Poker Rules
Hands Texas Hold´em Omaha High Omaha 8 or Better Seven Card Stud 7 Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better
Hands
	Royal Flush.	Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace of the same suit.
	Straight Flush.	Straight with all five cards in the same suit.
	Four of a kind.	Four cards of the same number or face value.
	Full House.	Three cards of one number or face value and two cards of another number or face value. If more than one player has a full house, the full house with the highest ranking three of a kind wins.
	Flush.	Five cards of the same suit. If there is more than one flush, the hand with the highest card(s) wins. .
	Straight.	Five cards in sequence. Cards can be in any suit. An Ace can be used in the highest straight (10, J, Q, K, A) and the lowest straight (A, 2, 3, 4, 5).
	Three of a kind.	Three cards of the same number or face value.
	Two Pairs.	If two players have two pair, the hand with the highest pair wins. If they have the same high pair, whoever has the second highest pair wins. If they have the same two pair, whoever has the highest fifth card wins.
	Pair.	Two cards of the same number or face value. If two players have the same pair, the highest outside card(s) wins.
	Highest Hand.
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Texas Hold'em
In this game, players get two down cards and five community cards (which are face-up in the middle of the table). Your hand is determined by using the best five of those seven cards (in any combination) and the best hand wins the pot. Click here to see Rank of Hands. (The pot may also be won by someone betting and no one calling prior to getting seven cards.) There are four rounds of betting in Hold'em. In Limit Hold'em, one bet and three raises are allowed for each betting round. To continue to play, players must call all action to them on each betting round (unless they are "all-in"). Here is the procedure for Hold'em: 1) Prior to dealing the cards, two blinds (the Small Blind and the Big Blind) are placed in the pot by the two players to the immediate left of the dealer (indicated by the dealer "button"). 2) Everyone is dealt two down cards ("hole cards"). The action begins with the player to the left of the Big Blind folding, calling, or raising and continues in a clockwise fashion. This is the first betting round. 3) The dealer turns over three cards (community cards known as "The Flop"). This is the second betting round. Beginning with this round of betting (and throughout the remainder of the hand), the player to the left of the button acts first. 4) The dealer turns over another card (known as "The Turn" or "Fourth Street"). This is the third round of betting. (In Limit Hold'em, the amount bet doubles on "The Turn".) 5) The dealer turns over the last card (known as "The River" card or "Fifth Street"). This is the final round of betting. 7) Upon completion of the final round of betting, the best hand wins the pot. Note: The Blinds are determined by the size of the game.
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Omaha High
As in Hold'em, in Omaha, players share five "community" cards (which are dealt face-up in the center of the table). In Omaha, players start with four "down" cards. In Omaha, you MUST use two of your four "down" cards along with three "up" cards (community cards) on the board to form your hand. (Click here to see "Rank of Hands"). Upon the completion of betting, the best hand wins the pot. Remember: In Omaha, you MUST use two of your four "down" cards along with three "up" cards (community cards) to form your hand. There are four betting rounds in Omaha. In Omaha High and Omaha 8 or Better, one bet and three raises are allowed per betting round. To continue to play, players must call all action to them on each betting round (unless they are "all-in"). Here is the procedure for Omaha : 1) Prior to dealing the cards, two blinds (the Small Blind and the Big Blind) are placed in the pot by the two players to the immediate left of the dealer, which is indicated by the dealer "button". (All new players to a game must "post" a Big Blind. This can be done by waiting for the actual Big Blind or "posting" it from another position.) 2) Everyone is dealt four "down" cards. The player to the immediate left of the Big Blind starts the action (by folding, calling the Big Blind, or raising). Play continues in a clockwise manner. This is the first betting round. 3) Three cards are dealt face-up (community cards known as "The Flop"). This is the second round of betting. (Beginning with this round of betting and throughout the remaining rounds of betting, the action begins with the player to the left of the dealer "button".) 4) Another card is dealt face-up (known as the "The Turn" or "Fourth Street"). This is the third betting round. (In Omaha High and Omaha 8 or Better games, the size of the bet doubles on this round of betting.) 5) The final card is dealt face-up (known as "The River" or "Fifth Street"). This is the final round of betting. 6) Upon the completion of betting, the best hand(s) wins the pot. Note: The Blinds are determined by the size of the game.
