For you to lear how to play first you must know:
|
Poker hands
The winnner of every hand is the one that has the best card combination using any of the cards he has in his pocket and the ones in the table. These last are the "comunity" cards. The combinations are shown here (rack of hands), from the best hand to the worst. Every possible combination is illustrated with its example, here you have the used abbreviations: C- Clover, D - Diamonds, H - Hearts, S - Spade, J - Jack, Q - Queen, K - King, A - Ace. |
| |
|
Royal Flush
refers to 10-J-Q-K-A of the same suit. It's nothing but the best straight flush.
Example: 10S, JS, QS, KS, AS |
 |
Straight Flush
refers to five cards of the same sequential order of the same suit
Example: 7D, 8D, 9D, 10D, JD |
 |
Poker (Four of a Kind)
refers to four cards of the same numerical value and any other card.
Example: JC, JD, JH, JS |
 |
Full House
refers to three cards of the same numerical value and a pair
Example: QH, QS, KD, KC, KH |
 |
Color
refers to 5 cards of the same suit. When two of these hands are in play, the winner is the one that has the highest card.
Example/i>: AS, 5S, 7S, 9S, JS |
 |
Flush
refers to five cards in non-sequential order of the same suit. When more than a flush are in play the hand with the highest card wins. An Ace can be used as high or low, but not so in the same hand.
Example: 8, 9, 10, J, Q; el palo es irrelevante. |
 |
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank.
Example: KH, KD, KC |
 |
Two Pair
two cards of one rank and another two cards of another rank. When there's more than a hand with two pair, the one with the highest card outside the pairs wins.
Example: JC, JH, QS, QD |
 |
Pair
two cards of the same rank. When there's more than a hand with a pair, the one that has the highest wins. When more than a hand has a pair of the same rank, the one with the highest outside the pair wins.
Example: 10C, 10S |
 |
High card
When there are no combinations, the hand with the highest card(s) wins.
|
Poker Games
We have 3 poker games at Nostrumpoker:
All of these are games where 2 to 10 players can play (and there's also a virtual dealer) using a 52 card deck. In the table there's a called "pot" that is formed by all the bets that the players make along the game. The best hand is the one that gets the pot.
All these games have some kind of similarity in their basic concept, but not in their strategies that are typical and unique. We offer you this 3 different versions so every player can pick its favorite. First, we will describe the Texas Hold'em rules and after we could look at Omaha and Omaha Hi-lo since they have some basics inspired in this game.
Texas Hold'em
From 2 to 10 players are seated at the table (plus the virtual dealer). If you picked the lateral view mode, you will see avatars that represent the players. In front of every one there's a button with the letter "D" on it. This is the dealer button. This button will move one position from right to left before every round starts. This button marks the sequence in wich every player must take turns to act as a dealer and deliver cards. In our poker room there is a virtual dealer (it can be seen in the lateral view mode), he delivers the cards (he's seated in the middle of the table at the left side, behind the big chips box). This virtual dealer does not participate in the game in any way, he just delivers cards.
Play order
This is how the game develops (the example shown is for Limit poker):
Blinds
First of all, the 2 players seated at the left of the dealer button (not the virtual dealer of course!) must bet "blinds". The objective of these bets is to gather some poker chips before getting cards and it's a permanent way in which every winning hand gets money. As we said before, the dealer button moves in every round so every player bets this "blind" at some moment in the game. The first player at the left of the dealer button will put the "small blind" that is equal to the minimun quantity in play chopped in half (example: $2.5 in a $5/$10 game ). The player that follows to the left of the "small blind" is the one designated to put the "big blind" equivalent to the minimum quantity in play (example $5 in a $5/$10 game).
Pocket Cards
After the blinds are on the table, the first cards are delivered. Every player gets 2 cards face-down. These cards are called "Pocket Cards".
First betting round
The player immediatly at the left of the "big blind" is the first to bet (if he wishes to)and the turn moves in a clock wise fashion around the table. Every player can fold (throw their cards), call the bet (match the bet) or raise that bet. If you want to raise be sure that the new bet is not bigger than the minimum quantity in play ($5 in a $5/$10 game). This bet will be explained in more detail later on.
The flop card
Now, 3 new cards are delivered face-up in the middle of the table. These are called "flop cards" and are the "community" cards that can be used by all players to get the best hand.
Second betting round
And now is time for the second betting round to take place. This is the same as the first round.
The "turn" card
After the second betting round has passed, a fourth community card is delivered face-up in the middle of the table. This one is called "Turn card". And it's followed by a third betting round.
Third betting round
This round takes place the same way the first and second, just one exception: For you to raise the bet you must only bet the highest quantity in play ($10 in a $5/$10 game).
The River card
Finally, a fifth community card goes to the middle of the table. It's called "river card"and is followed up by a fourth and last betting round.
Fourth betting round
This last betting round is exactly the same as the third.
Showdown
After the final betting round is over, players must have formed their hands. Both the pocket cards and the community cards can be used to form a hand. The player with the best poker hand obtained with 5 cards at the "showdown" will win the pot . The players can also split the pot if they have the same hand. In the far-to-happen- case that the best hand is only formed by community cards, the pot is divided among all players that were still playing at the moment of the showdown. If you see yourself loosing and don't wish to show your cards, you can "muck" wich means that you play no more and lose the pot. On the contrary, you can show your hand to see if it's the winner.
A new beginning
After the round is completed and the winner got the pot, the dealer button is moved to the left and a new hand begins.
Betting System
The player in the big blind starts the betting round, and the turn moves in a clock wise fashion. Every player bets accordingly to the potencial he/she thought his (her) hand may have.
Fold
If you don't like your cards, you can easily fold them and stay out of that hand. If you have placed a blind bet, a regular bet or made a raise you will lose that money. But not more. After you withdraw you will be out of that hand until the next round.
Check/Call
You can stay in the game checking or calling. If there are no bets before your turn, you can pass without putting money in the pot. If a bet have been made, you can equal it putting the same quantity in the pot.
Bet/Raise/Re-raise
If you think your hand is good enough you then may want to bet. If another player have bet before you, you can raise that bet. The quantities are fixed by the name of the poker table. For example, in a $5/$10 table, The bets in the first 2 betting rounds are $5 and in the last 2 rounds are $10. In a round a bet can be made, and then raise it 3 times(bet, raise, re-raise). After the bet has been raised 3 times, the betting round is closed and the next card is delivered (or if it's the case that we are in the final round, the best card is picked).
All-in (all the chips to the pot)
When the player is out of chips during a hand, he doesn't need to withdraw and fold cards. On the contrary, the player can choose to put the chips in the pot (all in). When you go all in you are giving away all your chips and the pot is divided into the main pot and the side pot. At the the showdown if the "all in" player doesn't have a winning hand, both the main pot and the lateral pot go to the best hand holder, like usual. On the other hand, if in the showdown the "all in" player does have a winning hand, he/she gets the main pot and the side pot goes to the second best hand holder. When many players go "all in", multiple side pots are formed. The pots are reparted depending on the best hand and the order that the players went "all in". If the player with the best hand was not all in when the showdown comes he/she will win all the pots, side and main. If an "all in" player has the best hand he/she will win the pot or pots that were gathered until the moment he/she went allin. Any all in player with a winning hand can only win the pot or pots on wich he/she participated.
A betting round will follow up until all the players have folded or the third bet called by all players (except the player that bet in the first place), no raising though.
Omaha
Omaha poker follows the same rules as Texas Hold'em poker, but with 2 exceptions
|
