High card (aka a big fat nothing) One pair Two pair Three of a kind Straight Flush Full house Four of a Kind Straight Flush Royal Flush Five of a kind (if playing with a wild card)
The dealer deals everyone 5 cards Initial bets are placed Players request new cards, throwing away a portion of their old cards, forming the best hand possible Another round of bets takes place Players still standing show their cards The player with the best hand takes the pot
In blind games, the person to the left of the dealer is the “small blind. " They put up a bet (usually incredibly small and always half of the big blind) before any hands are dealt. The person to left of the small blind is the “big blind” – they, too, put in a bet before any hands are dealt, though their bet is twice the small blind. Anyone who wants to play the round (after the hands are dealt) has to match the big blind to play. In ante games, everyone has to put a predetermined amount into the pot in order to be dealt any cards. It discourages folding, at least initially.
Checking is basically betting 0. If no bets have been placed, you can check. But the second someone places a bet, you then must call, raise, or fold. Calling is when you match the bet that’s on the table. If everyone has put 10 cents into the pot to play, you put 10 cents into the pot to play. “Raising” is when you increase the amount of money in the pot. If the player to your left put in 10 cents and you put in 15, you have raised the bet 5. Players must then match your bet (call) to stay in play. Folding is when you want out. You throw your cards face down on the table and you’re finished for that round, no money won, some lost.
Some play deuces wild (2s), while others will take the first card off the deck (after the deal) and play with the remaining three as wild. Still others play with the one-eyed Jack or or a joker inserted into the deck (playing with 53 cards). If you do play with a wild card, decide if there are any restrictions on it; this is known as a “bug. " A joker inserted into the deck may only be able to represent an Ace or to finish a straight or flush; it cannot be any random number a player picks.
No limit. Pretty self-explanatory. Limit. You decide what the minimum and maximum bets are – and these can be different in the initial and second betting rounds. Pot limit. No bet may be greater than what’s already in the pot.
In this variation, generally Aces switch to low (normally, they’re high) and straights and flushes don’t count. So the worst possible hand you could have would be A-2-3-4-5. [1] X Research source You have no pairs and 5 is your highest card. Womp womp.
If they don’t, show them this page and put them in the corner for 5 minutes. Or let them play cluelessly and take their money before they even realize it!
It’s a good idea to have denominations of 50, 25, 10, 5, and 1, though ultimately it’s up to you. Do you wanna bet $1000 at a time? Go ahead – just make sure everyone has the chump change to back it up. And if you are making sure everyone fulfills their bets, state explicitly that 1 is 1 cent or 1 dollar! That makes a bit of a difference.
If you do choose blind, be sure to rotate it with each round. The dealer, small blind, and big blind should move one space to the left with each deal. So the small blind becomes the dealer, the big blind becomes the small blind, and the next guy to the left becomes the big blind. Capisce?
Who’s the dealer? Good question. You could either do it voluntarily, by age, or by a simple, quick who’s-got-the-highest-card before play begins.
Let’s say there’s players A, B, C, and D. Player A (the one to the left of the dealer) checks. B could check (betting 0), but he bets 5. C then has to either bet 5 (or more), or fold; he folds. D then calls, also betting 5. It comes back to A – he never put any money in – who has to call, raise, or fold. He calls.
In some variations, only 3 cards can be tossed away. In some 4, if you have an ace. And in others, all 5 can be thrown in. It’s up to you and your friends which variant you want to play.
If you recall, C has folded and everyone else is in. A puts in 5, B puts in 5, and D puts in 10. A folds, and B “sees” his 10 (putting in 5 more) and raises 15 (20 in total). D calls, putting in 15 more.
The second player can choose to never turn his face cards up if he admits defeat verbally. This can add an element of mystery and strategy – was he just bluffing the entire time? No one will know.
Really, just don’t reveal anything you don’t have to. This game is just as much about psychology as it is about luck and strategy! Which brings up the next point.
It’s best to just not be ruffled by anything. If you have a good hand, so be it. If you have a bad hand, so be it. If you have an incredibly mediocre hand, so be it. There’s no room for feelings in poker, kid.
The betting is pretty straight-foward. Sometimes bet when you have a terrible hand, sometimes don’t. Sometimes do outrageous raises, sometimes fold all too easily. Sometimes raise when you can call, sometimes call when you probably should’ve raised, etc. There’s infinite possibilities. The number of cards you draw is actually pretty telling. If you draw one, your opponents probably think you have two pair or you’re gunning for a flush or a straight. So even if you’d think about drawing two, this could be a strategy. Or vice versa!
In general, be quiet when you’re out. If you’ve folded, you have no business getting in on the mix. Just watch, have fun observing, and let the hand play out. You’ll learn more from watching than you will any other way. Don’t splash into the pot. If you’re making a big bet, don’t throw your money into the pot; it becomes much, much harder to count that way. Instead, put it in in stacks of 5 or 10. It keeps things clean and simple. Be a gracious winner and loser. Attitudes can easily ruin this game, so don’t do it. If you mopped the floor with them, don’t rub it in their faces. And if you were the mop, kindly demand a rematch. Same time next week?
