HOW TO PLAY POKER
Ok so you have read all the poker books and watched a bit of live poker on tv and now you just want to get started! This tutorial is for everyone who wants to learn how to play poker.
Our poker tutorial starts off by giving you an idea of what online multiplayer poker is all about. Then we guide you through the process of downloading the software, creating your first online account and then playing poker.
Poker Rules..
Basic Poker Terms:
• Hand: The Hand refers to the cards held by the player.
• Play: Play refers to a single game, from one shuffle to the next.
• Pot: The Pot is a accumulation or pool of money bet by players during the game. The game is a contest for a pot of money, which builds in the course of play of each hand.
• Hand Tie: Hand Tie is when 2 players have the same hand and so they then divide the pot between them. When the pool is not exactly divisible then the left over amount goes to the player who called the highest bet.
• Ante: The Ante is the money the players put into the pot before they see their cards. Antes are also called blind bets.
• Rake: The Rake is a commission charged by the poker rooms as a small amount of the total pot won at the end of most hands.
• Showdown: The final act of determining the winner of the pot after all the betting has been completed.
Betting Rules:
• Call: Call is a bet exactly equal to the highest bet made by the preceding player to stay in the play. Call is also known as "stay in".
• Fold: Fold is when a player discards his hand and gives up his chance of winning the pot in this play. A player who folds is considered inactive and also forfeits his previous bets. Fold is also referred to as "drop out".
• Raise: Raise is a bet equal to the highest bet made by any of the preceding players plus some extra amount. The additional amount is that by which he raises the bet. Every other player in the game must either then call, fold or raise again.
• Check: Check is like a pass.. where a player doesn't bet any amount and still stays in the play.
Hand Rankings:
It is important to know the order of cards. From low to high:
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack (J), Queen (Q), King (K) and Ace (A).
The ace (A) can usually double as the lowest card when necessary. There is no ranking between the suits - so for example the king of hearts and the king of spades are equal. Poker ranks are always based on 5 cards only.
It is also important to know the values of different hands. The hands are in order of increasing value:
One Pair, Two pair, Three of a kind, Straight, Flush, Full house, Four of a kind, Straight flush and Royal flush.
One pair refers to 2 cards out of 5 cards with the same numerical value.
Example: A-A-K-7-6 (or) J-J-8-5-3.
If the pairs are equal, compare the highest ranking odd cards from each hand; if these are equal compare the second highest odd card, and if these are equal too compare the lowest odd cards. So A-A-7-6-5 beats A-A-7-3-2 because the 6 beats 3.
Two pair refers to 2 different pairs of cards and 1 another card.
Example: A-A-K-K-5 (or) J-J-10-10-7.
If the higher pairs are equal, the lower pairs are compared, so that for example A-A-K-K-5 beats A-A-J-J-3. Finally, if both pairs are the same, the odd cards are compared, so A-A-10-10-5 beats A-A-10-10-4.
Three of a kind refers to 3 cards of the same numerical value and 2 other cards. Example: A-A-A-3-2 (or) 5-5-5-K-J.
If you have to compare two threes of a kind where the sets of three are of equal rank, then the higher of the two remaining cards in each hand are compared, and if those are equal, the lower odd card is compared, so K-K-K-A-10 beats K-K-K-A-9 because 10 beats 9.
Straight refers to 5 cards in the sequential order of different suits.
Example: 6-5-4-3-2 (or) Q-J-10-9-8.
5-4-3-2-A is the lowest kind of straight, 5 being the top card. Where 3-2-A-K-Q is invalid since cards cannot turn the corner.
Flush refers to 5 cards in non-sequential order of the same suit.
Example: A-9-7-5-2 (or) K-J-8-6-3.
If the highest cards are equal then the second highest card is compared; if those are equal too, then the third highest card, and so on. Here J-9-7-5-2 beats J-9-7-4-3 because 5 beats 4.
Full House refers to 3 cards of the same numerical value and a pair.
Example: A-A-A-5-5 (or) 6-6-6-2-2. If the threes of a kind were equal, the rank of the pairs would decide the outcome.
Four of a kind refers to 4 cards of the same numerical value and any other card. Example: A-A-A-A-3 (or) 5-5-5-5-7.
Straight Flush refers to 5 cards of the same sequential order of the same suit. Example: 7-6-5-4-3 (or) 9-10-J-Q-K all spades.
Royal Flush refers to 10-J-Q-K-A (or) A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit.
It's nothing but the best straight flush. As all suits are equal, all royal flushes are equal.
High card refers to what happens when the 5 cards do not form any of the combinations listed above. That's when High Card comes in to play. When comparing two such hands, the one with the better highest card wins. If the highest cards are equal the second cards are compared; if they are equal too the third cards are compared, and so on. So A-J-9-5-3 beats A-10-9-6-4 because the J beats 10.
Next: Type of poker games