Poker Winner Blog

Poker conjures up images of saloons in the old West where hustlers and gun fighters did battle. It seems that no Hollywood Western is complete without a gunfight over a poker game, but this way of life was often the reality for professional gamblers in the Wild West. In 1876 one of the west’s most famous lawmen, James Butler ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok, lost his life in a poker game in Deadwood, South Dakota. To this day his last hand — a pair of aces over eights — is known as the ‘dead man’s hand‘.

Doc Holliday, who fought with Wyatt Earp in the famous gunfight at the OK Corral, turned to poker when he could no longer make a living as a dentist. In those days being a professional gambler was a dangerous occupation, as disputes were all too readily settled with guns. Holliday lived his life dodging both bullets and the hangman’s noose.

Nowadays playing poker is not so risky. Players may lose their stake but at least they stay alive. Variations on the game, with their own rules, have been adapted for casinos.

Poker, a card game played by four players, is based on the ranking of the hands. The game is played with one standard deck of 52 playing cards. Players aim to win the pot (the money staked) by having the highest- ranking five-card hand. When poker is played in a casino, a dealer is provided and the casino charges the players either an hourly rate or a percentage of the pot (called the rake — typically between five and 10 per cent of the pot). There are many variations of poker. Each has different rules about the number of cards dealt and the method of betting, but they all have in common the ranking of the hands and the action that must be taken at every step of the game.

Types of poker played in casinos include five-card draw, seven-card stud, Texas hold ‘em and Omaha. Caribbean poker (also known as casino poker) differs from the other versions in that players play against the casino, not against each other. Games of the same name may be played differently in some casinos so it is important to check the rules before playing.

The basic action that takes place in a poker game can be summarized as follows:

• Raise: a bet that players must match or exceed.
• Call: to bet the same amount as the preceding player in order to remain in the game.
• Fold : to withdraw from the game and lose all the money you have staked.

At the beginning of each game, the pot is seeded to ensure there is at least some money on the game. Seeding is done in various ways. In some games, before play commences all the players are required to make a bet called an ante, which is usually equivalent to the minimum stake. In others, there are rounds of blind betting in which bets of varying amounts are made before the players look at their hands.

Some casinos may have fixed rules about betting, such as specific amounts that stakes can be raised by (for example, multiples of five) or that a bet or raise must fall within a spread limit (such as any amount between $1 and $5). Players should ensure they are familiar with local systems before getting into a game.

After the cards are dealt the players can discard and exchange them before a second round of betting takes place. Betting moves clockwise until each player has either called all bets or folded. A showdown then takes place with each player still in the game revealing their cards. The last player to bet is the first to show his or her hand, with the other hands revealed in turn.

Players with losing hands may discard their cards without the other players seeing them and they will lose their stakes. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot. In a tie, the pot is split equally.

Ranking of the Hands

A poker hand usually consists of five cards. Aces are the highest ranked cards, followed by kings, queens and jacks, then the numbers in descending order with 2s being the lowest. The suits do not affect the rankings. The photographs below and on the next show the order in which the hands are ranked.

Bluffing

Poker involves more than just betting on the value of a hand. It is also a game of nerve, where players rely not just on the luck of the deal but on their ability to bluff when they have a poor hand. Players constantly scrutinize each other’s movements, mannerisms and facial expressions, trying to judge whether or not their opponents have a good hand or are bluffing.

Joining a Game

On entering a card room there will most probably be a number of games in progress as well as players waiting. New players need to register to get into a game. The player’s name will be placed on a list and he or she will be called as soon as a seat is free at a table. Casino staff will direct players to the appropriate table when their name is called.

Players are not usually allowed to buy chips during the course of a game so sufficient chips should be purchased beforehand to last for an entire game. All chips must remain on the table throughout the game.

Although the minimum stakes for poker may appear low, a game like draw poker needs chips to the value of about 40 times the minimum stake. Seven- card stud requires about 50 times, while Hold ‘em and Omaha need around 100 times the minimum stake. If a player runs out of money (chips) during a game, a second pot will be played for. The player who has no further funds still has a chance to win the first pot, while the other players continue to play for both pots.

Table Etiquette

Players are only allowed to touch their own cards and chips. Everything else on the table is out of bounds. The cards must remain in view at all times (players are not allowed to put cards into a pocket, for example).

Take care when handling your cards. If another player sees them, your hand may be declared dead and you can take no further part in that game. Dropping cards also results in the hand being declared dead.

Do not throw chips at the pot or at the dealer. Bets are made by placing chips directly in front of you. The dealer will check you have bet the correct amount and put the chips into the pot. It is important to give clear verbal instructions of your action. Call for ‘time’ if you need to make a decision. Players still in a game show this by placing a chip on top of their cards.

The dealer is responsible for dealing the cards, removing losing hands, exchanging money for chips, giving change for large denomination chips and paying the pot to the winner, who normally tips the dealer.

Players may leave the card table for a short break, during which the dealer will watch your chips. Some rooms specify a time limit for breaks and may allocate the seat to another player if you are gone for too long.

Players can stop playing and leave at the completion of any game. Even if you have won all the chips on a table you do not have to go on playing and allow the other players to win them back. A new player will be allocated to the table so the game can continue.

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