Poker Rules

How to Win Poker Hands

The best poker hands are those composed of the best possible combination of cards. Added to this is a range of bets, raises, re-raises, blinds and antes. The goal is to keep players in the game as much as possible in order to take as much money from them in the final showdown. After calling or folding, holding or folding, players go all-in for the kill-shot.

Poker Hand Rankings

The best way to approach any particular game of poker is to know precisely what the rules of the game are. Knowing the hand rankings of winning hands in Texas Hold’em, Razz, Caribbean Stud Poker, Omaha Hi-Lo and 7 Card Stud (Hi-Lo) is paramount.

Texas Hold’em Structure and Betting Action

Texas Hold’em games start with players being dealt 2 pocket cards. The dealer position moves in a clockwise motion. Position is most important in poker gaming as it determines who is required to act and who pays the mandatory small and big blinds. The Texas Hold’em dealer hands out cards, one by one, to each of the players – beginning with the player in the small blind.

The Game Structures

Betting structures include Fixed Limit, Pot Limit and No Limit options. The Fixed Limit bettings structure allows for set raise amounts only. For Fixed Limit Hold’em and Omaha this equals the small blind in pre-flops and flop betting rounds. Betting & raising is capped at 4 bets and 3 raises per round. Beginners thus prefer FL Hold’em for this reason.

Pot Limit games flit between Fixed Limit & No Limit poker games. Players can punt on the amount in the pot at that moment. As the pot increases so too do the max bets. Pot Limit is played in Omaha games, but it’s also available in Pot Limit Hold’em games.

In No Limit Hold’em, whatever your chip stack is, is what you’re able to bet. The onus is on the player. And going all-in is one way to put pressure on opponents to act accordingly.

Ring Games versus Tournaments

Ring games are cash games (player’s chips reflect their cash on hand) and they vary from $2 online to $20 in real life games. There are usually max buy-ins and players can enter and leave games at random. Tournaments are the other version of games available. These include the WSOP, the WPT and the Aussie Millions. Mega paydays are available for small investments. In tourneys, players buy an entry for the same amount as other players.

The chips received are tokens and the contest is a game of survival. When the chips run dry, the player is out. When 80%-90% of the players have been eliminated, then a percentage of the pool is paid out. Players are restricted in when they can join tournaments, unlike in real money games. Tourney buy-ins start from as low as $1 online and $30 in live poker games. Freerolls are tourneys with no buy-in.