POKER GAMBLING GAME RULES GUIDE

We have looked at all the different types of poker. Here is a gambling game rules guide, in particular the rules for the game of Texas Hold’em poker. Once equipped with this information, you will be ready to move on to learn the more subtle aspects to the game in the Odds Guide and Strategy Guide. But before you move on to learn some tips from the professionals, you must know the basic gambling game rules! Hopefully you will all find this guide very informative.

1. At the start of the game, everyone is dealt one card face up and the poker player with the highest card is the dealer for the first round of the game. They are said to be ‘on the button’.
2. The rules state that the two poker players sitting to the left of the button must put in chips without having been dealt any cards. These are known as ‘blinds’. The poker player next to the dealer puts in a small blind and the other player puts in a big blind (these values are agreed at the start and usually increase as the game progresses). These rules are there to guide and encourage some gambling and betting and to prevent players sitting back until they bag pocket aces (the best starting poker hand).
3. The rules dictate that each poker player is dealt two hole cards and has 3 gambling options when it is their turn in the game. They can either call the big blind (matching it with the same number of chips), make a raise or fold (muck the cards for free). If a raise is made, all other poker players must match that raise (continue gambling) or fold and exit the game for that round. If no raises are made, the rules allow the big blind the further option of checking. This means he makes no bet and sees the flop for free.
4. The poker player to the left of the big blind acts first (they are said to be ‘under the gun’). Gambling action moves clockwise around the table.
5. After all bets have been called, the flop comes out. In subsequent rounds of the game, the poker player to the immediate left of the button is first to act (so that the dealer acts last).
6. Gambling continues in this fashion after the turn and river cards have been dealt. According to the rules, after the river betting round has finished, any remaining poker players must turn over their cards. The best five card poker hand wins. If during any betting round no player dares call another’s raise and they all fold, the last poker player standing rakes in the pot regardless of the strength of his/her hand (the rules state that there is no need to show the cards).
7. The dealer chip moves to the left and the game round starts again.

Poker Hand Rankings

1. High Card –A 7 6 3 K - Ace high
2. Pair – 7 7 K Q 4 - Pair of 7s
3. Two pairs – 33 K 9 9 - Two pair 3s and 9s
4. Three of a kind (‘trips’) – J J J 2 3 - Trip Jacks
5. Straight – 7 8? 9 10 J - Note that a higher straight would win
6. Flush – 6 5 A K 10 - Note that an Ace high flush would beat a Jack high flush
7. Full house – 5 5 5 Q Q - 3 of a kind plus a pair
8. Four of a kind (‘quads’) – A A A A 4 - Quad Aces
9. Straight flush – 3 4 5 6 7
10. Royal flush – 10? J Q K A