Poker
Know when to hold-em, when to fold-em, and when to walk away.
Goal
Get flush with the facts
Poker and table games based on poker come in many forms, but the principles are the same: Create the best hand possible.
Rules
Know these like the back of your hand
Royal Flush: 10-Jack-Queen-King-Ace, all in the same suit
Straight Flush: Five cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking
Four Of A Kind: Four cards of the same rank
Full House: A Three Of A Kind with a Pair
Flush: Five cards of the same suit
Straight: Five cards of consecutive rank, regardless of suit
Three of a kind: Three cards of the same rank
Two pair: Two sets of two cards of the same rank
Pair: Two cards of the same rank
Etiquette
Don’t act like a king. Be respectful of other players.
Texas Hold’Em varieties follow this basic format:
- You place an initial bet, called an ante
- Each player is dealt two cards face down (the “hole”), followed by a round of betting
- Three community cards are dealt face up (the “flop”), followed by another round of betting
- A fourth community card (the “turn”) is dealt face up, followed by more betting
- Finally, a fifth community card (the “river”) is dealt face up, followed by a last round of betting
- During each round, you can fold, stay pat or raise your bet
- The player with the best five-card hand out of the seven total cards dealt is the winner
Odds
Luck isn’t against you. Luck isn’t for you. Luck just doesn’t care.
- Always remain realistic about your chances of winning, and take a break if you’re beginning to lose sight of that
- There are several variations of poker. Having a budget as well as an understanding of both skill level and house edge are good strategies for healthy gambling
Terminology
Know the game. Play on your terms.
Blind Bet: In some forms of poker, players sitting at certain spots on the table will have to make a wager before seeing any cards
Call: To make a wager equal to the amount of the wager made immediately prior
Check: To waive the right to start betting, while retaining the right to act if another player begins to betting
Fold: To refuse to call a raise; the player leaves the hand and discards his or her cards
Raise: To make a wager higher than the last bet