Basic poker rules

You are one of the most that want to play poker but you are not sure about the understanding poker rules very well? There are about 15 poker games and every game has it's own rules, but it is possible to make an abstract model of specific features of a game. So, when you decide to play poker, first you should know some basic rules and definitions.

There are few sorts of poker. Omaha, Stud and Hold'em are main poker games, which are being held in casinos. They are played by 2-10 players with a deck of 52 cards usually. The aim of poker is to collect the best hand from the pocket cards and the board cards. Let's remember the rating of the hands from highest to lowest:

Royal flush – A-K-Q-J-10 all suited. For example, all hearts.

Straight Flush – Five cards of the same suit in sequence. For example, 6-7-8-9-10 of diamonds.

Four of kind – For cards from five of the same rank. For example, K-K-K-K-10.

Full house – Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. For example: 7-7-7-2-2.

Flush – Five cards of the same suit. For example, 7-9-2-K-3 of spades.

Straight – Five cards in two or more suits, ranking consecutively. For example, 2s-3h-4d-5h-6d.

Three of kind – Three cards of the same rank. For example, A-A-A-2-5

Two pair – two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. For example, Q-Q-10-10-9 or 2-2-5-5-J.

One pair – two cards of the same rank. For example, J-J-7-2-5

High card – The highest card, if no hand can be combined from above. For example, a player has A-10 and the board comes 2-8-6-J-Q. On this case player has nothing but a high card - Ace. If no one has anything better, he wins the pot.

After the dealer gives pocket cards to players, the first betting round begins. The amount of chips to bet depends on which poker game is being played: Limit or No Limit. On Limit case, stakes are set up and they increase on each level (usually after 9 hands) and players cannot bet more then stakes are. On No Limit case, stakes are set up as well, but differently from the limit game you can raise as much as you want.

A number of betting rounds depends on poker game. Usually there are three betting rounds. In Stud games there are five betting rounds. Betting round ends when all players' chips, that has been bet, become equilibrated. After all betting rounds comes showdown and player with the best hand, wins the pot.

There are some specific definitions in poker which could be helpful for a beginner:

A Dealer - A person who shuffles a deck and deals cards to players. A dealer is indicated with a dealer button.

Pocket card - First two cards that were dealt by dealer.

Small blind – An amount of chips that player to the left of the dealer has to bet, depending on stakes.

Big blind – An amount of chips that second player to the left of the dealer has to bet, depending on stakes.

A Flop - First three cards that are dealt on the board.

Turn card – Fourth card of the board. It is called fourth river as well.

River card – Fifth card of the board.

A hand – Five cards, which player collects from pocket cards and community cards.

Community cards – cards that are on the bord.

Dealer button - A red button, which indicates the dealer. It is passed clockwise after every hand.

Showdown - At the end of the final betting round, all active players turn their cards face up to see who has won the pot.

We hope, that these short definitions and basic rules helped you to create some view of a poker game. Keep working and read more poker rules and strategy for beginners. Good luck!