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The Basic Poker Rules
Poker originated in the
saloons of the Wild West and
has probably the most game
variants. It is played
player against players and
not just against the dealer
as in Blackjack, and there
is a lot of psychology
involved during play. Poker
takes a moment to learn and
a lifetime to master.
Poker is played from a
standard deck of 52 cards.
Some variant games use
multiple decks or add Jokers
or Wild Cards.
The cards are ranked in
descending order starting
from the highest; Ace, King,
Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,
5, 4, 3, 2, Ace. Ace can be
high or low. There are four
suits; spades, hearts,
diamonds and clubs, but no
suit is higher than another.
Each player is dealt five
cards and is called a hand.
The hand highest in ranks
wins. In some games there
are Wild Cards or Jokers,
which can be labelled
whatever suit and rank the
possessor wishes to.
The Ranking of Poker Hands
The ranking of poker hands
based on probability
starting from the highest
are as follows.
There are 2,598,960 possible
combinations of cards in a
poker hand you can be dealt.
In brackets below next to
the ranking of hands, are
1st the number of possible
hands of that rank in
2,598,960 possible
combinations, and 2nd your
chances of getting one in
percentage probability:
Five of a Kind (with a Wild
card or Joker)
Royal Flush (4 possible
hands in 2,598,960. Chance
to get one: 0.000154%)
Straight Flush (36 possible
hands in 2,598,960. Chance
to get one: 0.00139%)
Four of a Kind (624 possible
hands in 2,598,960. Chance
to get one: 0.0240%)
Full House (3744 possible
hands in 2,598,960. Chance
to get one: 0.144%)
Flush (5108 possible hands
in 2,598,960. Chance to get
one: 0.197%)
Straight (10,200 possible
hands in 2,598,960. Chance
to get one: 0.392%)
Three of a Kind (54912
possible hands in 2,598,960.
Chance to get one: 2.11%)
Two Pair (123,552 possible
hands in 2,598,960. Chance
to get one: 4.75%)
Pair (1,098,240 possible
hands in 2,598,960. Chance
to get one: 42.26%)
High Card (1,302,540
possible hands in 2,598,960.
Chance to get one: 50.12%)
Five of a Kind is only
possible when using wild
cards and is the highest
possible hand. If more than
one hand has five-of-a-kind,
the higher rank wins; e.g.
five Aces beat five kings,
which beat five queens, and
so on.
Straight Flush is the best
natural hand. A straight
flush consists of five cards
in sequence and of the same
suit. An Ace high
straight-flush is called a
Royal Straight Flush or
Royal Flush and is the
highest natural hand.
Four of a Kind is a hand
that contains of four cards
of the same rank. The hand
with the highest rank of
four-of-a-kind beats other
four-of-a-kind hands. If
there are many wild cards,
as used in some game
variants, there could be two
four-of-a-kind hands with
the same rank. In this case,
the hand with the higher
ranking fifth card wins.
This rule applies to hands
that tie, such as a pair or
two pairs. Dead heats split
the pot.
Full House is a hand
consisting of
three-of-a-kind and a pair.
Again, where Wild Cards are
used, ties are compared
first by the three-of-a-kind
ranking, then the pair.
Flush is a hand consisting
of cards that are all of the
same suit in any order.
Straight is a hand
consisting of 5 cards in
sequence, such as 5-6-7-8-9.
An Ace may either be high
(A-K-Q-J-10) or low
(A-2-3-4-5).
Three of a Kind is a hand
similar to the
four-of-a-kind hand, except
that if the remaining two
cards are a pair, then it
becomes a Full House.
Two Pair is a hand that
contains two pairs only.
Pair is a hand that contains
one pair only.
High Card is a hand that is
none of the above and is a
weak hand. If no player has
a pair or better, then the
hand that contains the
highest ranking card wins.
If multiple players tie with
the highest card, then the
second highest card decides,
followed by the third and so
on.
Note on Wild Cards
How the wild card can be
used depends on the game you
are playing and the rules. A
wild card can be defined as
a joker or standard card
that, by player agreement
and/or dealer's choice, can
be used to represent any
card desired.
When a joker is in play, it
usually can only be used as
an Ace or to complete a
straight or flush. It cannot
be used as a true wild card,
for example, as a king to
make KK75X play as three
kings. When playing for low,
the joker becomes the lowest
rank not already held, so
864AX is played as 8642A,
with the joker used as a
deuce.
Wild cards add an additional
hand, five of a kind, which
normally ranks above a
straight flush. They can
also cause confusion when
two players hold the same
hand composed of different
wild card combinations. The
standard rules of poker do
not distinguish between such
hands, but some players
prefer to rank hands using
fewer wild cards above less
'natural' versions of the
same hand.
Playing Poker
In most games players must
'ante' a nominal amount just
to have the cards dealt.
Once the cards are dealt,
the betting starts. Players
bet into the pot in the
middle of the table and it
is done in turn clockwise.
The player with the highest
rank showing, is the first
to speak and to bet. He can
either bet or check. By
saying 'Check', he passes
the decision to bet to the
next player who can also
check. If all players check,
then it is the end of the
round. Everyone opens his
cards and the highest hand
wins.
Only after one player places
a bet the real betting
starts. Each player in turn
can either 'Call', 'Raise'
or 'Fold'. To fold is to
pass or drop out of the
round and not play. To call
means willing to match the
bet, and the same amount
must be placed on the pot.
To raise means to match the
bet and add an extra bet.
Say you start with a $5 bet.
If someone else raises $10,
he puts $15 in the pot. When
your turn comes again you
need to add $10 difference
to the pot to stay in the
game, and if you want you
can also raise or even say
'Pot'. Pot is a raise to the
maximum, which means to bet
the same amount as the total
money available in the pot.
If there are no more raises
and all the cards have been
dealt, then it is the end of
the round. Everyone opens
his closed cards and the
highest hand wins the pot.
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