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Omaha 8 or Better
Omaha 8 or Better is the High/Low version of Omaha. It is a "split pot" game. Over the past few years, Omaha 8 or Better has been the fastest growing poker game in the world. Players love it because it is an action game. There is no qualifying on the "High" side - the best high hand automatically wins half the pot and could win the whole pot. (Click to see the Rank of Hands.) To win the "Low" side of the pot, however, you must qualify (which is why the game is named Omaha "8 or Better"). To qualify for Low: It takes a five-card hand with different numerical values from Ace through eight (with the Ace being the lowest) to qualify for the "Low" half of the pot. The best "Low" hand is A, 2, 3, 4, 5 (also known as the "wheel" or "bicycle"). The winning "Low" hand goes to the player with the lowest high card. For example, a player with a 2,4,5,6,7 would have a better "Low" hand than someone with an A,2,4,6,8. If two or more players have the same high card, the player with the second lowest card (or third, fourth, or fifth if necessary) in their hand wins the pot. Important: 1) Straights and flushes do NOT count against you when qualifying for "Low". 2) You are permitted to use different cards in your hand for the "High" side and different cards for the "Low" side or the same cards for both the "High" and "Low" sides. In a split pot, any leftover odd chip goes to the "High" side of the pot. Ties: In case two or more players "tie" for one side of the pot, they will split that half into equally divided portions. If there is an odd chip(s), it will go to the person(s) closest to the left of the "button". One player winning the "High" side and two players who tie for the "Low" side is not uncommon in Omaha 8 or Better. Key to Remember: To determine your hand(s) in Omaha 8 or Better, you MUST play two of your four "down" cards with three of the "up" cards (community cards). You may play different cards for the "High" and "Low" sides. A player "scoops" the pot when they win the whole pot. (This is your mission.)
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Seven Card Stud
In Seven Card Stud, players receive seven cards, three "down" cards and four "up" cards. Your "hand" is determined by using the best five of seven cards and the best hand wins the pot. Click here to see the Rank of Hands. (The pot may also be won by someone betting and no one calling prior to getting seven cards.) There are five betting rounds in Seven Card Stud. One bet and three raises are allowed on each betting round. To continue to play, players must call all action to them on each "Street" or betting round. Here is the procedure for Seven Card Stud: 1) Everyone "antes" (puts a predetermined amount in the pot before the cards are dealt). 2) Each player is dealt three cards (two "down" cards and one "up" card). This "up" card is also known as the "door card" or "Third Street". 3) The lowest "up" card must initiate the action with a "Bring-In" bet. (If two or more players have the same lowest card, the person who brings it in is determined by suit order progressing from clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades). "Third Street" is the first round of betting. Please note: If you are the low card and are "timed out" (do not act in your allotted amount of time), you will be forced to bring it in for the minimum and WILL BE FOLDED automatically on your next action (whether it be 3rd street or 4th street and whether or not you get back to the table in time to act). 4) Another card is dealt face-up. This is "Fourth Street" (the second round of betting). From "Fourth Street" on, the highest hand showing begins the action by checking or betting. (If a pair is showing on "Fourth Street", players have the option to make a single or double bet.If you wish to raise and your opponent makes a single bet, you may raise a single or double bet. If your opponent makes a double bet and you wish to raise, you may only raise an equal amount.) 5) Another card is dealt face-up. This is called "Fifth Street" (the third round of betting - which doubles - and continues at this amount for the remaining betting rounds ). 6) Another card is dealt face-up. This is "Sixth Street" (fourth betting round). 7) The final card is dealt down. The last card is also known as the "River Card" or "Seventh Street" (final round of betting). 8) Upon completion of the final round of betting, the best hand wins the pot. Note: The antes, bring-ins, and betting limits are determined by the size of the game.
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7 Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better
Stud 8 or Better is the High/Low version of Seven Card Stud. It is a "split-pot" game. There is no qualifying on the "High" side - the best hand automatically wins half the pot and could win the whole pot. (Click here to see the Ranking of Hands.) To win the "Low" side, however, you have to qualify (which is why the game is called Seven Card Stud "8 or Better"). The game is played with exactly the same format and structure as Seven Card Stud. The difference is that if someone qualifies for "Low", the pot is split. To qualify for Low: It takes a five-card hand with different numerical values from Ace through eight (with the Ace being the lowest value) to qualify for the "Low" half of the pot. The best "Low" hand is A,2,3,4,5 (also known as the "wheel" or "bicycle"). The winning "Low" hand is the one with the lowest high card in it. If two or more players qualify for "Low" but have the same high card, the second lowest high card (and if necessary progressing down to the third, fourth, or fifth lowest card) would be the winning hand. For example, a 2,3,4,6,8 would be a better "Low" hand than an A,2,4,7,8. Important: 1) Straights and flushes do NOT count against you on the "Low" side. 2) You may use any combination of cards for the "High" hand or the "Low" hand or you may use the same cards for both the "High" and "Low" sides. 3) In a split pot, any leftover odd chip goes to the "High" hand. (In the vast majority of games, this will be a .00 chip.) If two or more players tie for the "High" side of the pot and there is an odd chip, the player with the highest card in their hand is awarded the odd chip. (If they have the same high valued card, the suit takes preference going from Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs.) If two or more players "tie" for the "Low" side of the pot and there is an odd chip, that chip is awarded to the player with the lowest card in their hand. (If they have the same lowest card, the suit takes preference in the order of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades.) 4) When a player "scoops" a pot, they win the whole pot. (This is your mission.)
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