Poker Winner’s Guides
What is Poker
Several card games involve players betting over the hand that’s best based on that game’s distinct rules. That’s what poker is. It’s a collection of games with variable deck configuration, the commonest being a standard deck. Learning how to play and win at poker isn’t difficult. However, mastering the game is not a piece of cake. That’s why it is important to familiarize yourself with the basics of the game. In particular, before you dive into playing, know the hand rankings, some of which we will cover later on. They include:
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two-Pair
- Pair
- High Card
How to Play Poker
In this game, players form five hands (or sets of playing cards). The dealer compares each hand’s rank against the other hands’ ranks before announcing the winner of the pot. It is important to understand these rankings and how they vary from one type of Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson to another before you begin playing the game.
While the game’s variants have different rules, the basics are quite similar. Here are the general steps for play:
- Begin by placing your small blind bet or minimum starting bet called the ante.
- The dealer will give you two cards. Check them properly. However, do not display them to other players until its showdown time.
- When the dealer begins putting out new cards, wait for your turn to place a bet. Wager if no other player has done that. You can also:
Check (to avoid wagering)
Call (to match the bet of another player)
Raise (to add extra money to the wagering pool) or
Fold (to avoid matching another player’s bet) - Consider the “flop” (community cards that the dealer puts on the table after the first betting round) to see whether they can build your hand. Then decide whether to place a bet, call or fold.
- Check the “fourth street” or “turn” card (one card that the dealer places on the table after the second betting round). Compare it with the cards in your hand and decide whether to bet, call, raise, or fold.
- Inspect the “river” card (the final card that the dealer places on the table face up) before deciding on whether to call, bet, or fold.
- Reveal your cards face up in the last stage called “showdown.”
How to Win at Poker
Succeeding at Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson takes more effort than just learning the basic rules of the game. Since you don’t want to waste your money and time, it’s important to get some strategies for winning. Here are some powerful tips for becoming a winner:
- Always check your starting hand to estimate its risks before choosing to bet, call, raise, or fold. If you have strong hands such as a pair, face cards, and aces, it’s wise to raise or bet.
- Begin wagering with the player to the left of the dealer or big blind.
- If you have a weak hand, but you’d want to stay in the game, call. This action completes your turn and prepares you for the turns to come.
- You can also raise if your hand is weak. Also called “bluffing,” this action tricks the other players into imagining you have a good hand. However, it’s risky since another player might call the bluff.
- If the current bet is extremely high or your cards are bad, fold.
- If you have bad cards and the rules of the game allow it, then drawing better cards from the table as replacements could help.
- Learn players’ tells because they can help you estimate the strength of your opponents’ hands and avoid exposing your strategy. For instance, players often place a hand over their mouths to conceal smiles.
- Identify whether your opponents are aggressive or conservative. You can easily bluff a conservative player into folding because they are inclined to avoiding big bets. Aggressive ones take great risks before seeing how you will act on your cards.
What is a Rake in Poker?
A rake in poker is a commission that the casino or cardroom charges to cover overheads. In tournaments, it can go up to 15% of the tournament fee. However, the rake is lower in cash games, where it ranges between 2.5% and 10% of the pot, up to a maximum of $5. In some cases, the maximum is $10.
Since the game excludes the house from wagering against punters, a rake in poker is the main revenue-generating mechanism. The establishment that supplies the game’s services primarily levies this fee. The rake covers operational costs for online and land-based casinos.
What is a Straddle in Poker?
Sometimes, a player can opt to place a double big blind bet before the dealer hands them cards. This is called a straddle in poker. Usually, the punter to the left of the blind is the one who makes this kind of move. When this happens, all the players that come after have two options: to raise or to call the placed bet.
Making a straddle in poker diminishes your overall expected value in your hand. This is because it involves placing a blind bet with a hand you do not know. Therefore, a straddle goes against the principles of winning strategies.
What is a Straight in Poker?
A hand can consist of five sequential or consecutive ranking cards that may be of different suits. This is called a Straight in poker. It is among the good hands in the game. Moreover, it’s easy to identify this hand.
Like a Flush, a Straight in poker is a mid-range hand. It sits above a Three of a Kind but below a Flush in the game’s rankings. The highest card among the five sequential cards is used to rank a Straight hand. The position of the Ace determines whether it will be the highest or lowest value.
What is a Flush in Poker?
Also called a Four-Flush, a Flush in poker is a hand that consists of five cards, with all of them having the same suit or symbol and colour. It’s one of the mid-range hands in the game when it comes to strength. However, Flushes can still win big.
While a Flush in poker ranks better than several other hands, it sits lower than a Full House and Four of a kind, among others on the list. It is the highest card or denomination in the hand that determines the ranking of Flushes. For example, an Ace-high Flush is the best in rank.
What is a Full House in Poker?
Also called a boat or full boat, a full house in poker means a hand with three cards of one rank and two others of another rank. It’s a Three of a Kind hand and a Pair combination. Therefore, it’s not easy to identify a Full House by its name. However, it is one of the strongest hands in the hand ranking system.
The most valuable Full House in poker has the highest Three of a Kind. If your opponent has a Three of a Kind similar to yours, the one with the higher Pair is the winner. If both of you have a matching Full House, then there will be a need to divide the pot.
When was Poker Invented?
Most historians agree that poker was invented in 1829 in New Orleans, US. The game’s development has links to the historical movement that resulted in the origination of commercial betting. Originally, the game comprised a deck of 20 cards and involved four players.
Soon, the game began spreading to other parts of the country. Afterward, it underwent evolution with the introduction of the full 52-card French deck, the Flush, and the draw. Several other additions resulted after the American Civil War, including the Straight and the Stud. Evidently, poker was invented as a simple game, but it has become more sophisticated with the addition of several rules and variants over the years.