The history of Poker is thought to have evolved over more than ten centuries from various games, all involving the basic principals of ranked card or domino combinations and the use of ‘bluffing’ to deceive opponents.
One popular belief is that a game similar to poker was first invented by the Chinese sometime before 969 A.D, when The Emperor Mu-tsung is reported to have played "domino cards" with his wife on new years eve.
Egyptians in the 12th & 13th centuries are known to have used a form of playing cards, and in 16th century Persia “Ganjifa” or “Treasure Cards” were used for a variety of betting games. A Ganjifa deck consisted of 96 elaborate cards, often made of paper thin slices of ivory or precious wood. The Persians played “As Nas” which utilized 25 cards, rounds of betting and hierarchical hand rankings.
A French game named “Poque” and a German game named “Pochen” became very popular in the 17 & 18th centuries, both developed from the 16th century Spanish game called “Primero” which involved three cards being dealt to each player. Bluffing, or betting high stakes whilst holding poor cards to deceive opponents, was an integral part of the game. Primero dates back to 1526 and is often referred to as “poker’s mother” as it is the first confirmed version of a game directly related to modern day poker.
French colonials imported the game to the new world when they arrived in Canada. Their beloved poque was the national card game of France and from the beginning of the 18th century, when a hardy group of French-Canadian settlers founded New Orleans, it spread from the state of Louisiana up the Mississippi river and then throughout the whole country.
In 1834, Jonathan H. Green made one of the earliest written references to poker when in his writing he mentions rules to the "cheating game," being played on Mississippi riverboats. The Cheating Game" quickly began to supplant the popular cardsharp game of 3-card monte on the gambling circuit. Gamers embraced the new game as it was perceived as a more challenging and 'honest' gamble than the notoriously rigged 3-card game. Green took more than a passing interest in the new game and took it upon himself to formally name and document the 'Cheating Game' in his book 'An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling': Poker was born.
During the Wild West period of United States history, a saloon with a Poker table could be found in just about every town from coast to coast. It was extremely popular during the Civil War when the soldiers of both armies played. European influence of poker ended when the joker was introduced as a wild card in 1875.
In just over two centuries, poker has never looked back. Since its humble beginning on the banks of the Mississippi, the popularity of this widely played game has grown in leaps and bounds to evolve numerous variations and sub-variations.
There have been three games that have, in turn, dominated the modern poker scene:
5 Card Draw rose from relative obscurity during the American Civil War to the most popular game for almost a century.
Nevada made it a felony to run a betting game. However the Attorney General of California declared that draw poker was based upon skill and therefore the anti-gambling laws could not stop it. But stud poker was still deemed illegal as it was based solely on chance. With this decision, draw poker games developed and grew. This caused Nevada to reverse itself in 1931 and legalize casino gambling.
7 Card Stud then took over the throne shortly before WWII and maintained its position for about 40 years with the help of the new and thriving Las Vegas casino industry.
Texas Hold’em, christened the ‘cadillac of poker’ rose to promienence in the 1970's when it was featured as the title game in the World Series of Poker. Today, Texas Hold’em is indisputably the most frequently played and most popular poker game in the world, played in casinos and on home game tables the world over.
Other variations such as Omaha, Stud Poker, Manila, Draw Poker and Razz are also popular, but nothing can compete with the thrill of No Limit Texas Hold’em.
No Limit Texas Hold’em played at The World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour have been captivating American television audiences to the point that there are now made for TV events such as the National Heads Up Poker Championship and the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions being filmed especially for TV and shown in prime time.
Poker looks like it is here to stay and it’s popularity has never been as widespread nor growing as quickly as it is right now. With the wealth of poker information available online, and the relative ease of logging on and playing with other poker players from around the world, there is no time like the present to join the poker craze.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Winning Poker Hands, Texas Hold'em Poker Hand Ranks
When playing poker, sometimes the most frustrating part of the game is figuring out which hand outranks another at the poker table. Poker.com has placed the ranking of poker hands in a easy to read layout that is suitable for printing so that you are never wondering who is the winner of any poker hand at the table. We have included an illustrated example of each hand. The list is in order from strongest to weakest.
