Poker 101
Part I
For poker player newbies, I offer up the following information
as we begin your Poker 101 education.
The real essence of the game is knowing your opponent and
adjusting accordingly, also learning the poker 'lingo' that
is explained here.The two most popular games dealt in poker
rooms today is Seven-Card Stud and Texas Hold'em; you can
also toss in the game of Omaha. We'll do the rules first,
and then strategies in Part 2. In both games, the player who
bets first will be at a disadvantage, while the player betting
last has the luxury of knowing how everyone else has played
their hands. The hierarchy of poker hands is best hand: royal
flush, straight flush, 4-of-a-kind, full house, flush, straight,
3-of-a-kind, two pair, one pair to the lowly no pair. Poker
players bet against each other and not against the house.
Check the table postings for betting limits, and ask what
the rake is--the percentage the house takes for providing
a dealer and tables. It could be 5%, or a maximum dollar amount;
a flat fee or hourly rate.
Generally your buy-in should be 10-20 times the top bet,
set a stop-loss limit and a win goal. Remember if you run
out of chips, you'll be allowed to continue to play out your
card, however you are excluded from betting in the remaining
rounds. A side pot is started and goes to the highest ranking
hand between the other players who donated.
I would recommend that newbie poker players look for the
low limit tables in the casino/poker room, observe before
jumping in, or take advantage of the free lessons offered
by most casinos. Contact the poker-room manager, and if a
seat is not available for your requested game, you can be
put on a waiting list, and paged.
Players betting options include 1) bet; or 2) pass (check)
no bet made, you stay in the game; 3) call-bet the same as
the previous bet; or 4) raise the bet -- often a limit of
3 raise bets in any round.
Seven-Card Stud:
Each player receives two cards face down, then four face up
followed by the final card that is dealt face down. The ante
(bet placed in the pot by each player before game begins),
is usually 10% of the minimum bet. The cards are dealt one
at a time to each player. After every player receives the
initial two face down cards and their face up card, the first
round of betting occurs, known as Third Street. The player
with the lowest card on the table starts the betting, a forced
bet known as the 'bring-in'.
If two (or more) players have the same low card, then the
card suit determines who bets first in this order -- clubs,
diamonds, hearts, and finally spades. Each player in turn
(clockwise) must then either call (equal the bet), raise the
bet, or fold. When the betting is completed the dealer deals
another round of cards face-up to each player known as Fourth
Street. The player with the highest hand showing bets first.
All other players follow. This sequence of betting continues
with Fifth and Sixth Street. When a pair shows or it's Fifth
Street, a player can usually bet the high limit as posted.
The last card Seventh Street, is dealt face down. A final
round of betting occurs followed by the showdown or revealing
the hands. The highest hand wins the pot.
Texas Hold'Em
The casino dealer deals out two cards face down one at a time
to each player.
After all players receive their two cards, there is a round
of betting where players can either call, raise, or fold.
Checking is not allowed on this round, (called blind betting).
The dealer now deals three cards face up in the center of
the table called the 'flop'. Another round of betting begins.
The dealer places a fourth card face-up on the table followed
by a betting round.
The fifth and final card is placed by the dealer face-up
in the middle of the table, and this is the final round of
betting. Players choose their best five-card hand among seven
cards--two cards dealt face down at the beginning of the game,
and the five community cards in the middle of the layout.
The winning hand is the highest poker hand.
>> Part 2
Gayle
Mitchell is the author of Casino Gambling Made Easier books, Ebooks,
booklets & the Slots Trilogy. |
