HOW TO PLAY POKER

How to play Texas Hold-em

The first player to the left of the white dealer’s button is the small blind and the second to the left of the dealer’s button is the big blind. Each player is dealt two cards as their initial starting hand, with a round of betting based on these two cards at which time each player must decide to call the bet, raise or fold.

Following the first round of betting, the dealer will burn a card and put three cards face up in the center of the table (this is called the flop). Now there is the second round of betting.

After the second round of betting the dealer will burn another card and put the fourth card (this is called the turn card) in the center of the table. Now there is a third round of betting. On completion of the third betting round, the dealer will burn another card and turn the fifth and final card (called the river) in the center of the table, followed by the final round of betting.

Each player may use any combination of the five cards on the table and the two cards in your hand. After the hand is over, the dealer will move the dealer’s button to the next player to the left and it starts all over again.

How to play Omaha Hi

Omaha is played just like Texas Hold-em except each player receives four down cards before the first betting round and must use two cards from their hand and three cards off of the board. There can be no variation from this, two out of your hand and three off the board only.

How to play Omaha Hi/Lo

In any 8 or better poker game the low hand must contain, as the highest card, a card no higher than an 8. If there are not three cards 8 or less on the board, there can be no low.

Ranking of Hands

1. ROYAL FLUSH

The ace-high straight flush is the hightest ranking hand possible consisting of A, K, Q, J and 10 of the same suit.

2. STRAIGHT FLUSH

Five cards of the same suit in sequence.

3. FOUR OF A KIND

Four cards of the same rank.

4. FULL HOUSE

Three cards of the same rank and two cards of the same rank.

5. FLUSH

Five cards of the same suit.

6. STRAIGHT

Five cards in sequence.

7. THREE OF A KIND

Three cards of the same rank.

8. TWO PAIR

Two cards of the same rank and two other cards of the same rank.

9. ONE PAIR

Two cards of the same rank.

10. HIGH CARD

The highest-ranking card in the hand.

Glossary of Poker Terms

All In – Having all of one’s money in the pot.

Bet – To initiate a wager by putting chips in the pot.

Blind – A bet made before any cards are dealt.

Bluff – A bet or raise with a hand that you do not think is the best hand.

Burn Card – A standard procedure in which the dealer removes the next card from the deck by placing it face down under a chip. One card is burned between each betting round.

Buy-in – The designated amount of chips or money required to enter a Poker game.

Call – To put in the pot an amount of money equal to an opponent’s bet of raise.

Check Raise – To check and then raise after an opponent bets.

Dead Hand – A hand that is not legally playable and cannot win the pot.

Flop – In Hold-em or Omaha, the first three exposed community cards.

Head Up – Playing against a single opponent.

Nuts – The best possible hand at any given point in a pot.

Pass – To check. Also, to fold.

Rake – The amount Taken by the dealer for the house from each pot.

Re-raise – To raise after an opponent has raised.

Set – Three of a kind

Side Pot – A pot separate from the main pot, formed by continued betting after a player has put all his chips into the main pot.