Royal Flush:Five card sequence from 10 to the Ace in the same suit (10,J,Q,K,A).
Straight Flush:Any five card sequence in the same suit. (eg. 8,9,10,J,Q and A, 2,3,4,5 of same suit). All the cards are of the same suit, and all are consecutive. Ranking between straights is determined by the value of the high end of the straight.
Four of a Kind: All four cards of the same index (eg. J,J,J,J).
Full House:Three of a kind combined with a pair (eg. A,A,A,5,5). Ties on a full house are broken by the three of a kind, as you cannot have two equal sets of three of a kind in any single deck.
Flush:Any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence. Don't be tricked into thinking that all five cards are the same color. The high card determines the winner if two or more people have a flush.
Straight:Five cards in sequence, but not in the same suit. A straight cannot wrap, meaning it is not a straight if you have a Queen, King, Ace, Two, Three. The higher straight wins if two or more people have a straight. In case of straights that tie, the pot is split.
Three of a Kind:Three cards of the same value. The highest set of three cards wins.
Two Pair:Two seperate pairs (eg. 4,4,Q,Q). As usual the pair with the higher value is used to determine the winner of a tie.
Pair:One pair of two equal value cards constitutes a pair.
High Card:If no one has any of the above winning hands, the tie is determined by the highest value card in the hand. If the highest cards are a tie then the tie is broken by the second highest card. Suits are not used to break ties.
Royal Flush:Five card sequence from 10 to the Ace in the same suit (10,J,Q,K,A).
Straight Flush:Any five card sequence in the same suit. (eg. 8,9,10,J,Q and A, 2,3,4,5 of same suit). All the cards are of the same suit, and all are consecutive. Ranking between straights is determined by the value of the high end of the straight.
Four of a Kind: All four cards of the same index (eg. J,J,J,J).
Full House:Three of a kind combined with a pair (eg. A,A,A,5,5). Ties on a full house are broken by the three of a kind, as you cannot have two equal sets of three of a kind in any single deck.
Flush:Any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence. Don't be tricked into thinking that all five cards are the same color. The high card determines the winner if two or more people have a flush.
Straight:Five cards in sequence, but not in the same suit. A straight cannot wrap, meaning it is not a straight if you have a Queen, King, Ace, Two, Three. The higher straight wins if two or more people have a straight. In case of straights that tie, the pot is split.
Three of a Kind:Three cards of the same value. The highest set of three cards wins.
Two Pair:Two seperate pairs (eg. 4,4,Q,Q). As usual the pair with the higher value is used to determine the winner of a tie.
Pair:One pair of two equal value cards constitutes a pair.
High Card:If no one has any of the above winning hands, the tie is determined by the highest value card in the hand. If the highest cards are a tie then the tie is broken by the second highest card. Suits are not used to break ties.
Poker Tournaments
PokerStars is excited to host the best multi-table online poker tournaments and satellites anywhere on the Internet! Tournaments are elimination games that are normally played until one player has all the chips. Prizes are distributed based on the number of entrants.
For basic information about playing in our online poker tournaments, see about poker tournaments.
Before registering in one of our poker tournaments, please take a moment to look over our poker tournament rules.
Playing in a PokerStars Tournament
To play in a poker tournament, select the "Tourney", "Sit & Go", or "Events" tab from the main PokerStars lobby. If you select any tournament in this tab, you will see information about this tournament in the information box at the right. Under the State column, look for a tournament which has a state of "Registering".
You will find the details of each poker tournament game, such as game type (Texas Holdem, Omaha, Stud), structure (limit, no limit, pot limit), and buy-in are listed beside the state column. Double-click on a tournament in "Registering" state or click on the "Tournament Lobby" button and this opens the tournament lobby. Click the "Register" button, and log in if you have not already done so. The software will confirm your registration. You will be taken to your seat automatically shortly before the tournament begins. Check the tournament lobby screen for registration and seat times.
Tournament Lobby at PokerStars
Note that for all tournaments and multi-table satellites, players are all assigned random table seats when tournament play begins. As is customary in poker tournaments, seat changes are not allowed. The button in Hold'em and Omaha tournaments will be assigned to Seat 1.
