Poker Rules

These basic rules are taken from Five Card Draw on which all other poker games are based.

Equipment Required

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

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")

Objective

Each player tries to maximise his winnings. On each play all bets are put into a common pool (the "pot").
One player wins the pool on a play if:

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. The suits are not ranked.

Poker Hands

See our Poker Hands page

Hands of the Same Rank

When poker hands are of the same rank, the winning hand is decided by the rank of the cards involved.The following rules apply where no wild cards are used:

Hands Tie

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)

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:

In some forms of the game, a card that occupies a particular position in the game may count as wild, 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:

In either case, 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 use of the joker as the bug may or may not be limited to cards not held by the players.

Hands With Wild Cards

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. 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.

Prohibitions

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!

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.

Principles of Betting

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.

Checking

Checking is allowed in many games of poker. 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

End of the betting interval
The betting interval ends when either:

Passing

Passing may mean either:

Sandbagging

Sandbagging is poker slang for either:

A Limit on Raises

A limit on raises is often agreed beforehand. Possible limits are

Freezing the Raise

Freezing the raise is becoming accepted procedure. 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.

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.

Betting Prohibitions

A player may not:

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).

Specified Limits

Fixed minimum and maximum amounts are specified before play starts. Sometimes it is agreed that either

Specified Limits, Varying

The 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:

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.

Table Stakes

Before the session, 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:

No Limit

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.

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.

Jackpot

This ruling can be played with any limits system. It 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.

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.

Now visit our Poker Versions page to learn about some of the many variations to these basic rules in the other versions of the game. Or visit our Poker Odds and Poker Tips pages for advice that should help you improve your game. alternatively for information on the games origin visit our Poker History page or our Poker Hands page or how about our Poker Rules page Also see our Secret Art Of Raising Page. Please also look at The Poker Money Management Page, The 5 P's Of Poker Page, The Starting Hand Strategy page, The Online Tells page , The Pocket Pair Strategy page.

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