Poker Basics

Poker has the distinction of being one of the oldest card games around. A universal game that can be played anywhere and at anytime, its popularity has given rise to many different types of online poker games such as Omaha, Texas Holdem, Seven Card Stud, Better High-Low Stud and various others. It is definitely one of the most popular card games around, as seen with the huge rise in the number of dedicated online gambling and poker rooms. Here are some of the basics tips to get you started on that WSOP winning ladder.

 Essential Reading

Looking to improve your poker game? Experts and beginners alike agree that reading and thinking about the game of poker can improve your quality of play and most importantly, increase your poker wins! Winner's Table recommends the following poker books for all avid players of the game. Be sure to check back often as we will feature more books in the future and plan to include full reviews for our members.

Tournament Poker
Tom McEvoy
(Reading for Beginner Players)
Tournament poker is a collaboration by Tom McEvoy and partner T.J. Cloutier, two of today's real world poker tournament giants. This book offer chapters full of great tournament hints, strategies and tactics covering all the major poker tournament types and games. These two tournament poker experts write in a conversational easy to read style and add in their humor and anecdotes for pleasurable reading experience. Tournament Poker is a great read for players already introduced to the world of poker and are now looking to improve specifically on their tournament play.

7 Card Stud
Roy West
(Reading for Advanced Players)

7 Card Stud is written by a long-time poker expert and teacher, Roy West. Roy has structured his book with 42 lessons aimed at teaching the reader how to consistently win at low and medium stakes 7 Card Stud poker. The lessons are divided into sections that will take you through each 'street' of 7 Card Stud and are followed up by 'Roy's Rules' and stud tournament tactics! This may be one of the best books on the market for players being introduced to the skillful game of 7 Card Stud poker.

Winning Low Limit Hold'Em
Lee Jones
(Fictional Strategy Reading)

As the title implies, this book is geared towards poker strategies and tactics meant for low stakes action. This book focuses solely on the game of Hold'Em and how it is played at limits under $10-$20. Lee gives advice on a variety of Hold'Em topics including which hands to play, the importance of position and advice on both pre and post flop play. This book will benefit all beginner poker plays that know the rules, but are looking to improve their play and beat the game of Hold'Em poker at the low limits.
Learn: Texas Hold'em   |   7 Card Stud   |   Poker Basics

 Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold'em is a poker game in which 2 to 10 players receive a two-card hand and share five community cards placed in the middle of the table. The winner is either the last person in the hand, or the player with the best five-card poker hand. A player can use both, one or none of the cards in their hand in combination with the community cards. In texas holdem tournaments, the number of participants is infinite since tournaments are played on several tables with multiple decks – study texas holdem tips for the specific poker variation you wish to play.

In Limit Hold'em, the bets and raises are limited to a predetermined Small Bet amount for the first two rounds of betting, and a Big Bet for the last two rounds of betting. Instead of an ante, the two players to the dealer's left must post "blinds" as described below.

GAME PLAY
  • Post Blinds: The player to the left of the dealer button posts the small blind and the player to their left posts the big blind.
  • The deal: Each player is dealt two cards face down.
  • First round of betting: the player to the left of the big blind begins the betting with a call, raise or fold. Bets and raises on this round must be the 'small bet' amount and the action moves in a clockwise direction.
  • The Flop: three community cards shared by all players are dealt face up.
  • Second round of betting: the small blind begins the betting (or, if they've folded, the next player to the left). Bets and raises on this round must be the 'small bet' amount.
  • The Turn: a fourth community card is dealt face up.
  • Third round of betting: the small blind begins the betting (or, if they've folded, the next player to the left). Bets and raises on this round must be the 'big bet' amount.
  • The River: a fifth community card is dealt face up.
  • Last round of betting: the small blind begins the betting (or, if they've folded, the next player to the left). Bets and raises on this round must be the 'big bet' amount.
  
Dealer button:
typically a circle with a "D" representing the clockwise rotation of the dealer position, used to indicate who should post the blinds (players to the left) and who acts last on a given hand

Small blind:
the player to the immediate left of the dealer, who must post half of a small bet.