As in a regular poker game, when it is your turn to act, you may check, bet, raise, call or fold (where applicable). You will notice another button called "Time Bank" when it is your turn to act, shown after you receive a time warning in the chat window. The Time Bank allows players extra time to decide on a course of action during a tournament, and will slowly deplete as it is used throughout the tournament.
Another way in which the PokerStars tournament interface varies from the ring-game interface is the "Info" tab on the chat box. This tab gives your current position in the tournament, as well as the highest, lowest, and average stacks for remaining players. The Info tab also tells you how much time is left in your Time Bank. The "Stats" tab provides statistical information about your play during the current poker tournament.
Tournament Lobby Screen
At any point during the tournament, players can check the tournament lobby screen for information about the current progress of the tournament. The lobby will show the current limit level for the tournament, information about players' stack sizes, and the breakdown of the prize pool. A good poker tournament tip is to check the lobby fairly often, to keep an eye on your progress.
The tournament lobby also lists all players, and double-clicking on any player's User ID (nickname), or clicking on the "Player info" button, will give you current tournament information for that player.
After the tournament, the winners will receive an e-mail providing comprehensive information about the tournament. Anyone can request a tournament history at any time after the tournament conclusion by going to the main lobby and selecting "Tournament History" from the "Requests" menu. Final information for each completed tournament will remain in the lobby for a few hours after the tournament conclusion.
Specific prize money breakdown will be shown after the registration is closed.
Viewing a Poker Tournament or Table in Play
A player in a poker tournament can observe any other table by double-clicking on that table in the tournament lobby's table list, or clicking the "Observe Table" button. Players who are not participants may also observe any table of a tournament.
Poker Tournament Dollars (T$) - PokerStars Exclusive
As the world's largest online poker site, PokerStars is proud to offer a unique Tournament Dollar system. When you qualify to any event through a satellite (excluding the W$ events discussed below), you have the option to unregister from the target event and receive Tournament Dollars (T$). T$ can be used to register in any PokerStars tournament or combination of tournaments, including Sit & Gos, special events, and satellites. If you win multiple seats to the same target event, the value of these seats will be automatically credited to your T$ account. T$ differ from real money, because they cannot be used in ring games - only for buying into tournaments.
To check your T$ balance at anytime, please visit the cashier window through the lobby.
W Dollars (W$)
In addition to Tournament Dollars, we also offer special W$. W$ can be used to register into any qualifying special PokerStars event.
Special poker events include:
PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA)
European Poker Tour (EPT)
PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP)
World Series of Poker (*WSOP)****
Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APPT)
When you win a seat in one of the W$ special events, for example a seat in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure event in the Bahamas, you will be required to play the event and will not be allowed to unregister. If you win multiple seats in the same event, the value of these seats will be automatically credited to your W$ account. If you win a seat to a satellite for a W$ special event, you have the option to unregister from the satellite and receive W$. W$ can be used to register in any W$ special event.
To check your W$ balance at anytime, please visit the cashier window through the lobby.
Note: In some cases it may not be possible to unregister from a tournament yourself. In that case, you may email PokerStars support at support@pokerstars.com to have us unregister on your behalf. Be sure to write from the email address listed on your PokerStars account, including your User ID, and the tournament number you wish to be unregistered from.
PokerStars is the Internet's largest poker room, and hosts more tournaments than any other site. We invite you to download our free poker software and see for yourself the large selection of online tournaments we have to offer. In our poker room. Whether you are looking to play small games or enter big events such as the World Poker Tour or *World Series of Poker, PokerStars has something for you.
* World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah’s does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with, PokerStars or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.
** Tournament Dollars can be used to register into regular and special events; W$ can only be used for special events.
*** Any tournament data provided on this page is for information only. The most up to date tournament structures and start times can always be found in the PokerStars software, in the appropriate tournament lobby
For basic information about playing in our online poker tournaments, see about poker tournaments.
Before registering in one of our poker tournaments, please take a moment to look over our poker tournament rules.
Playing in a PokerStars Tournament
To play in a poker tournament, select the "Tourney", "Sit & Go", or "Events" tab from the main PokerStars lobby. If you select any tournament in this tab, you will see information about this tournament in the information box at the right. Under the State column, look for a tournament which has a state of "Registering".
