Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Info On The Game Of Poker And The Rules

By Dean Evert

Here's a little quiz: what card game has survived the test of time for ages now, still maintained its basic rule patterns and strategy, and yet is beloved by millions of players around the world; the answer is Poker. Undoubtedly the most popular card game at this point in time and because of its versatility and its ability to maintain the basic game and poker rules, it is a champion of casinos and saloons everywhere as well as the most played card game around kitchen tables in everyday households around the world.

The main thing you have to remember when learning about the game poker and the rules, is that there is a basic structure that all forms of poker adhere to, while there may exist many variations on top of that basic structure. There is a pot of something valuable (usually money) to be won by the player with the best 5 card combination after all the dust has settled after the bidding; and the cards themselves have face value as well as the different combinations of those cards produce another whole set of values which are used in the betting. In most poker games, the Ace is high and the #2 card is low.

There are numerous forms and variations on the basic poker structure depending on what part of the world you are in, but the basic game and poker rules remain the same no matter where you are or with whom you are playing. You probably can remember sitting around the kitchen table after the supper dishes were cleared playing your favorite version of poker like "KnockOut" or "BlackJack Poker" or "Deuces Are Wild"----the basics are still there, like what combo beats what; but the variations could be off the wall if you wanted. The most popular form of poker today is Texas Hold 'Em with the next in line being Seven Card Stud, and finally the oldest continuously played form of poker, 5 Card Draw.

You can't just sit down at a poker table and expect to join in the game not knowing the poker rules or how the game is played, or what the values of the 5 card combinations are. You should be prepared with that info before you join a game, because a lot of the play depends on strategy and trying to psyche out your opponents which you can't do if you don't know what you're doing. Learning to bid effectively is tops on the list and to do that you should know how much each card is worth, and what the hierarchy of card combos is; such as, a holding of 5 cards of the same suit would be called a flush, and that would be worth more in the betting than 3 of a kind, or a straight. The most valued 5 card combo that would give you a good shot at winning the pot would be a straight flush which is 5 cards ranging in numerical order all in the same suit---ex: 3,4,5,6,7 of spades.

Taking a closer look at the most popular form of poker today, Texas Hold 'Em; we need to cover just how the game is played and poker rules apply. The same premise applies that the best 5 card combo in the final showdown hand will take the pot, but the play is a little different. The play starts with the dealer giving each player 2 cards, called hole cards, face down on the table so no one else can see them. The players bet on what they think they can do with those hole cards. Then the dealer puts down 3 community cards (the flop) face up in the middle of the table for all to see, and all to use those cards with their hole cards to formulate a bet and a strategy. More betting. The dealer deals out another face up card on the table, the turn and with that additional card and what they already have, the players bet again or fold, depending on their holdings. Now the dealer puts out the last face up card on the table, the river and the final bet ensues. Final showdown of hands will show the player with the best 5 card combination using all the cards, his hole cards and the community cards, and win the pot. If another player has an identical hand, the two must split the pot.

Gaining in popularity these days because of the way our lifestyles are structured with the rampant technology et al, is the Internet access to all forms of ongoing poker games from numerous sites all over the world. For the most part, the game of poker and rules don't vary that much in strategy and structure, but the degree of difficulty does vary from site to site, and whether or not you are playing for real money or not. A very popular site for learning about the game poker and rules, is call PKR.com and it is available online 24/7 with all degrees of game levels: the very basic beginners spot so you can learn the rules and play as you learn and increase in skill; all the way up to the cut-throat games played by those who have played for years and want easy access to a fast paced game online.

All in all, when it comes to a card game that is beloved by millions Poker rules. It has the excitement that people crave in a game, uses lots of strategy forms, and throws in a ton of psychology as well, not to mention the fact of possibly winning a lot of money. Poker is a game for all ages and types of people, and is well deserved of the title of most popular card game ever.

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