To begin, two players at the table make a small bet, or blind wager, before receiving any cards. Each player seated in the game takes a turn at placing such a wager.

Players first receive five cards dealt face down. Players pick up the cards and look at them and then decide if they wish to stay in the game. If so, a bet must now be placed.

Once all bets are called the first round of betting is complete.

Players may now choose to exchange with the dealer any number of cards from their hand. This is known as ‘the draw’.

Once the draw is complete a second round of betting takes place.

If all bets are called there is a showdown.

The winner is the player with the highest ranking hand.

If only one player remains (ie. no showdown) they will win the pot without having to expose their cards.

(Courtesy of PokerPages)

All players place a small wager known as an ‘ante’. The dealer then deals each player two cards, one dealt face down, known as the ‘hole’ card and the other face up.

The player with the lowest ranking up-card must place the opening bet.

Each player to the left of the player making the opening bet must in turn either call the opening bet, raise it or fold.

When this round is complete each player is then dealt another card face up followed by a round of betting. This continues until all players have fice cards, one face down and four face up or until only one player remains.

From the third card onwards, the betting is started by the highest poker hand showing.

All players have five cards in their hand, one down and four up.

If there is a showdown, players show all five cards. The winning hand is the highest ranking five card poker hand.

(Courtesy of PokerPages)

High/Low Split differs from the high-only game in that the player with the highest card must open the betting.

At the showdown, if a qualifying low hand (five cards of 8 or below with no pair) exists, it will be awarded one half the pot and the best poker hand is awarded the other half.

In the absence of a qualifying low hand, the best poker hand wins the entire pot. A straight or a flush, 8-high or lower, may be both the highest and lowest hand, in which case it wins the whole pot.

(Courtesy of PokerPages)

Seven-Card Stud is easy for beginners to learn, yet challenging enough to hold the interest of seasoned players. In Seven-Card Stud, each player receives two cards face down and one card face up. The player with the low card opens the betting. Each player in turn must call, raise, or fold. On all subsequent rounds, the player with the best hand open the betting.

Each player is then dealt 3 cards face up with a betting round following each card.

The last card dealt to each remaining player is face down with the final betting round following.

Players remaining in the hand will then show their hands and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Suits are not used in determining the winning hand, and tied hands will split the pot.

(Courtesy of PokerPages)

As in any dealer-button game, a random draw will determine the position to start with the button.

Two blinds will be posted to the left of the button. The small blind will be equal to one-half the small bet, the big blind will equal the small bet.

Both blinds are live and may raise the pot.

In the showdown, the player must use two cards from his hand and three from the board exactly. Player may use different cards for high and low.

In order for there to be a low, there must be a combination of two cards from the players hand and three from the board with a denomination of eight or smaller. Ace is low for this purpose. If there is no low, high will get the entire pot.

A wheel (A-2-3-4-5) is the best possible low and neither straights nor flushes count against you for low.

If a player misses his blind or blinds, he may wait until the big blind to post to come back in. Otherwise, he must post the missed blinds. Only the big blind is live.

A player who has posted the blind who is not present to act on his hand will have his hand killed and will not get his blind back.

Winning called hand must show all four cards to be awarded any part of the pot.

In the event of ties, the pot will be split.

Odd chip will go left of the button on both high and low pot odd chip.

(Courtesy of PokerPages)

Omaha is a form of Hold ‘Em that brings a few variables to the table. First you’ll receive four cards face down prior to the flop and you must use two cards from your hand combined with three cards from the board to form your best five-card poker hand. Throw in the 8 or better hi/lo variable and you’ve got a challenge for poker players at all levels.

Omaha is a nine-card poker game that uses a dealer button and blinds as in Texas Hold ‘Em. The play begins with four cards dealt face down to each player. Action starts with the first player to the left of the blinds beginning the betting. Players may bet, check, raise, or fold in turn.

Community cards are then dealt face up in the center of the table in the same manner as in Texas Hold ‘Em with betting after each round.

After the final betting round, the players remaining in the hand will then show all their cards. To qualify for a winning low hand, a player must have five cards of 8 or lower with no pair using two from their hand and three from the board. Straights or flushes may be used for the low hand if all the cards are 8 or below.

If there is a qualifying low hand, it splits the pot with the winning high hand. Other wise, the high hand takes the entire pot.

Remember, you must use two cards from your hand and three from the board to make the best five-card poker hand.

(Courtesy of PokerPages)

Texas Hold ‘Em is a seven card poker game with simple rules that a beginner can easily learn and begin to play immediately. In spite of the simplicity, it is a fast and complex game that takes skill and practice to master. No wonder it has become one of the most popular forms of poker played today.

Texas Hold ‘Em uses a disc called a dealer button to indicate where the cards are to be dealt. Prior to the deal, the two players to the left of the button place live bets called the small and large blinds. It’s called blind because it’s made prior to seeing any cards. It’s called live because it counts as part of any further bets in the first betting round.

The play begins with two cards dealt face-down to each player. Action starts with a betting round beginning with the player to the left of the blind bets and continuing clockwise around the table. Players may bet, check, raise, or fold in turn. The large blind has the privilege of last action and may check or raise the bet.

Three community cards are then dealt face up in the center of the table and another betting round takes place beginning with the player to the left of the dealer button. Another card is dealt face up followed by a round of betting. The fifth and last card is dealt face up and a final round of betting takes place.

Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Any combination of hole cards and community cards may be used to make the best five-card poker hand.

(Courtesy of PokerPages)

Remember to always read your cards from the highest to the lowest to avoid misreads.

Here are the Razz hand rankings from A2345 to 23578:

CIII

A game played with a spread-limit betting structure allows a player to raise any amount within a specified range.

For example, a game called “one to five limit” allows each bet to be anywhere from $1 to $5 (subject to other betting rules). These limits are typically larger in later rounds of multi-round games. For example, a game might be “one to five, ten on the end”, meaning that early betting rounds allow bets of $1 to $5, and the last betting round allows bets of $1 to $10.

Playing spread-limit requires some care to avoid giving easy tells with one’s choice of bets. Beginners frequently give themselves away by betting high with strong hands and low with weak ones, for instance. It is also harder to force other players out with big bets.