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Poker is not one card game, but an umbrella term that clubs together a lot of games that are similar in structure, but with some differences that set them all apart. The more complex “stud poker” was the most popular form for a long time; and Texas Hold’em, usually called Hold’em,is the version that is the most widely played in competitions and card-rooms today.
Poker Basics
As mentioned earlier, all the various types of poker games have certain common factors. To begin with, poker is always played with a standard deck of 52 cards, without the jokers. In many variations of poker, the players pass a “dealer puck” clockwise around the table,so that every player gets a turn as dealer. The bets are placed with poker chips in all games. These are the most fundamental of similarities. As you play the game, you’ll find that, no matter what variety of poker you’re playing, there are other, more important similarities.
In poker, whether you are playing a 5 card or 7 card varieties, the point of the game is to form a 5 card combination in your hand that outranks those of the other players. At various points in a hand of poker, you can place bets, receive additional cards, or discard and replace cards. At the end of the hand, the player with the strongest hand wins the money in the pot. Hand ranks are the same in most variants, but there are some variants that have a slightly different hand-ranking structure.
A study of the basic rules of the different variations can get confusing. It shouldn’t, though. Let’s take a look at the main varieties of poker.These varities themselves comprise of several different types of games, but that’s for another time.
Draw Poker
In draw poker, every player is dealt a full five-card hand, face down, at the start of the game.
See your card and accordingly place your initial bet. After the first round of betting, players can choose to discard and replace some of their hand; this is the “draw.” When the draw is complete, there is a second round of betting, after which the player with the best hand wins the pot.
Stud Poker
Stud poker is different. In stud games, each player gets one or two “hole cards,” face down and then the rest of the hand is dealt face up. The dealing is interspersed with several rounds of betting, giving stud players a chance to gauge their opponents’ hands by their betting behaviour. After the final card is dealt, the players have the last round of betting and then the “showdown,” to determine the winner.
Hold’em Poker
Hold ‘em poker is similar to the stud games. Seven cards are dealt, with each player getting two hole cards. The remaining five cards, however, are a communal hand dealt face-up in three stages interspersed with rounds of betting. These three stages are the flop, the turn and the river, with the flop comprising of three cards. Players must use at least one hole card to form a winning hand with the cards in the flop. Hold’em gives players more of a chance to bluff and strategize during the game.
Always learn the rules of the specific poker & casino games before you play. Poker is fun, and some variants are harder to learn than others. Learn well, and choose wisely according to your strengths.
