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PrimePoker – Poker hand rankings and poker Games Rules
Prime Poker Game Rules and Examples
You can sum up the basics of poker at Prime Poker in one paragraph:
If there was just one poker game it would’ve been easy, but there isn’t just one. However, most poker games follow basic rules in which the player with the best hand wins and collects the pot, which can vary from a few dollars to several hundreds of thousands, and that’s what makes poker such an attractive and exciting game.
What’s in Your Hand
Normally a standard 52-cards deck (some poker games require multiple decks or Joker cards that are used as wildcards). Card are ranked from high to low as follows:
Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace (Aces can also be used as a low card). Cards are divided into 4 suits (from high to low): Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs. Poker hands contain exactly 5 cards, and the player with the highest hand wins the round. Occasionally wild cards are used; wild cards can be: deuces (2’s), Jokers, etc.
Ranking of Poker Hands – High to Low, Best to Worst
- Five of a Kind (Uncommon)
5 of a kind is a rare hand and are only possible when a card is used as a wildcard (i.e. 7-7-7-7-Joker means five 7’s). In the unlikely event of two players having two 5 of a kind hands, the player holding the stronger hand will win.
- Royal Flush – Straight Flush
Royal and straight flushes are the strongest hands in poker. Royal flush is the rarest and strongest hand in most poker games, and is a straight comprising of 10-J-Q-K-A with all cards having the same suit. A straight flush is any other straight with all cards having the same suit (for example, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight flush and 9-10-J-Q-K, etc.).
- 4 of a Kind
Four of a kind means that in a 5-card hand, 4 cards have the same denomination and different suits (for example, J-J-J-J-K, or J-J-J-K-Joker is there are wild cards).
- Full House
Full house is a combination of 3 of a kind and a pair. For example, J-J-J-8-8. One full house will beat another full house if the 3 of a kind of the first hand beats the 3 of a kind of the other hand. For example, 8-8-8-2-2 will beat 5-5-5-A-A.
- Flush
A flush is a hand all of the same suit, such as J-6-4-3-2, all of clubs, but not in sequence, unlike a straight.
- Straight
Straight is a series of 5 consecutive cards, but not of the same suit. For example, A-2-3-4-5, 10-J-Q-K-A, etc.
- Three of a Kind
Like four of a kind but one less, the other two cards are not a pair so no full house; you play essentially the three cards. Only if the two players draw the same three of a kind combinations do these other cards play a role, the highest then being the decider.
- Two Pairs
Two separate pairs of cards along with a 5th card comprise the 5-card hand. If two or more players have two pairs, the hand with the highest pair wins (the low pair doesn’t count unless there’s a tie. If there’s a complete tie the 5th card determines the winner). For example, A-A-3-3-J will beat K-K-Q-Q-9.
- Pair
A 5-card hand containing only 2 identical cards and 3 different cards. In case of a tie, the highest pair wins the hand. Some games (specifically video poker variations) require a pair as the minimum to begin.
- High Card
This is the lowest ranked hand. It means that the player practically has nothing. A player that bets with such a hand has to be skilled in bluffing, and must be aware he is risking his bets if the other player(s) will call or raise him. If two players have high cards, the player with the highest card wins. For example, 2,4,6,8,J beats 3,4,6,8,9.
Playing Poker – Real Money, Real Fun!
There are basically two ways of playing poker – for fun and for real money. Playing poker for fun is exactly as it sounds – to pass the time. It won’t make you any money and you’ll be playing against opponents that make random decisions, bet all-in with nothing just for kicks, etc. Playing for real money, however, is a completely different story; it’s where the REAL fun begins. ‘Can I actually make money if I play online poker for real?’ you ask. You bet! And betting is exactly what you need to do in order to win money.
