The Basics
Dealing
When poker is played in real life players take it in turns to be the dealer, who deals the cards to the player to his left first and to his or herself last. After each hand the deal moves round and the next player, moving in a clockwise direction, becomes the dealer. In a professional card room a dealer is provided so players do not have to deal themselves. In the Blue Square Poker Room there is a virtual dealer.
For some games position relative to the dealer is not important. For example, in 7 Card Stud, where you are seated relative to the dealer does not have any impact on the game. However, in other games, the position of the dealer is very important. In Texas Holdem, Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo, the two players to the immediate left of the dealer are required to make compulsory bets known as blinds, prior to any cards being dealt. So, to ensure fairness the position of the dealer moves around the table after each hand. A small disk, with the letter D on it is used to signify who is the virtual dealer, even though they are not actually physically distributing the cards. This dealer disk is also referred to as the button.
Blinds
Blinds are compulsory bets that are designed to get the betting started and are used for all the games on offer in the Blue Square Poker Room. There are two blinds - the small blind and the big blind. The small blind is posted by the player to the immediate left of the dealer and the big blind is posted by next player to his/her left. The big blind is twice the size of the small blind.
When there are only two players left in the game (and in head-to-head games) the blinds are handled slightly differently. The small blind is posted by the dealer, rather than the player to the left of the dealer. The other player posts the big blind. On our tables that support more than two players, our system will switch to head-to-head rules whenever there are only two players dealt in.
Betting
Once the big blinds have been posted the first player to act is the player to the immediate left of the big blind. At this stage there are three options available - to FOLD, to CALL or to RAISE;
- To fold is to throw your cards and take no further part in the hand.
- To call is to match the previous bet in order to remain in the game.
- To raise is to make a bet in excess of the previous bet by at least the table minimum.
Each player in turn (in a clockwise direction) must make a decision and to stay in the game must continue to bet until all remaining players have staked an equal amount. When the action comes round to the big blind and if none of the remaining players have made a raise (therefore all betting is even), the player on the big blind has the option to either raise or CHECK.
To check is to pass without placing a bet and yet remain in the game. In all instances other than on the big blind in the first round, the option to check can only be used when no prior bets in a round have been made.
In the second, third and fourth rounds of betting, the first player to act is the first player to the left of the dealer who is still participating in the hand.
Our games can be played in three different ways - as limit, pot limit or no limit poker. The rules of these games are the same except for betting as these limits refer to the amount that a player is permitted to bet at any stage of the game.
Limit Poker
Limit poker is where the size of bets and subsequent raises are fixed, depending on the table stakes if it is a cash game or the blind levels if it is a tournament.
For example, in a $2/$4 game the size of the bets and raises is $2 in the first two rounds of betting and $4 in the last two rounds. In limit poker there are a maximum of one bet and three subsequent raises in any round of betting. Once the third raise had been made in any round, the betting is capped. In limit poker, the blinds are determined by the table stakes, so in a $2/$4 game the big blind is $2 and the small blind is $1.
Pot Limit & No Limit Poker
Pot Limit poker is where the maximum bet or raise allowed is defined by the amount of money or chips already in the pot.
No Limit poker is where there is no limit to the amount of money that can be bet. The only restriction there is in no limit poker is that you can only bet as many chips as you have at the table at the time. You cannot purchase and bring additional chips to the table during a hand.
Rules that apply to both Pot Limit and No Limit:
- The table stakes determines the blinds in both pot limit and no limit poker. In a $2/$4 game the small blind is $2 while the big blind is $4. Please note that this is different to limit poker where the small blind would be $1 and the big blind would be $2.
- The minimum bet is either equivalent to the big blind or the last bet/raise, whichever is larger.
- There is no cap on number of raises (except when an under-raise has been made due to somebody going all-in).
The key difference between pot limit and no limit poker is in the size of the maximum raise permitted:
- In pot limit Texas Holdem the maximum bet or raise permitted is equivalent to the amount of money in the pot. For this purpose the amount of money in the pot is deemed to be any money already in the pot, money raked and the amount needed by the current player to call prior betting.
- In no limit Texas Holdem there is no limit to the maximum bet or raise. Players can if they so desire bet all the chips they have at the table at any time when it is their turn to bet. Players are however restricted to the betting with the money they have at the table at the time as players are not allowed to buy additional chips while a hand is in progress.
Betting Exceptions
When a player wishes to call a bet or indeed wishes to make a bet but does not have enough funds to do so, the player can remain in the game by going all-in (betting all their remaining money). The player will take no further action in the hand but will still be eligible to win the share of the pot up to and including their last contribution. They will not be eligible to win any money staked thereafter which goes into a separate (side) pot and can only be won by those players remaining in the game.
Disconnect All-ins
If you lose your connection, the game will wait a period of time for you to reconnect. In limit cash games, if you fail to re-connect, your hand will be deemed All-In. This is known as a disconnect all-in. This means your last bet will be deemed to be the same as the bet made with your last chips, then the hand will be completed. If you win, you will be credited with whatever monies are in the main pot. Any further betting between any other players remaining in the hand will be on the side and a side pot will be created for them. To prevent against abuse of this feature we only allow players one disconnect all-in every 24-hour period and it is strictly forbidden to intentionally time-out so as to invoke a disconnect all-in. Any player who abuses this will lose the right to future disconnect all-in privileges.
