About the Game

History Of Poker

Poker is believed to have been invented in parts of Asia and, during the 19th century, was played for the first time on the US territory. Poker originated as a gambling game, but has now become a popular world-wide pastime with many internationally televised tournaments taking place in most luxirious places of the world. Litterally, millions of dollars change hands during these games, as well as during daily 24/7 online plays with thousands of players participating at the virtual tables.

Game's Basic Rules

As poker was originated as a form of a gambling game, it is played either for money or chips purchased from the game’s banker. All kinds of poker have betting rounds during which each player must either fold (discontinue playing the hand), call (equal the bet), or raise (increase the current bet). Bets placed together form what is known as a "pot." The objective of all poker players is to win the pot either by getting the highest hand or by making other players to drop, known as "bluffing."
The two major forms of poker are draw and stud game and are both played with a 52-card deck (sometimes players add a joker). It is considered that best poker is played with five players at the table, although it is possible to play the game with 2 to 10 players at the table. All suits are equal and cards rank from the ace as high (it may also be low) down through the two. Often "twos" are designated “wild” substituting (at holder’s disgresion) any other card. There are 2,598,960 possible poker hands with just one dechk of 52 cards! In both draw and stud poker, the player who holding the best hand wins. Hands rank as follows: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pairs, and finally one pair. If no player has any of these hands, pots are won by whoever is holding the highest cards.

About Draw Poker

In draw poker, five cards are dealt singly to each player who has paid an "ante" to the pot before the play has begun. Betting is done clockwise starting with the player at dealer’s left, who may either put up an opening wager or check (defer to the next player). Once a player has opened the betting, the others must call the opening player’s bet to stay in the game. In jackpots, a very popular variety of draw poker, a player must have at least a pair of jacks to open. At the end of the first round, a player may now stand pat (hold five original cards) or draw 1-4 cards from the stack. Another betting interval takes place, starting with the opener. If a bet is not met, the winner is not required to show the hand held. Should a bet be called, all hands must be shown and the best hand wins.

About Stud Poker

In stud poker, sometimes called "open poker", each player is dealt singly one card down (hole card) and one card face up. Each player looks at their card in the hole, but leaves it face down. The player with the highest card shown starts the betting round. After all players have completed betting, another card is dealt face up. This process repeats itself until each player has four cards face up and one face down. When the final betting is done, the hole cards are opened and the best hand wins.