But first thing’s first: To get in the game you need to place a bet, or ante. Most poker games have limits to the bets you can place, but others have no limits (like No-Limits Texas Hold’em), which is where the big bucks lie. During the game players play against each other (between 2 to 10 players per table) and put bets into the pot, usually at the center of the table. Players play in turns, usually in a clockwise rotation around the table. The game is played until all players either fold or are beaten. The player that at the end of the round has the highest hand, or that hasn’t folded, wins the pot and collects all the bets. At his turn, every player has 3 choices:
- Call
A player decides to match a bet made by another player he ‘calls’ that bet. For example, if you bet 50¢ and the next player bets $1, you need to add 50¢.
- Raise
A player deciding to add to a bet made by a previous player is called a ‘raise’. For example, a previous player bets $1 and you bet $2. This means you ‘raised’ the bet by $1.
- Fold
A player can choose to discard his cards at any point during the game. By not wanting to continue playing his hand the player can choose to ‘fold’ and discard his cards. A player can fold even if he doesn’t need to call a bet. If all players fold and one player is left, that player is the winner.
Some Simple Betting Rules to Follow
Don’t play precariously unless you know exactly what you’re doing. If you’re not an experienced player you have to set some limits so you don’t go on tilt and bet or lose more than you intended. This is especially important in casino games and no-limits poker. Limit yourself to small bets and play low-limit games at first, at least until you get the hang of the game. One of the simplest and best poker games to start off with is Five Card Draw; each player is dealt five cards and a round of betting begins. Each player can then discard up to 3 cards (when wildcards are used this can be up to 4 cards) and receive from the card deck new cards, equal to the number of the discarded cards. After that there’s another round of betting and the cards are exposed (showdown). The player with the best (highest ranked) hand wins the pot and collects the bets.
Example of a Five Card Draw Poker Game
You are playing against 4 other players – Ross, Chandler, Joey, and Rachel, all seated to your left in the order above. Each player places a 50¢ ante and you deal the cards, 5 cards to each player (including yourself). Your hand is As-Ad-Jc-7h-5d, which means you have a pair of Aces to start with. Very nice. Betting round begins and here’s how the other players play their hands:
- Ross bets $1.
- Chandler folds.
- Joey calls (and adds $1 to the pot).
- Rachel raises (and puts $2 in the pot).
- Now it’s your turn. You have a pair of Aces so you call Rachel’s bet and place $2 in the pot.
- Now it’s back to Ross, who calls $1.
- Joey folds.
The first betting round is over and this is the status: Chandler and Joey folded so they’re out of the hand. Everybody else is in the pot. The remaining players can now exchange up to 3 cards. Ross discards 3 cards, and Rachel discards 2 cards. You deal to Ross 3 new cards and to Rachel 2 new cards. Now you need to decide what to discard. You have only 2 Diamond-shaped cards (Ad-5d) so a Flush is a long shot. You can’t make a straight either. Your best shot is to keep the Aces, change 3 cards and hope to hit a set (3 of a kind). You change 3 cards and receive Ac-10d-2h so your new hand is As-Ad-Ac-10d-2h. This is a very strong hand. Now try to think what the other players have. Ross bet initially but changed 3 cards. He might have had a pair and was hoping to get a set, just like you. But you have 3 Aces so your hand is probably better than his at this point. Rachel raised Ross’ bet to $2 and changed only 2 cards so she might have had 3 of a kind from the start. She might now have 3 of a kind, a full house, or even 4 of a kind. Of course she might be bluffing. The second betting round begins:
- Ross bets $1.
- Rachel calls $1 (so she probably missed her hand).
- You have a strong hand so you raise $2.
- Ross calls.
- Rachel calls.
Everybody called and the second betting round is over. Time to reveal the cards:
- You show As-Ad-Ac-10d-2h (3 of a kind – Aces).
- Ross shows had Jd-Jh-5c-5h-Ah (2 pairs – Jacks and Fives).
- Rachel shows Kc-Kd-Kh-8h-Qc (3 of a kind – Kings).
Summing it Up
If only all your poker hands could be like this one. Unfortunately they won’t, but practice makes perfect, so get ready to play to win.
Welcome to the world of poker.
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