One of the most entertaining and famous card games in the world is poker. Every year in all corners of the planet there are more and more fans of this entertaining card game. And with the spread of poker on the Internet, playing it has become even easier. The most popular variation of this addictive game is Texas Hold'em. More and more people are interested in how to play poker. The rules of the game can be learned in a short time, and their development will not cause serious difficulties. To better understand the psychology of poker, it is advisable to study its history.
Game History
There is no consensus among poker theorists regarding the origin of this card game. There is no reliable information about which game was the predecessor of poker. Researchers agree that it is a symbiosis of several card games at once.
Some people believe that poker, like most ancient gambling, originated in China in the 10th century AD. Instead of cards, the Chinese used dominoes with a special pattern. Also, the predecessor of poker can be the German game "Pochspiel" or the Indian 96-card game "Ganjifa". The course of the game and the rules of poker have some similarities with these ancient variations.
Most likely, the ancestor of poker in a modern form was the French game of the XV century called "Pogue". In the gameplay, 52 cards were used (as in the modern one) and four jokers. The game included bets and the possibility of bluffing. It was in this form that it was brought by French travelers to Canada, and then to the United States.
She was also fond of the military during the Civil War. However, the progenitor of the modern version of poker, which gave the game its name, is Jonathan Green, who learned in prison how to play poker. He studied the rules thoroughly, as he was a true fan of this gambling pastime.
Texas Hold'em: History and Present
It is believed that for the first time in Texas Hold'em they played in the town of Robstown, which is, of course, in Texas in 1900. Since then, a lot of time has passed, and poker has won a lot of fans - thanks in large part to the World Series of Poker. For the first time this holiday of excitement was held in Las Vegas (in the Horseshoe casino) and still attracts a large audience around the world.
The desire of more and more people to play poker, as well as the development of Internet technologies, has allowed holding online card game tournaments. Many websites offer online tournaments and poker cash games starting in the nineties of the twentieth century.
How to play poker? Poker Rules
There are several modern varieties of the game:
1. Texas Hold´Em (Texas Hold'em). The rules of Texas poker are the simplest, so the number of fans of this variety is the largest. The player is given two cards in his hands. It is necessary to collect the strongest combination of five cards, that is, choose from your own two, which are dealt face-down, and five common, which are laid out on the table.
2. Omaha. The principle of the game is the same as that of Hold'em, but four cards are dealt to each hand, two of which must necessarily be involved in making the combination. A variation of Omaha is Omaha Hi / Lo (Omaha Hi-Lo), the peculiarity of which is that at the end of the bidding the winning bank is shared by the players with the strongest and weakest combination.
3. 5 Card Draw (five-card draw poker) is a traditional and oldest type of poker. Five cards are dealt face-up, and opponents are not able to see community cards, which makes it difficult to guess the desired combination.
4. Seven Card Stud (seven card stud poker). The rules of the poker game provide for the distribution of seven cards to each player. At the same time, three surrender into the closed, and four shine. After that, the player also makes a combination of five cards.
There are also other varieties of poker, but they are not so popular.
Types of Hold'em
If possible, increase rates and the method of forming the bank, the rules of poker include the following types of hold'em:
1. Fix limit - the size of the bet is limited for each round, this is a predetermined amount.
2. Pot limit - the player’s bet should not exceed the total value of the pot.
3. No limit - the player’s bet is not limited by anything.
4. Mixed - the type of bet limit alternates from unlimited to fixed and vice versa.
Seniority and variations of combinations
Whatever poker is chosen, the rules for combining cards and their seniority are preserved. So, the hierarchy of card combinations has the following form.
Possible player actions
Texas Hold'em poker rules provide for the following actions of players during the bidding process:
1. Bet (bet) - the attacking bet of the player in the absence of bets in front of her.
2. Call (call) - equalization of rates of previous players.
3. Raise, re-raise (raise, re-raise) - raising the rate of previous players.
4. Fold (pass) - an action that indicates discarding cards and refusing to continue the game until the next distribution.
5. Check (check) - a zero bet that transfers the right to move to the next player. A check from all players allows you to see the next card for free.
6. All-in (all-in) - a bet equal to all the chips of the player. It is placed as confirmation of the strength of one's own hand, or if the number of player chips is less than the opponent’s previous bet.
Distribution of cards - start of the game
At the beginning of each game, the player is given two “hole” cards, which in many respects predetermine the prospects of future distribution. Analysis of the dealt cards, as well as the player’s position at the table, leads to the conclusion about the strength of the hand and the need to continue the game or discard cards in the pass. Identical cards in different positions can have completely different strengths.
Why put blinds
The defining feature of poker is the need to make mandatory bets in each hand. This increases the excitement and dynamics of the game as a whole. The following is crucial information for those who want to learn how to play poker. The rules of this game provides for the position of the dealer, which is symbolically indicated by a large chip (button) and moves throughout the game in a clockwise direction. The position of the dealer is the most promising and profitable, since it leaves the player with the right to the last move.
Two players who are after the long loaf have the worst position, since they must make mandatory bets, regardless of the strength of their hands. From their contributions, called blinds, the initial bank is formed.
So, the first player making a mandatory bet is located to the left of the dealer and is called small blind (small blind). This is followed by big blind (big blind) - a player whose mandatory bet is two times higher than that of the small blind. After placing mandatory bets, these two players get complete freedom of action.
Preflop
The first round of bidding, on which bets are placed depending on the strength of the hands handed out and position on the loaf. If the cards are too weak, or the position is disadvantageous, it is advisable to fold the cards. In other cases, you can call, raise or bet all your chips. After this round of bidding, a primary bank is formed.
Flop
On the flop (flop), three community cards are dealt and laid out on the table, which are primary when forming combinations and prospects (draws) for the combination. Seeing this, players make decisions about the strength of their cards (available and possible) and conduct a second round of bidding.
Turn
The next stage, which not all players reach, is the turn. The next community card (already fourth) is put on the table. All players who have not discarded cards in a pass make bets in the same order using the options described previously.
River
At the final stage of bidding, the fifth card, called the river , is laid out on the table . Now all players have fully formed combinations. The last round of bidding is held, which brings clarity to the winner of the distribution.
Showdown and determination of the winner
After the end of the last round of bidding, the winner is determined, who will take the bank for himself. The rules of poker for beginners state that when drawing up the best combination of a player, both 2 pocket cards and general ones lying on the gaming table can be used . The winner is the player who has collected the best combination of five cards. Also, players can divide banks with equal combinations between both two and several players (split-bank).
Learning the rules of poker will allow you to plunge into the world of excitement with a cycle of bets, combinations and beautiful giveaways.