Poker Rules

Getting to know the basic poker rules is the first thing you need to do if you want to play poker. Poker is easy to learn and difficult to master and because of that, Give you the basic poker rules you need to understand and use and practice to become a good poker player.

While there are many different types and styles of poker, when you know the poker rules, you are referring to a standard set of rules, guidelines and commonalities between variations of poker.

Poker Rules - Cards
First of all, is important to know that poker uses a standard deck of 52 playing cards (for most variations). Cards are ranked in a systematic fashion. 2 is the lowest card, Ace is the highest. The deck is split into four suits; no suit is of more value than another. A poker hand contains five cards. The highest hand at the table wins. Some variations utilize wild cards, but to gain a proper sense of the game, you should learn the hand ranks as they exist without the possibility of wild cards first.

The poker rule is this one: The number of cards you are dealt depends on the variation of poker you're playing. Again, to stick with the basics five cards is most common.

Poker Rules - Players
Two to eight or more. Certain forms of poker can be played by up to 14 people. No alliances are allowed; a player may play only for himself

Poker Rules- Basic terms
The usage of some poker terms is not standard. In the following text a "hand" means the cards, or the particular combination of cards held by the player. A single game, from one shuffle to then next, is here called a "play" (rather than a "hand")

Poker Rules -Objective
The object of online poker is deceptively simple: win the money in the pot during a round of play by either having the best poker hand (highest ranking five-card hand) when the wagering is done or by forcing all other players to fold out of the hand.

Poker Rules - Rank of cards
Cards rank in the normal order. Ace usually ranks high, except in the 5,4,3,2 ace sequence; in a "high-low" game it may rank either high or low. Sometimes low ranking cards (2s, 3s and even 4s and 5s) are removed from the deck to speed up the game.

One suit does not have superiority over another suit except in a few situations, which are discussed subsequently. Suits do not count in the ranking of hands. Thus, a flush of one suit does not take priority over a flush of another suit by virtue of which suit it is.

Poker Rule - Hands Tie
Another poker rule is the one about the hands tie, if they contain exactly the same denominations; the suits are irrelevant. Hands that tie as highest in the showdown divide the pool between them. If the pool is not exactly divisible, the amount left over goes to the player who was "called" (i.e. the player who made the highest bet)

Poker Rule - Wild cards
Sometimes at the beginning of a game the players decide to designate certain cards "wild". A wild card is one that may represent any denomination. Any card or any group of cards may be designated, but the following are popular choices:

The joker (or two jokers):
The "deuce" or 2 of spades if the jokers are not available :
All the deuces
All the deuces and "treys" (the 3s)
Red 10s
In some forms of the game, the poker rule about a card that occupies a particular position in the game may count as wild, is for example each players "hole" (concealed) card in some stud poker games. Two alternative rules govern the use of a wild card. The holder may either:

use it to represent any card (denomination and suit) he does not hold : or
use it to represent any card, even if he holds that card.
In either poker rule you may choose, a wild card ranks the same as the card it represents. If a joker is used as a wild card, it may be used either like any other wild card or, alternatively as a "bug".

The bug may be used to represent only an ace or any card the player needs to complete a straight or a flush. Again, the poker rule about the use of the joker as the bug, may or may not be limited to cards not held by the players.

Poker Rules - First Position
Who is to act first varies with the rules of the particular poker game. In Stud games the lowest upcard (highest upcard in Eight-or-better or Razz) is required to commence the betting with a forced bet, known as the bring-in, which is usually (although not always) equivalent to one-third or one-half a small bet in fixed limit games. Sometimes, though rarely, house rules require the high card to bring it in seven-card-stud for high.

Another of the basic poker rules is that, in Hold'em games the first two players after the dealer button are usually required to enter the pot blind, the first player for a portion of a small bet--generally between one-third and two-thirds of the small bet-- the second player for a full small bet. (See Article 8 for bring-in and blind requirements Pot-Limit and No-Limit games.) House rules may require instead one or three blind bets. There are many variations of blind rules, and they are handled differently at different establishments.

Draw games are usually played with blinds, like community card games, although they often require antes as well, and who makes the first action is complicated by kill pot rules and rules relative to required openers.

