23/03/2009

SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL AWAY

Having to write this first article about poker I was wondering what I should start with; there are so many things to talk about in this game so I asked people around me which are not players what they want to know concerning this popular game. How to play? How to win? How much does it cost? Where to play?

So, I should start with the fundamental question: What is poker?


The basic ingredients making this card game so attractive are luck, mathematics and money. Fame, fortune and last but not least fun, these are the motivations of all poker players. A great way to be introduced to the game is having some friends over for a poker evening, spending ridiculous amount of money while socializing; a great way to break the routine.

So I have to start with the basics; although there are as many types of games - Texas Hold’em being the most popular - as there are players, the winning hands are usually the same:


HIGH CARD is a poker hand in which no two cards have the same rank, the five cards are not in sequence, and the five cards are not all the same suit. High card ranks below all other poker hands; two such hands are ranked by comparing the highest ranking card. If those are equal, then the next highest ranking card from each hand is compared, and so on until a difference is found. EX: K J 8 7 3

ONE PAIR contains two cards of the same rank, plus three other unmatched cards. Higher ranking pairs defeat lower ranking pairs; if two hands have the same pair, the non-paired cards, "the kickers", are compared in descending order to determine the winner. EX:A A K 10 5

TWO PAIR contains two cards of the same rank, plus two cards of another rank (that match each other but not the first pair), plus one unmatched card. To rank two hands both containing two pairs, the higher ranking pair of each is first compared, then the highest pair wins. If both hands have the same "top pair", then the second pair of each is compared. Finally, if both hands have the same two pairs, the kicker determines the winner. EX: 8 83 3 A

THREE OF A KIND, also called TRIPS or SET, contains three cards of the same rank, plus two unmatched cards. Higher-valued three of a kind defeats lower-valued three of a kind. If two hands contain three of a kind of the same value, the kickers are compared to break the tie. EX: 8 8 8 10 A

STRAIGHT contains five cards of sequential rank but in more than one suit. Two straights are ranked by comparing the highest card of each. Two straights with the same high card are of equal value. EX: 10 9 8 7 6

FLUSH contains five cards of the same suit, not in sequential order. Between two flushes, the highest ranking card of each is compared to determine the winner. If both hands have the same highest card, then the second-highest ranking card is compared, and so on. EX:Q 10 7 6 4

FULL HOUSE contains three matching cards of one rank, and two matching cards of another rank. Between two full houses, the one with the highest ranking set of three wins otherwise if two hands have the same set of three, the hand with the higher pair wins. EX:3 3 3 6 6

FOUR OF A KIND, also known as QUADS or POKER, contains four cards of one rank, and an unmatched card of another rank. Higher ranking quads defeat lower ranking ones. EX:K K K K 9


STRAIGHT FLUSH contains five cards in sequence, all of the same suit. An ace-high straight flush such as A K Q J 10 is known as a ROYAL FLUSH and is the highest ranking standard poker hand. Two such hands are compared by their highest card; since suits have no relative value. EX:Q J 10 9 8

The last word would be: gamble responsibly…

FD

Pictures from Flickr:

Todd Klassy and Kevin Labianco.

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