You will find the details of each poker tournament game, such as game type (Texas Holdem, Omaha, Stud), structure (limit, no limit, pot limit), and buy-in are listed beside the state column. Double-click on a tournament in "Registering" state or click on the "Tournament Lobby" button and this opens the tournament lobby. Click the "Register" button, and log in if you have not already done so. The software will confirm your registration. You will be taken to your seat automatically shortly before the tournament begins. Check the tournament lobby screen for registration and seat times.
Tournament Lobby at PokerStars
Note that for all tournaments and multi-table satellites, players are all assigned random table seats when tournament play begins. As is customary in poker tournaments, seat changes are not allowed. The button in Hold'em and Omaha tournaments will be assigned to Seat 1.
As in a regular poker game, when it is your turn to act, you may check, bet, raise, call or fold (where applicable). You will notice another button called "Time Bank" when it is your turn to act, shown after you receive a time warning in the chat window. The Time Bank allows players extra time to decide on a course of action during a tournament, and will slowly deplete as it is used throughout the tournament.
Another way in which the PokerStars tournament interface varies from the ring-game interface is the "Info" tab on the chat box. This tab gives your current position in the tournament, as well as the highest, lowest, and average stacks for remaining players. The Info tab also tells you how much time is left in your Time Bank. The "Stats" tab provides statistical information about your play during the current poker tournament.
Tournament Lobby Screen
At any point during the tournament, players can check the tournament lobby screen for information about the current progress of the tournament. The lobby will show the current limit level for the tournament, information about players' stack sizes, and the breakdown of the prize pool. A good poker tournament tip is to check the lobby fairly often, to keep an eye on your progress.
The tournament lobby also lists all players, and double-clicking on any player's User ID (nickname), or clicking on the "Player info" button, will give you current tournament information for that player.
After the tournament, the winners will receive an e-mail providing comprehensive information about the tournament. Anyone can request a tournament history at any time after the tournament conclusion by going to the main lobby and selecting "Tournament History" from the "Requests" menu. Final information for each completed tournament will remain in the lobby for a few hours after the tournament conclusion.
Specific prize money breakdown will be shown after the registration is closed.
Viewing a Poker Tournament or Table in Play
A player in a poker tournament can observe any other table by double-clicking on that table in the tournament lobby's table list, or clicking the "Observe Table" button. Players who are not participants may also observe any table of a tournament.
Poker Tournament Dollars (T$) - PokerStars Exclusive
As the world's largest online poker site, PokerStars is proud to offer a unique Tournament Dollar system. When you qualify to any event through a satellite (excluding the W$ events discussed below), you have the option to unregister from the target event and receive Tournament Dollars (T$). T$ can be used to register in any PokerStars tournament or combination of tournaments, including Sit & Gos, special events, and satellites. If you win multiple seats to the same target event, the value of these seats will be automatically credited to your T$ account. T$ differ from real money, because they cannot be used in ring games - only for buying into tournaments.
To check your T$ balance at anytime, please visit the cashier window through the lobby.
W Dollars (W$)
In addition to Tournament Dollars, we also offer special W$. W$ can be used to register into any qualifying special PokerStars event.
Special poker events include:
PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA)
European Poker Tour (EPT)
PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP)
World Series of Poker (*WSOP)****
Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APPT)
When you win a seat in one of the W$ special events, for example a seat in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure event in the Bahamas, you will be required to play the event and will not be allowed to unregister. If you win multiple seats in the same event, the value of these seats will be automatically credited to your W$ account. If you win a seat to a satellite for a W$ special event, you have the option to unregister from the satellite and receive W$. W$ can be used to register in any W$ special event.
To check your W$ balance at anytime, please visit the cashier window through the lobby.
Note: In some cases it may not be possible to unregister from a tournament yourself. In that case, you may email PokerStars support at support@pokerstars.com to have us unregister on your behalf. Be sure to write from the email address listed on your PokerStars account, including your User ID, and the tournament number you wish to be unregistered from.