Texas Hold'em
The game of Texas Hold'em is the most popular version of poker in the world today and is the game you will have seen being played if you have ever watched poker on television. Each player is dealt two cards face down, known as hole cards. The remaining five cards are community cards, dealt face up in the centre of the table, to be shared by all players. A hand of Texas Holdem is played as follows:
- The game begins with the posting of the small blind by the person to the left of the (virtual) dealer.
- The player to the immediate left again posts the big blind.
- Each player is then dealt two cards face down. These are called the hole cards.
- Following the dealing of the hole cards there is a round of betting, beginning with the first participating player to the left of the virtual dealer (the player to the immediate left of the player posting the big blind).
- This first round of betting is at the lower level of the table stakes. In a $2/$4 game, each bet in this round is $2.
- Next, three community cards are dealt, face up. These are called the flop.
- Now there is another round of betting. This second round is also at the lower stakes level.
- A fourth card, called the turn is dealt face up.
- Once again, there is a round of betting. Now betting in this third round is at the higher stakes level. Using the $2/$4 game example, all bets are now $4.
- A fifth and final face up card, called the river is dealt.
- A final round of betting is held. Once again, the betting in this fourth round is at the higher stakes level.
- Beginning with the last player to bet, players must show or muck their hands. This is called the Showdown.
The winning hand is the strongest hand found by combining a player's hole cards and the community cards. You can win with a hand made up from both your hole cards and three community cards, or one hole card and four community cards. You can even share in the winning if you are still in and the board, the five community cards, makes up the winning hand.
(Please not that the example refers to Limit Poker, in which the size of bets and subsequent raises is fixed. In No Limit and Pot Limit the betting rules are different - see the section on Limits below).
Omaha
Omaha Poker, like Texas Hold'em is a community card game.
In a game of Omaha Poker, each player is dealt four hole cards face down and, whereas in a game of Hold'em a player may use any combination of five cards from their hole cards and the board cards to make a hand, in Omaha a player must use precisely two cards from their hand and three cards from the board.
- Other than this, the pattern of play is exactly the same as in Texas Holdem:
- The blinds are posted by the two players to the left of the dealer
- The (four) hole cards are dealt
- The first round of betting takes place
- The first three community cards are dealt face up (the flop)
- The second round of betting takes place
- The fourth community card is dealt face up (the turn card)
- The third round of betting takes place
- The fifth and final community card is dealt face up (the river)
- The fourth and final round of betting takes place
- The showdown takes place
Omaha Hi-Lo
Another variation of Omaha Poker is Omaha Hi-Lo. Omaha Hi-Lo is played in exactly the same way as Omaha except that it allows for two winning hands to share the pot: the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand.
For a low hand to qualify it must consist of five unpaired cards with the highest card being no greater than 8. The winning low hand is decided by the player with the lowest high card of these five cards. If two players have the same lowest high card then the next lowest high card will decide the winner. Again, if these cards are tied, then the next lowest cards are considered and so on until a winner is determined or the hand is a declared a tie. In the event of a tie the pot is split.
Please also bear in mind these important rules:
- If there is no qualifying low hand then the best high hand wins the entire pot.
- One player can win the entire pot by having the best high hand as well as the best low hand.
- Aces count as both high and low.
- Straights and flushes may be used in a low hand but do not alter the value. In other words, a player may have five hearts, 8 or lower, and will still qualify for the low hand.
- Players may use different cards from their hand for the low than the high, or they may use the same cards.
Remember, in Omaha, each player must use precisely two hole cards and three board cards to make a five-card poker hand.
7-Card Stud
7 Card Stud is a limit game. Initially every player posts an Ante. This is a forced bet to get money in the pot before any betting occurs. Each player is then dealt one card at a time until every player has 3 cards. The first 2 cards are dealt face down and the 3rd card is dealt face up. This face up card is known as a Door Card.
NB: All dealing and betting runs in a clockwise order. There are five rounds of betting in 7 Card Stud. The first two rounds use the lower limit bets and the last 3 rounds use the higher limit bets – similar to Limit Hold’em. The exception to this is if a player holds a pair or better on 4th Street as seen below.
First round of Betting: “Opening the Betting” / “3rd Street”
Betting starts with the player holding the lowest Door Card. This first bet is known as the “Bring in” or the “opening bet”. If two players hold the same value Door Card then the Bring in is decided by suit, in alphabetical order (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades). Each player has the option to call, raise or fold as they see fit.
Second round of betting: “4th Street”
Every player still involved in the pot is dealt another card face up (an up card). Betting on this round begins with the player holding the two strongest up cards. Strongest hands are determined by regular Poker hand rankings, i.e. high card, pair, two pair etc. If a player holds a pair they can make a double bet. Betting then continues around the table as normal.
Third round of betting: “5th Street”
Every player still involved in the pot is dealt another up card. The player with the strongest up card combination starts the betting on this round. From this point onwards all bets are Big bets.
Fourth round of betting: “6th Street”
Every player still involved in the pot is dealt another up card. The player with the strongest up card combination starts the betting on this round.
Fifth round of betting: “The River”
Each player still involved in the pot is dealt one final card face down. So, each player now holds 4 up cards and 3 down cards. Again betting begins with the player holding the 4 strongest up cards and continues clockwise around the table.
Showdown:
Once all betting is complete players reveal their down cards and the player with the best 5 card hand wins. The player who made the last bet reveals his/her hand first. If there is no betting on the last round then the player with the highest value of up cards reveals first. In the case of players holding the same winning hands normal split pot rules apply.
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