Big blind:
the player to the immediate left of the small blind, who must post a small bet

Heads Up:
Two-player Hold'em

Short Handed:
2 to 5 player Hold'em

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 7 Card Stud
7 Card Stud is a popular form of poker that can be played with 2 to 8 players. The winner is either the last person still in the hand, or the player with the best five-card poker hand out of the seven cards dealt to them.
Note: there are variations upon variations. The following covers the more common basic game play

GAME PLAY
  • Ante:each player places a set amount of chips/money into the pot.
  • Third Street: each player is dealt two cards face down and one face up.
  • First round of betting: usually the player with the lowest visible card bets a preset minimum. Each player calls, raises or folds, in a clockwise direction. In some games the high card brings it in.
  • Fourth Street: each player is dealt another card face up.
  • Second round of betting: betting begins with the player with the highest board, continuing in a clockwise direction. The betting may double if a pair is showing after fourth street.
  • Fifth Street: each player is dealt another card face up.
  • Third round of betting: betting begins with the highest board.
  • Sixth Street: each player is dealt another card face up.
  • Fourth round of betting: betting begins with the highest board.
  • Seventh Street: each player is dealt a final card face down.
  • Last round of betting: betting begins with the highest board.
  • Showdown: any remaining players show their cards, beginning with the last player to bet/raise. The best 5-card poker hand wins.
  
Ante:
a predetermined amount that each player must contribute to the pot before cards are dealt

Board:
in 7-Card Stud, the cards visible to all players (ie Third through Sixth street)

Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh Street:
The third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh cards dealt to each player

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 Poker Basics
1. What is poker?
2. How is poker played?
3. What are the card rankings?
4. How is the winner of a poker hand decided?
5. What are the five-card poker hand rankings?
6. Who and how many people can play?
7. What are 'blinds' or 'antes'?
8. What is the 'pot' in a game of poker?

What is poker?
Poker is a fun and exciting card game. There are many different types of poker games possible. Most games are played with a standard 52 card playing deck consisting of 13 cards of four different suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades). Most often suits are of equal value in poker games and sometimes additional joker or wild cards may be added to the deck.

How is poker played?
Poker is played with betting rounds, and cash or chips are often used. The combined element of betting and card playing allows for great excitement and strategy. Some poker games involve discarding and/or drawing additional cards than those initially dealt to the player. During the betting rounds of most games, players have the option to fold, call, check, bet, or raise.

  • Fold: To discard your cards and be out of the poker hand played
  • Call: To match the bet made to continue with the poker hand
  • Check: To continue with the poker hand if no bet has been made
  • Bet: To add monies to the pot which must be matched by other players to continue in the betting round
  • Raise: To increase the bet made by another player during a betting round

What are the card rankings?
The cards are ranked, from highest to lowest as:
Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9 , 8 , 7 , 6 , 5 , 4 , 3 , 2

In some poker games the Ace may be considered a low card, or both a high and a low card.

How is the winner of a poker hand decided?
In order to win a hand of poker, a player must either have the highest ranked poker hand shown at the end of all betting rounds, or must be the only player not to have folded his hand before the betting rounds are complete.

What are the five-card poker hand rankings?
There are ten different categories of five-card poker hands possible, each ranked in order of difficulty to achieve. Following is a list of poker hand categories in ascending order with a brief explanation and example of each:

  • Royal Flush:: Five cards of the same suit from Ace to Ten (i.e. As, Ks,Qs, Js, 10s )
  • Straight Flush:: Five sequential cards of the same suit (i.e. 4d, 5d, 6d, 7d, 8d )
  • Four Of A Kind: Four cards of the same rank (i.e. 9s, 9d, 9h, 9c, As )
  • Full House: Three of a kind with a pair (i.e. 2d, 2h, 2s, Qc, Qd )
  • Flush: Five cards of the same suit (i.e. Kc, Jc, 9c, 5c, 3c )
  • Straight: Five sequential cards from any suits (i.e. 7, 8, 9, 10, J )
  • Three Of A Kind: Three cards of the same rank (i.e. As, Ac, Ah, 9h, 5s )
  • Two Pair: Two pairs of cards of the same rank (i.e. Ks, Kh, 4s, 4d, 3c )
  • One Pair : One pair of ranked cards (i.e. 8s, 8c, Jh, Qs, Kd )
  • No Pair: Hand of mixed cards (i.e. 3d, 8h, Jc, 5s, Qd )

Who and how many people can play?
Some poker games are played strictly against the house, or a dealer, while others are played amongst players only. Only two people are needed to start any game of poker however the maximum number of players possible varies greatly depending on the game played. Winners Table focuses solely on games played amongst players, however the casino may take a fee for services (rake) from each hand of poker played.

What are 'blinds' or 'antes'?
Blinds or antes are initial monies entered into the 'pot' before any cards are dealt in order to generate action in the poker game. In the case of antes, all active players contribute an equal amount of monies to the pot. The ante is usually a fraction of the limits allowed in the betting rounds. In the case of blinds, a set amount of monies is put into the pot by a set number of active players. Players take equal turns in putting up the 'blind' money to be won.

What is the 'pot' in a game of poker?
The pot is the total amount of dollars or chips to be won in a given poker hand. When bets and raises are made, the monies are then added to the blinds or antes money at the center of the table. This total is refered to as the 'pot'.

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