PokerStars is the Internet's largest poker room, and hosts more tournaments than any other site. We invite you to download our free poker software and see for yourself the large selection of online tournaments we have to offer. In our poker room. Whether you are looking to play small games or enter big events such as the World Poker Tour or *World Series of Poker, PokerStars has something for you.
* World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah’s does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with, PokerStars or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.
** Tournament Dollars can be used to register into regular and special events; W$ can only be used for special events.
*** Any tournament data provided on this page is for information only. The most up to date tournament structures and start times can always be found in the PokerStars software, in the appropriate tournament lobby
POKER
Poker is a type of card game in which players bet on the value of the card combination ("hand") in their possession, by placing a bet into a central pot. The winner is the one who holds the hand with the highest value according to an established hand rankings hierarchy, or otherwise the player who remains in the hand after all others have folded (the player who makes an un-called bet).
Contents[hide]
1 Variations
2 Game play
3 History
4 See also
5 Notes
6 External links
//
[edit] Variations
Poker has many variations, all following a similar pattern of play and using the same hand ranking hierarchy. There are three main families of variants, largely grouped by the protocol of card-dealing and betting:
"Straight" - A complete hand is dealt to each player, and players bet in one round, with raising and re-raising allowed. This is the oldest poker family; the root of the game as currently played was a game known as Primero, which evolved into the game Three-card brag (very popular in Britain around the time of the Revolutionary War). "Straight" hands of five cards are sometimes used as a final showdown, but poker is currently virtually always played in a more complex form to allow for additional strategy.
Stud - Cards are dealt in a prearranged combination of face-down and face-up rounds or "streets", with a round of betting following each. This is the next-oldest family; as poker progressed from three to five-card hands, they were often dealt one card at a time, either face-down or face-up, with a betting round between each. The most popular stud variant today, 7 card stud, deals two extra cards to each player (three facedown, four faceup) from which they must make the best possible 5-card hand.
Draw - A complete hand is dealt to each player, face-down, and after betting, players are allowed to attempt to change their hand by discarding unwanted cards and being dealt new ones. 5 card draw is the most famous variation in this family.
Community - A variation of Stud, players are dealt an incomplete hand of face-down cards, and then a number of face-up "community" cards are dealt to the center of the table, each of which can be used by one or more of the players to make a 5-card hand. Texas hold-em and Omaha are two well-known variants of the Community family.
Other games that use poker hand rankings may likewise be referred to as "poker". Video poker is a single-player computer game that functions much like a slot machine; most video poker machines play draw poker, where the player bets, a hand is dealt, and the player can discard and replace cards. Payout is dependent on the hand resulting after the draw and the player's initial bet.
Another game with the "Poker" name, but with a vastly different mode of play, is called "Acey-Deucey" or "Red Dog" Poker. This game is more similar to Blackjack in its layout and betting; each player bets against the house, and then is dealt two cards. For the player to win, the third card dealt (after an opportunity to raise the bet) must have a value in between the first two. Payout is based on the odds that this is possible, based on the difference in values of the first two cards.
[edit] Game play
In casual play, the right to deal a hand typically rotates among the players and is marked by a token called a 'dealer' button (or "buck"). In a casino, a house dealer handles the cards for each hand, but the button (typically a white plastic disk) is rotated clockwise among the players to indicate a nominal dealer to determine the order of betting.
One or more players are usually required to make forced bets, usually either an ante or a blind bet (sometimes both). The dealer shuffles the cards, the player one chair to his right cuts, and the dealer deals the appropriate number of cards to the players one at a time. Cards may be dealt either face-up or face-down, depending on the variant of poker being played. After the initial deal, the first of what may be several betting rounds begins. Between rounds, the players' hands develop in some way, often by being dealt additional cards or replacing cards previously dealt. At the end of each round, all bets are gathered into the central pot.
At any time during a betting round, if one player bets and no opponents choose to "call" (match) the bet and instead "fold", the hand ends immediately, the bettor is awarded the pot, no cards are required to be shown, and the next hand begins. This is what makes bluffing possible. Bluffing is a primary feature of poker, one that distinguishes it from other vying games and from other games that make use of poker hand rankings.