Subsequent players acting in their turn must respond to these initial forced betting actions by folding, calling or raising. Action proceeds clockwise from the player who is required to act first. Once play is initiated, the hand progresses until the pot is awarded.

Poker Rules - Prohibitions
There are some prohibitions to be considered when you are talking about the basic poker rules.

A player may not attempt to make a private arrangement with any other player (e.g. divide the pool without a showdown) :
waive his turn as a dealer, unless physically unable to deal:
look at the discards (either before or after the showdown), at undealt cards, at another players hand, or at a hole card ( in stud poker):
take chips or money from the pool during play, except as correct change for a verbally stated bet:
leave the table taking his cards with him (he should ask another player, preferably a non-active one, to play his hand for him - if he fails to do so and misses his turn, his hand is dead)

Poker Rules - Bluffing
There are some important basic poker rules about bluffing.
Bluffing is allowed (i.e. trying to mislead other players by statement, actions or manner). Bluffing may include making announcements out of turn about one's hand or plan of playing so as to make one's hand seem weaker than it is. Sarcasm, heckling and derision are allowed - help is not!

Poker Rules - The Pot
One of the most important basic poker rules is about the pot. The game is a contest for a pot of money, which builds in the course of play of each hand. The game begins as a battle for the blind bets or antes--money the players put into the pot be-fore they see their cards. As players receive their cards and consider the strength and potential strength of the hands they hold relative to the hands they believe their opponents hold and other variables, they commit additional money to the pot by making and calling bets and raises. The process of betting, calling and raising continues through a number of betting rounds until all the cards been dealt pursuant to the rules of the game, or one player is left after all others have folded. After the last card has been dealt there is a final betting round.

Poker Rules - Betting intervals
In a single play there will be at least one betting interval, and normally two or more. These always follow receipt of cards by player but the precise number and when they occur depend on the form of poker being played.

In each betting interval, a certain player will have the right to bet or not to bet first. (How he is chosen depends on the form of the game). Thereafter players bet or do not bet in a clockwise rotation.

Poker Rules - Principles of betting
We can find some others basic poker rules when we are talking about betting.
You need to know that, all bets on a play are placed together near the centre of the table to form a pool. One player bets first ("opens the betting"). Thereafter, each player in turn must either "drop out", "stay in" or "raise".

In his turn, a player announces what he is doing prior to placing any chips in the pool. For a first bet or a raise, he also announces the amount of the bet or the raise. A bet is not considered made until the bettor has removed his hand from the chips bet: until then it can be withdrawn.

Drop out (or "fold"): the player discards his hand and gives up his chance of winning the pool on this play. A player may drop out at any time, even if he has previously bet on this play or in this interval; but any chips he has already bet remain in the pool and go to the pool winner. A player who has dropped out is no longer "active" and may not take further action in this play.

Stay in (or "call" or "see"); the player puts in just enough chips to make the total bet he has bet so far in this play exactly equal to the total bet by the payer with the highest total bet.

Raise up (or "up" or "go better"): the player puts in enough chips to stay in, plus an additional number. The additional amount is that by which he "raises the last bet". Every other player in the game must either then stay in(by bringing his total bet up to the raises amount), drop out, or raise again ("reraise")

Poker Rules - Hands with wild cards
According to official poker rules, Wild cards rank exactly the same as the cards they stand for, so when comparing hands of the same rank, ties are possible between same denomination fours, full houses and threes. With fours and threes, the rank of the other cards in the hands decides the winner where possible.

The poker rules is that if hands with wild cards are identical rank, the hand with no or fewer wild cards, wins. If there are the same number of wild cards, the hands tie. Where wild cards are used for any card (even one held by the player) two new hands are possible.

Five of a kind: five cards of the same denomination. This ranks as highest hand, above a straight flush.
Double ace high flush: a flush including two aces. This ranks above flush and below full house.
Sometimes a wild card my be used only to make a five of a kind- but not to make double ace high flush. This must be decided before start of play.

Poker Rules - Number of Players
Anywhere from two to thirteen players seek to make the highest possible five-card hand from the cards made available to them by the particular form of poker they are playing. More players are theoretically possible, but impractical.

