Dealer's hand. One of the Dealer's cards is dealt face up so your decision will have to be made on the card showing and the strength of your 5-card poker hand. At this point in time if you decide that the dealer may have the stronger hand you can fold however if you fold you forfeit your ante. To bet against the dealer you must double your ante by clicking ‘Deal'. To win you must have both the best hand and the dealers hand must qualify. For the dealers hand to qualify it must contain an ace and a king or better.
If the dealer does not qualify, you are paid 1 to 1 on the ante and the bet is returned to the player. If the dealers hand does qualify and you win, you are paid 1 to 1 on the ante and you will be paid according to the payout chart on the right of the table. If you lose then all bets, the raise and the ante, are lost and a new round begins.
If you have a jackpot hand and make a bet you will win your portion of the jackpot regardless of if your hand beats the dealers hand however if you fold you forfeit your chance at the jackpot.
If both players have the same hand, for example ace king then the next high card will be used to determine winner. If both hands are absolutely identical then the round is a push. The suit order of cards is not used to determine the winner.
