Poker Rules and Tips

 E-mail
User Rating: / 1
PoorBest 
The Game of Chance

Now that you know what it takes to win, we can clue you in on how the game itself is played.Unlike bridge, poker is almost always played for a lofty goal: cash.Before the game begins, the players should collectively decide on a betting limit.A betting limit keeps the game friendly, and prevents people from gambling mortgages, cars, or spouses away.

Now on to the action! Here are the basic rules, step by step:

First, each player places an ante or “token bet” into the pot before the cards are even dealt.The ante can be anything from a nickel (if you're a poor college student) to thousands of dollars (if you're a Vegas high roller).

You need an ante because it guarantees that someone will always win something on each hand.You also need an ante because without one, your uncle would be lonely.We'll wait .

Once everyone has coughed up his or her ante, the dealer deals the cards face down around the table, starting at the player to his left and continuing clockwise.The dealer (if he's playing) always deals to himself last.The dealer deals everyone their first card, then goes back around the circle to deal the second, and so on.As soon as everyone has five cards, the remainder of the deck is placed in the middle of the table, and play begins.

Each player looks at his or her cards, and then the first player places a bet.While there are several ways of deciding who bets first, poker novices are best off letting the player directly to the left of the dealer make the first bet.Then on the next hand, the person to his left will bet first, and so on around the table for each new hand.

Players have several options as far as the first round of betting goes.If no one has made a bet yet, you have two choices:

Open: If no betting has begun when your turn comes, you may “open” the pot (an attractive option for you Grateful Dead fans out there).This simply means that you make the first bet (any amount up to the betting limit).

Check: The opportunity to “check” only occurs if no one has yet opened the betting when it comes time for you to decide what to do.When a player checks, it means that he or she does not want to open the betting, but doesn't want to quit either.It basically means “I’m not going to open the betting, but I’ll stick around and see what happens.”


Now let's say that someone opens the betting (at some point, it will occur).You now have three choices:


See: When you “see” another player, it means that you match their bet.So if someone bets $1 and you want to stay in the game, you have to “see” their $1 by putting $1 of your own into the pot.

Raise: When you “raise,” it requires you to first “see” the previous bet, and then increase the bet.For example, if the previous person bet a nickel and you want to bet more than that, you would say “I see (match) your nickel, and raise you (increase the bet) another nickel.”

Read more... [Poker Rules and Tips]
 

Poker Lingo

 E-mail
User Rating: / 1
PoorBest 

A

Aces --- Full A full house with three aces and any pair.

Ace-High --- A five card hand that contains one Ace, with no straight or flush or a hand with no pair in it.

Aces Up --- A hand that contains two pairs, one of which is Aces.

Action --- Checking/Betting/Raising.A game in which players are playing a lot of pots is considered an "action" game.

Active Player --- Any player who is still in the hand.

Add-on --- A purchase of more chips (optional) at the end of the re-buy period in a tournament.All-In When a player bets all his/her chips.: In online poker, you may be deemed "All-in" when you are disconnected (even if you have chips remaining).

American Airlines --- Two Aces.

Ante --- Money placed in the pot before the hand is begun.

B

Bad Beat --- When a hand is beaten by a lucky draw.

Belly Buster --- A draw and/or catch to an Inside Straight.Bet To place chips into the pot.

Bet the Pot --- When a player bets the amount of the pot.

Bicycle --- A straight that is A-2-3-4-5.

Big Blind --- A designated amount that is placed by the player sitting in the second position, clockwise from the dealer, before any cards are dealt.(Players joining a game in progress must post a Big Blind, but may do so from any position.)
Full List ( A - Z ) [Poker Lingo]