In seven card stud games the maximum number of players is eight. In Omaha games the official poker rules about the maximum number of players is ten. In Texas Hold'em the maximum number of players is thirteen.

In Draw and Lowball the maximum number of players is nine, although eight is a preferred maximum because when you play nine-handed you constantly run out of cards and the discards have to be re-shuffled and dealt for the draw.

Poker Rules - Dealing
The offial poker rules say that the dealer deals cards face down around the table, starting at the player to his left and continuing clockwise. The dealer always deals to himself last and then deals everyone a first card, then goes back around the circle to deal the second card, and so forth. When everyone has five cards, the remainder of the deck is placed in the middle of the table, and game begins.

Poker Rules - Order of Play
The play of a hand always proceeds clockwise, beginning with the player in first position, and ending with the last player to respond to an action. Is and official poker rule that each player acts after the player to his immediate right. If no action is made, then play continues to the player in last position

Free Poker Rules - A limit on raises
A limit on raises is another of the many poker game rules. Possible limits are

three (or sometimes two) by one player in one betting interval
a total of three by all players in one betting interval.

Free Poker Rules - Freezing the raise
Freezing the raise is becoming accepted procedure talking about the poker rules. If there have been two or more raises (whether by one or several players), in a single betting interval, any player who has not raised in that betting interval may "freeze the raise".

In addition to betting sufficient to stay in, he bets a previously agreed amount, usually two to five times the normal maximum bet. Other active players must then drop out or stay in by equalling his bet. This action only freezes the raise for this betting interval.

Free Poker Rules - Side bets
Side bets are sometimes made between players. For example, in a "high card bet" in stud poker, players bet on who will have the highest first upcard.

Free Poker Rules - Betting prohibitions

Poker game rules about betting are clear that a player may not:

bet for another player
borrow money or chips from another payer during a play:
take back a bet after it has been placed in the pool and the bettors hand has been removed. An inadequate bet must be added to, otherwise it is lost and the payers cards are dead.
Free Poker Rules - Betting limits
The system to be used must be decided upon before play. The betting limits are also the raise limits. Note that a player forced to bet, for example, the maximum amount to stay in, may still in that turn raise by the maximum (an by any lesser amount).

Free Poker Rules - Specified limits
Poker game rules set a fixed minimum and maximum amounts are specified before play starts. Sometimes it is agreed that either

any amount between the limits is acceptable as a bet or raise:
only specified amounts between the limits are acceptable as a bet or raise : or
no amount between the limits is acceptable as a bet or raise

Poker Game Rules - Ante
Another of the poker game rules is that each player places an ante or "token bet" into the kitty before the cards dealt. The ante can be any amount. You need an ante because it guarantees that someone will always win something on each hand.

Poker Game Rules - Checking
Checking is allowed in many games of poker and many poker game rules. A player who checks at the beginning of a betting interval stays in the game for the moment without making a bet. If all payers check, the betting interval ends.

But if one player bets, the interval continues as usual: all other players (including those who have checked) must now stay in, drop out or raise. To stay in, a player who has checked must equal the highest bet made so far. If all players check on the first betting interval, the play is void and ends. The next player in turn deals the round

Poker Game Rules - End of the betting interval
The poker rule says that the betting interval ends when either:

all players have checked:
only one player is still active (and therefore wins), all the others having dropped out: or the bets of active players are equalised. This happens when all players still active have put equal amounts in the pool and the turn has come around again to the last person to raise (or, if no one raised, to the person who opened the betting): he may not then raise again. AS long as the bets are unequal any player may raise, but as soon as the bets are equal, no one may raise.

Poker Game Rules - Passing
Poker game rules say that passing may mean either:

To drop out: or
to check (where checking is allowed)
In games where checking is allowed, a player who says "pass" is assumed to be checking, if checking is available to him. (A player shows that he is dropping out by discarding his hand). Games in which no checking is allowed are referred to as "pass and out" (or "pass out" or "bet and drop").

Poker Game Rules - Folding
A fold means that the player does not want to spend more money to vie for the pot; therefore, he discards his cards and is no longer a part of the hand.