At the end of the last betting round, if more than one player remains, there is a showdown, in which the players reveal their previously hidden cards and evaluate their hands. The player with the best hand according to the poker variant being played wins the pot. A poker hand consists of five cards, but in some variants a player has more than five to choose from.
See betting (poker) for detailed rules regarding forced bets, betting actions, limits, stakes, and all-in situations. See List of poker variants and poker hand rankings for order of play and other details for the most common poker variants.
[edit] History
The history of poker is a matter of debate. One of the earliest known games to incorporate betting, hand rankings, and bluffing was the 15th century German game Pochspiel. Poker closely resembles the Persian game of as nas, though there is no specific description of nas prior to 1890.[1][2] In the 1937 edition of Foster's Complete Hoyle, R. F. Foster declared: "the game of poker, as first played in the United States, five cards to each player from a twenty-card pack, is undoubtedly the Persian game of as nas."[3] [4]. By 1990s some gaming historians including David Parlett started to challenge the notion that poker is a direct derivative of As Nas.[5] There is evidence that a game called poque, a French game similar to poker, was played around the region where poker is said to have originated. The name of the game likely descended from the Irish Poca (Pron. Pokah) ('Pocket') or even the French poque, which descended from the German pochen ('to brag as a bluff' lit. 'to knock'[6] ). Yet it is not clear whether the origins of poker itself lie with the games bearing those names. It is commonly regarded as sharing ancestry with the Renaissance game of primero and the French brelan. The English game brag (earlier bragg) clearly descended from brelan and incorporated bluffing (though the concept was known in other games by that time).[7] It is quite possible that all of these earlier games influenced the development of poker as it exists now.
Harry Truman's poker chips
English actor Joseph Crowell reported that the game was played in New Orleans in 1829, with a deck of 20 cards and four players betting on which player's hand was the most valuable. Jonathan H. Green's book, An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (G. B. Zieber, Philadelphia, 1843), described the spread of the game from there to the rest of the country by Mississippi riverboats, on which gambling was a common pastime. As it spread north along the Mississippi River and to the West during the gold rush, it is thought to have become a part of the frontier pioneer ethos.
Soon after this spread, the full 52-card English deck was used and the flush was introduced. During the American Civil War, many additions were made including: draw poker, stud poker (the five-card variant), and the straight. Further American developments followed, such as the wild card (around 1875), lowball and split-pot poker (around 1900), and community card poker games (around 1925). The spread of the game to other countries, particularly in Asia, is often attributed to the U.S. military.
The game and jargon of poker have become important parts of American culture and English culture. Such phrases and clichés as ace in the hole, ace up one's sleeve, beats me, blue chip, call one's bluff, cash in, high roller, pass the buck, poker face, stack up, up the ante, when the chips are down, wild card, and others are used in everyday conversation, even by those unaware of their origins at the poker table.
Poker Room at the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Beginning in 1970 a series of developments lead to poker becoming far more popular than it was previously:
Modern tournament play became popular in American casinos after the World Series of Poker began, in 1970.[8] Notable champions from these early WSOP tournaments include Johnny Moss, Amarillo Slim, Bobby Baldwin, Doyle Brunson, and Puggy Pearson.
Later in the 1970s, the first serious strategy books appeared, notably Super/System by Doyle Brunson (ISBN 1-58042-081-8) and The Book of Tells by Mike Caro (ISBN 0-89746-100-2), followed later by The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky (ISBN 1-880685-00-0).
In 1987, community card poker games were introduced in California, home of the largest poker casinos in the world.[9] These games proved far more exciting to players than the draw poker variants that were played up until that time.
In the 1990s, poker and casino gambling spread across the United States, most notably to Atlantic City, New Jersey.[10]
In 1998, the poker-themed film Rounders starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton was released.[11]
In 1999, Late Night Poker debuted on British television, introducing poker for the first time to many Europeans.[12]
Poker's popularity experienced an unprecedented spike at the beginning of the 21st century, largely because of the introduction of online poker and the invention of the hole-card camera, which turned the game into a spectator sport. Viewers could now follow the action and drama of the game, and broadcasts of poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour brought in huge audiences for cable and satellite TV distributors. Because of the increasing coverage of poker events, poker pros became more like celebrities, with poker fans all over the world entering into expensive tournaments for the chance to play with them. This increased camera exposure also brings a new dimension to the poker professional's game—the realization that their actions may be aired later on TV.
