An Introduction to Poker
- Stud - In this variation, the dealer deals the cards in a prearranged combination of face-down and face-up cards. In seven card stud, each player receives two down cards, four up cards and one down card.- Draw- Players receive a complete hand dealt face down so that no one can see the others cards. Players discard the cards they don"t want and receive second cards to make up five cards. They then place bets on the cards they hold.
- Community - This is the most popular variation of the game containing such games as Texas Hold"Em and Omaha. Each player receives two cards to start and then face-up cards are dealt in the center of the table. These community cards can be matched with the cards the players hold to make winning combinations.
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In the early part of the 19th century, this game was played with a deck of 20 cards with four players, each betting on which player held the best hand. In the middle of the century, the standard deck of 52 cards was used and the flush was introduced. Variations of the game soon followed, with the community games developing in the early part of the 20th century.
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In casual play, the dealer rotates among the players, but in casinos there is a dealer for each table. One or more players are required to make bets for each hand, called an ante or a blind bet. In community games, each player receives two cards. They make a decision whether they will play the round based on these cards and place a bet. In general the same rules as to which hand wins the round remains the same in all variations of the game.
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In a standard deck of cards there are four suits - spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds, with the cards numbered from 1 to 10 and then Jack, Queen, King and Ace. The various combinations that players look for are:
- Royal Straight Flush - A hand that contains five cards of the same suit in the sequence - 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace
- Straight Flush - five cards from the same suit in sequence
- Four of a Kind - as the name suggests four cards of the same number from all four suits
- Full House - Three cards of one number and two of another, such as 5,5,5 (Clubs), 2, 2 (Hearts)
- Flush - any five cards of the same suit. They do not have to be in sequence.
- Straight - five cards in sequence from a combination of all four suits.
- Three of a kind - three cards of the same number
- Two pair - two pairs of cards, such as two 5"s and two 3"s
- One pair - two cards of the same number.
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One pair is the lowest winning hand, while the Royal Straight flush is the best hand you can have in this game. It is most often referred to as just a straight flush.