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: Ante: You place an initial bet, called an ante, to signal that you are playing this hand. Hole: Each player is dealt two cards face down (“the hole”). This is followed by a round of betting, during which you can either fold, check, or raise your bet. The Flop: Three community cards are dealt face up (“the flop”), followed by another round of betting. The Turn: A fourth community card (“the turn”) is dealt face up, followed by more betting. The River: Finally, a fifth community card is dealt face up, followed by a last round of betting. 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