Major poker tournament fields have grown dramatically because of the growing popularity of online satellite-qualifier tournaments where the prize is an entry into a major tournament. The 2003 and 2004 WSOP champions, Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, respectively, won their seats to the main event by winning online satellites.
Contents[hide]
1 Variations
2 Game play
3 History
4 See also
5 Notes
6 External links
//
[edit] Variations
Poker has many variations, all following a similar pattern of play and using the same hand ranking hierarchy. There are three main families of variants, largely grouped by the protocol of card-dealing and betting:
"Straight" - A complete hand is dealt to each player, and players bet in one round, with raising and re-raising allowed. This is the oldest poker family; the root of the game as currently played was a game known as Primero, which evolved into the game Three-card brag (very popular in Britain around the time of the Revolutionary War). "Straight" hands of five cards are sometimes used as a final showdown, but poker is currently virtually always played in a more complex form to allow for additional strategy.
Stud - Cards are dealt in a prearranged combination of face-down and face-up rounds or "streets", with a round of betting following each. This is the next-oldest family; as poker progressed from three to five-card hands, they were often dealt one card at a time, either face-down or face-up, with a betting round between each. The most popular stud variant today, 7 card stud, deals two extra cards to each player (three facedown, four faceup) from which they must make the best possible 5-card hand.
Draw - A complete hand is dealt to each player, face-down, and after betting, players are allowed to attempt to change their hand by discarding unwanted cards and being dealt new ones. 5 card draw is the most famous variation in this family.
Community - A variation of Stud, players are dealt an incomplete hand of face-down cards, and then a number of face-up "community" cards are dealt to the center of the table, each of which can be used by one or more of the players to make a 5-card hand. Texas hold-em and Omaha are two well-known variants of the Community family.
Other games that use poker hand rankings may likewise be referred to as "poker". Video poker is a single-player computer game that functions much like a slot machine; most video poker machines play draw poker, where the player bets, a hand is dealt, and the player can discard and replace cards. Payout is dependent on the hand resulting after the draw and the player's initial bet.
Another game with the "Poker" name, but with a vastly different mode of play, is called "Acey-Deucey" or "Red Dog" Poker. This game is more similar to Blackjack in its layout and betting; each player bets against the house, and then is dealt two cards. For the player to win, the third card dealt (after an opportunity to raise the bet) must have a value in between the first two. Payout is based on the odds that this is possible, based on the difference in values of the first two cards.
[edit] Game play
In casual play, the right to deal a hand typically rotates among the players and is marked by a token called a 'dealer' button (or "buck"). In a casino, a house dealer handles the cards for each hand, but the button (typically a white plastic disk) is rotated clockwise among the players to indicate a nominal dealer to determine the order of betting.
One or more players are usually required to make forced bets, usually either an ante or a blind bet (sometimes both). The dealer shuffles the cards, the player one chair to his right cuts, and the dealer deals the appropriate number of cards to the players one at a time. Cards may be dealt either face-up or face-down, depending on the variant of poker being played. After the initial deal, the first of what may be several betting rounds begins. Between rounds, the players' hands develop in some way, often by being dealt additional cards or replacing cards previously dealt. At the end of each round, all bets are gathered into the central pot.
At any time during a betting round, if one player bets and no opponents choose to "call" (match) the bet and instead "fold", the hand ends immediately, the bettor is awarded the pot, no cards are required to be shown, and the next hand begins. This is what makes bluffing possible. Bluffing is a primary feature of poker, one that distinguishes it from other vying games and from other games that make use of poker hand rankings.
At the end of the last betting round, if more than one player remains, there is a showdown, in which the players reveal their previously hidden cards and evaluate their hands. The player with the best hand according to the poker variant being played wins the pot. A poker hand consists of five cards, but in some variants a player has more than five to choose from.
See betting (poker) for detailed rules regarding forced bets, betting actions, limits, stakes, and all-in situations. See List of poker variants and poker hand rankings for order of play and other details for the most common poker variants.