Poker Game Rules - The Showdown
Another of the many poker game rules is that the sequence of dealing cards and having a round of betting continues according to the poker rules of the specific game. At the end of the last betting round, all players who are left in the hand have a showdown in which the player with the best hand is awarded the pot. It is the obligation of the player who made the last bet or raise (not call) to show her hand first in the showdown.

All cards in a player's hand must be shown face-up on the table to be awarded any part of the pot.

The other remaining players then show their hands in a clockwise fashion. However, the other players do not have to show their hands; if they know they are beaten, they can just concede the pot. Remember that not all hands will reach the showdown stage; very often, a player will win the pot because all other players have folded their cards.

In the interests of efficiency and speeding up the game, a player who is reasonably certain he has the winning hand should turn over his hand immediately, regardless of the order of showdown. If a player does so, then other players at the showdown who can beat that hand should also turn their hands over immediately.

If after final action a hand is shown to one player at the table, then any other player at the table may ask to see the hand, and it shall be shown. If during the course of play of the hand a player flashes his hand to another player before mucking it, any player may ask that the hand be shown to all at the table, but it shall not be shown until after the end of the hand.

Poker Game Rules - Sandbagging
Sandbagging is poker slang for either:

checking to disguise a good hand - this is sometimes considered unethical, but is better accepted as a regular part of bluffing: or
constant raising or re-raising by two players, forcing a third along with them if he wishes to stay in the play. Raising to force out other players is an essential part of poker, but beyond a certain point it can spoil the game's character. Two optional rulings can keep it in check: limiting raises, and freezing raises.

Specified limits, varying
One of the rules to play poker talks about he minimum and maximum limits change during play; for example limits for the final betting are always twice the earlier limits.

Last bet limit
The opening bet is agreed by agreed limits. Thereafter, the maximum bet or raise is the amount put in the pool by the previous bettor's actions. Players must decide that either:

each betting interval recommences at the original limits or :
continuous growth is allowed over a single play.

Pot limit
The opening bet is governed by agreed limits. Thereafter, the maximum bet or raise is the total amount in the pool at that time. To calculate this, a player wishing to raise may include in the pool total the sum needed for him to stay in. Agreement on an absolute maximum is still necessary.

Poker Rules - Table stakes
Before the session (according to the basic rules to play poker), each player puts any amount of money he wishes onto the table, or buys chips to that amount. ( A minimum is agreed beforehand, and sometimes a maximum too.) Any amount a player wins is added to his table amount. He may also from his own pocket, increase the table amount - but not during a play, and only by at least the agreed minimum. During a play a player may not:

Borrow from or owe money to the pool:
decrease his table amount or withdraw chips from it
sell chips back to the banker until he withdraws from the game.
The maximum betting limit for a player is his table amount at the time (the minimum is the amount agreed beforehand). If a players table amount is used up in a play, he has the right to remain in for the main pool showdown. Any amounts bet by other players, above the amount he has bet, are put into a side pool

Poker Rules - No limit
According to the basic rules to play poker, a player can bet or raise any amount. He may borrow during a play, if he can, but he may not put IOUs in the pool. To stay in, he must equal the highest bet. IN the old no limit games a player had 24 hours to raise the money for a bet. No limit games have no virtually disappeared.

Poker Rules - Freeze out
This can be played with any limits system except table stakes. Before the session, each player puts an equal number of chips on the table in front of him. Winnings are added to this amount, but no players may add new chips, lend chips or remove chips from the game. As soon as a player has lost all his chips, he drops out. The session continues until one player has won all the chips.

Poker Rules - Jackpot
This ruling can be played with any limits system. This rule to play poker, applies if all other players drop out in a play, after one player has opened the betting. In the next play and before the deal the other must each "ante"(put) into the pool an amount equal to the single bet made in the previous play.

The new maximum limit (for this play only) is the total amount now in the pool before play starts (providing that this is higher than the normal maximum). The minimum is as usual.

Poker Rules - Whangdoodle
This ruling can be played with any limits system. After the appearance of any very good hand (e.g. full house or better), the usual or opening limits are doubled for the next play. Sometimes the special limits hold for the next round of play i.e. one deal by each player.