Poker is a card game played with a standard deck but in different forms. There are many variants of poker but all have one thing in common – five cards or hand. In poker, five cards constitute a hand and the value of a hand is determined on the mathematical frequency of numbers. The most unusual hand gets the highest rank.
Poker Hand Ranking
- Five highest possible cards of the same suit in a sequence like A, K, Q, J and 10 make Royal Flush
- Five cards of the same suit in numerical order like 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 make Straight Flush
- Four cards of an equal rank like A, A, A, A and 7 make Four Of A Kind. The fifth card could be any
- Three cards of the same rank with two cards of another rank make Full House
- Any five cards of the same suit like K, Q, 3, 8 and 10 make Flush
- Five cards of any suit but in numerical order like 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 make Straight
- Three cards of the same suit with two cards unrelated make Three Of A Kind
- Two different pairs of cards and one unrelated make Two Pair
- Two cards of the same rank and the rest of the cards are unrelated make Pair
- When two hands are compared, the hand with the highest cards win make High Card
History
Poker started in the early 19th century in the United States but some historians claim that poker is inspired by a Persian game called As-Nas. Also, some historians connect poker to a French game poque. But it is still unclear whether the poker that started in the United States has any connection with the Persian or French game.
Gameplay
Players sit around a poker table and cards are dealt clockwise around the table. A dealer is selected and he makes a forced bet called the blind or ante. The players make bets according to their hands. They day Call to make a matching bet, Raise to increase the bet and Fold to surrender the amount bet so far.
Card dealing
First of all, each player is dealt two cards face down followed by five community cards. Players can make their best hands using the two face-down cards or use none of those cards depending on their community cards. There are four rounds of betting and players are asked to put their chips in a pot.
Betting limits
Poker is a no-limit game but in practice, casinos place some limits on the game to make it more interesting. For example, take the fixed limit game where a limit to the betting size is fixed. Also, there is a pot-limit where a pot is created to set the betting limit. Similarly, there is take stake that involves betting with a number of chips available at the beginning of the deal.
Q: How long does it take to learn poker?
A: It is a game of wit and the maximum time taken in learning the game of poker is in developing wits. Fundamentals of poker are more technical in nature hence can be remembered within 5 minutes.
Q: What is the easiest variant of poker?
A: Poker is played in many variants but Teax Hold’em is the most convenient and popular variant of the game.
Q: Is there any minimum betting amount for playing poker?
A: While traditional casinos could have a minimum amount to start betting, online casinos have none. Also, you will get the bonus or free chips to start poker online.
Q: What is the order of suits in poker – highest to lowest?
A: In poker, spades is regarded as the highest suit followed by hearts, diamonds, and clubs.
Q: Could I win poker and make money?
A: Yes, anyone with wits and good knowledge of poker fundamentals can make money while enjoying the game. Many people have moved to make poker their profession after getting experience in the game.
Q: Is online poker similar to traditional poker?
A: Yes, both the online and traditional poker games are similar in entertainment and profit. Whether you play a live dealer game or a website game, you will get the real thrill. But video poker is different. Video poker is a solo game.
