POKER RULES FOR DUMMIES

Learning poker is like learning BOSMASS. It has many rules, there is an order in which these rules apply and it is confusing in the beginning but once you get a hold of it, you know them like the back of your hand. Luckily, unlike this 7^th standard Math rule, we can escape knowing this game altogether and live a life poker free having only Lady Gaga remind us of it. But for those already in the poker world, you know what the rest are missing. This is coming from someone who has recently discovered the treasures of this game. It is fun, it is easy and with Diwali just around the corner, it kindof is a must in everyone’s to-learn-list.

So, all the poker dummies, gather your cigars and put on the jazz music because the rules of poker are about to be laid.

To start from the basics, a poker game is generally played with a single deck of cards. A deck has 52 cards. There are 4 suit- Spades♠, Clubs♣, Hearts♥ Diamonds♦ and unlike a few other games, all the suits here hold equal value i.e ♦=♥=♣=♠. The value depends upon the number of the card you have. Ace holds the highest value, followed by King, Queen, Jack (these three are the face cards, well because they have a face, obviously), then from 10 to 2 the values hold in the same order.

Now coming to the basic rules of wining in Poker according to the cards you get. You are dealt with 5 cards and that is called your hand. Pick up your cards and arrange them according to the value. The following are the combinations that you are looking for, they hold priority in this order itself:

1.  ROYAL FLUSH
2.  STAIGHT FLUSH
3. FOUR OF A KIND
4. FULL HOUSE
5. FLUSH
6. STRAIGHT
7. THREE OF A KIND
8. TWO PAIR
9. ONE PAIR
10. HIGH CARD

The first bet that everyone put in, is called the ANTE and all the money that is put in is called the POT. FOLD is giving up, you have no hopes and you fold in your cards. These will the basic terminology in the long list of Poker lingo that you’d need for starters. 

Now let’s learn what each of the above combinations mean.

1.     

•  ROYAL FLUSH: If you get this in your first game, it is God’s indication that you are gifted and poker is now your livelihood or beginners luck, any which way, I am jealous.Royal flush basically means getting A K Q J 10 in your hand. It is not easy to get a royal flush in a game. 
•   STRAIGHT FLUSH: It again is getting cards in an order but it has nothing royal about it. Cards 5-6-7-8-9 of the same suit would be a straight flush. In case two players have a straight flush, the hand with the highest value card wins. FOUR OF A KIND: As the name suggests, whoever gets four of the same card, wins. If two players get four of a kind, the hand with the higher value of the combination, wins.
•  FULL HOUSE: This one is actually quite similar to the hit 80’s show, Full house where there are two sets of same cards. In a full house, a hand consists of a three of a kind along with a pair. For example, one may have three 5s and two aces, so you say you have 5s full of aces. If two or more players have a full house, the hand with the highest value of three of a kind wins.
•   FLUSH: This one is the peasant flush, where you have inconsequent cards but of the same suit. Again, if two or more players have a flush, the hand with the highest value card wins.
•  STRAIGHT: Straight is the opposite of flush. Here, the player has cards in an order but they are of different suits. In case there are more than one straight hands, the player with the highest value card wins.
• THREE OF A KIND: Having three same value cards wins, the other two cards are of different values. In case of more than one three of a kind in a game, the one with the highest value of the trip wins.
• TWO PAIR: If a player has two pairs of same cards, that hand wins. For example, if a player has two 10s and two 7s, he/she wins. Now if two or more hands have two pairs, the pair with the highest value wins.
• ONE PAIR: Just having a single pair in the hand means one pair. Again, if two or more players have one pair, the highest value pair wins. In case both the pairs are same, the hand with the highest value card wins.
•  HIGH CARD: So no one practically knows how to play the game or you are just want a single round, you play the high card. As the name suggests, the hand with highest value card wins. If the highest value card is the same, subsequent cards are checked.

The above list would be the first thing you need to know before starting a poker game. You can easily buy a deck od cards and some chips online for your upcoming Diwali party and till then, brush up your poker skills online. May the odds be in your favour.