Poker hand ranks
Poker hand ranks.
There
are two types of Bets in Roulette. These are referred
to as INSIDE or OUTSIDE bets. Inside bets
are made by placing chips on the numbers from 1 to 36.
Bets outside this grid, like for example a bet on RED,
would be an outside bet. The larges payoff odds, 35:1,
are on bets on a single number. Odds of 17:1 are attached
to bets on two numbers, which can be made by laying a
chip across the line between any two numbers on the board.
Four number bets, made at crosses (touching the grid on
four locations), are worth 8:1. A player may bet on an
entire row, with a return of 11:1, by placing one or more
chips over the edge of the first number in the row, or
on two rows at 5:1. Outside bet options include betting
red, black, even, odd, low, high or selected thirds of
numbers.
Five of a Kind
A five of a kind (which is only possible when using wild cards) is the highest
possible hand. If more than one hand has five of a kind, the higher card wins
(Five Aces beats five kings, which beat five queens, and so on).
Straight Flush
A straight
flush is the best natural hand. A straight flush is a straight (5 cards in
order, such as 5-6-7-8-9) that are all of the same suit. As in a regular straight,
you can have an ace either high (A-K-Q-J-T) or low (5-4-3-2-1). However, a
straight may not 'wraparound'. (Such as K-A-2-3-4, which is not a straight).
An Ace high straight-flush is called a Royal Flush and is the highest natural
hand.
Four of a
Kind
Four of a
kind is simply four cards of the same rank. If there are two or more hands
that qualify, the hand with the higher-rank four of a kind wins. If, in some
bizarre game with many wild cards, there are two four of a kinds with the
same rank, then the one with the high card outside the four of the kind wins.
General Rule: When hands tie on the rank of a pair, three of a kind, etc,
the cards outside break ties following the High Card rules.
Full House
A full house
is a three of a kind and a pair, such as K-K-K-5-5. Ties are broken first
by the three of a kind, then pair. So K-K-K-2-2 beats Q-Q-Q-A-A, which beats
Q-Q-Q-J-J. (Obviously, the three of a kind can only be similiar if wild cards
are used.)
Flush
A flush is
a hand where all of the cards are the same suit, such as J-8-5-3-2, all of
spades. When flushes ties, follow the rules for High Card.
Straight
A straight
is 5 cards in order, such as 4-5-6-7-8. An ace may either be high (A-K-Q-J-T)
or low (5-4-3-2-1). However, a straight may not 'wraparound'. (Such as Q-K-A-2-3,
which is not a straight). When straights tie, the highest straight wins. (AKQJT
beats KQJT9 down to 5432A). If two straights have the same value (AKQJT vs
AKQJT) they split the pot.
Three of
a Kind
Three cards
of any rank, matched with two cards that are not a pair (otherwise it would
be a Full House . Again, highest three of a kind wins. If both are the same
rank, then the compare High Cards.
Two Pair
This is two
distinct pairs of card and a 5th card. The highest pair wins ties. If both
hands have the same high pair, the second pair wins. If both hands have the
same pairs, the high card wins.
Pair
One pair with three distinct cards. High card breaks ties.
High Card
This is any hand which doesn't qualify as any one of the above hands. If nobody
has a pair or better, then the highest card wins. If multiple people tie for
the highest card, they look at the second highest, then the third highest
etc. High card is also used to break ties when the high hands both have the
same type of hand (pair, flush, straight, etc).
Betting
So, how do you bet? Poker is, after all, a gambling game. In most games, you
must 'ante' something (amount varies by game, our games are typically a nickel),
just to get dealt cards. After that players bet into the pot in the middle.
At the end of the hand, the highest hand (that hasn't folded) wins the pot.
Basically, when betting gets around to you (betting is typically done in clockwise
order), you have one of three choices:
Call
When you call, you bet enough to match what has been bet since the last time
you bet (for instance, if you bet a dime last time, and someone else bet a
quarter, you would owe fifteen cents).
Raise
When you raise, you first bet enough to match what has been bet since the
last time you bet (as in calling), then you 'raise' the bet another amount
(up to you, but there is typically a limit.) Continuing the above example,
if you had bet a dime, the other person raised you fifteen cents (up to a
quarter), you might raise a quarter (up to fifty cents). Since you owed the
pot 15 cents for calling and 25 for your raise, you would put 40 cents into
the pot.
Fold
When you fold, you drop out of the current hand (losing any possibility of
winning the pot), but you don't have to put any money into the pot.
Betting continues until everyone calls or folds after a raise or initial bet.
Some Standard Betting Rules
In the group I play in, we ante a nickel. The maximum first bet is fifty cents,
and the maximum raise is fifty cents. However, during one round of betting,
raises may total no more than one dollar.