[edit] History
The history of poker is a matter of debate. One of the earliest known games to incorporate betting, hand rankings, and bluffing was the 15th century German game Pochspiel. Poker closely resembles the Persian game of as nas, though there is no specific description of nas prior to 1890.[1][2] In the 1937 edition of Foster's Complete Hoyle, R. F. Foster declared: "the game of poker, as first played in the United States, five cards to each player from a twenty-card pack, is undoubtedly the Persian game of as nas."[3] [4]. By 1990s some gaming historians including David Parlett started to challenge the notion that poker is a direct derivative of As Nas.[5] There is evidence that a game called poque, a French game similar to poker, was played around the region where poker is said to have originated. The name of the game likely descended from the Irish Poca (Pron. Pokah) ('Pocket') or even the French poque, which descended from the German pochen ('to brag as a bluff' lit. 'to knock'[6] ). Yet it is not clear whether the origins of poker itself lie with the games bearing those names. It is commonly regarded as sharing ancestry with the Renaissance game of primero and the French brelan. The English game brag (earlier bragg) clearly descended from brelan and incorporated bluffing (though the concept was known in other games by that time).[7] It is quite possible that all of these earlier games influenced the development of poker as it exists now.
Harry Truman's poker chips
English actor Joseph Crowell reported that the game was played in New Orleans in 1829, with a deck of 20 cards and four players betting on which player's hand was the most valuable. Jonathan H. Green's book, An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (G. B. Zieber, Philadelphia, 1843), described the spread of the game from there to the rest of the country by Mississippi riverboats, on which gambling was a common pastime. As it spread north along the Mississippi River and to the West during the gold rush, it is thought to have become a part of the frontier pioneer ethos.
Soon after this spread, the full 52-card English deck was used and the flush was introduced. During the American Civil War, many additions were made including: draw poker, stud poker (the five-card variant), and the straight. Further American developments followed, such as the wild card (around 1875), lowball and split-pot poker (around 1900), and community card poker games (around 1925). The spread of the game to other countries, particularly in Asia, is often attributed to the U.S. military.
The game and jargon of poker have become important parts of American culture and English culture. Such phrases and clichés as ace in the hole, ace up one's sleeve, beats me, blue chip, call one's bluff, cash in, high roller, pass the buck, poker face, stack up, up the ante, when the chips are down, wild card, and others are used in everyday conversation, even by those unaware of their origins at the poker table.
Poker Room at the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Beginning in 1970 a series of developments lead to poker becoming far more popular than it was previously:
Modern tournament play became popular in American casinos after the World Series of Poker began, in 1970.[8] Notable champions from these early WSOP tournaments include Johnny Moss, Amarillo Slim, Bobby Baldwin, Doyle Brunson, and Puggy Pearson.
Later in the 1970s, the first serious strategy books appeared, notably Super/System by Doyle Brunson (ISBN 1-58042-081-8) and The Book of Tells by Mike Caro (ISBN 0-89746-100-2), followed later by The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky (ISBN 1-880685-00-0).
In 1987, community card poker games were introduced in California, home of the largest poker casinos in the world.[9] These games proved far more exciting to players than the draw poker variants that were played up until that time.
In the 1990s, poker and casino gambling spread across the United States, most notably to Atlantic City, New Jersey.[10]
In 1998, the poker-themed film Rounders starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton was released.[11]
In 1999, Late Night Poker debuted on British television, introducing poker for the first time to many Europeans.[12]
Poker's popularity experienced an unprecedented spike at the beginning of the 21st century, largely because of the introduction of online poker and the invention of the hole-card camera, which turned the game into a spectator sport. Viewers could now follow the action and drama of the game, and broadcasts of poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour brought in huge audiences for cable and satellite TV distributors. Because of the increasing coverage of poker events, poker pros became more like celebrities, with poker fans all over the world entering into expensive tournaments for the chance to play with them. This increased camera exposure also brings a new dimension to the poker professional's game—the realization that their actions may be aired later on TV.
Major poker tournament fields have grown dramatically because of the growing popularity of online satellite-qualifier tournaments where the prize is an entry into a major tournament. The 2003 and 2004 WSOP champions, Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, respectively, won their seats to the main event by winning online satellites.
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