Game instructions

Posted by umerblackeagle on September 27th, 2010

Poker Rules

There are many variations in the game of Poker.  It is a truly American game enjoyed by many people.  Here are some of the rules to some of the games of Poker.  This is not a complete list of Poker Rules, but has some of the more popular poker variations.

Poker uses a standard pack of playing cards, 52 cards. The card ranking is as follows; Ace (the highest), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (the lowest).  Ranking of Ace  may also be the lowest card. It just depends on the variation you are using but it is usually the highest.

There are four suits. No suit is higher than another. Most but not all poker hands contain five cards and the highest hand wins.

The use of Wild Cards also depends on the variations; wild cards take on whatever rank or suit you want it to take. A wild card can either be a separate card added like a joker or you may specify a certain card in the standard deck to be wild.

The number of cards dealt is dependant on what type of game you are playing:  in 5 card studs, you are dealt five cards and in 7 card stud you are dealt seven. Five card draw is the standard poker game where 5 cards are dealt to each player face down.

1. One Pair - pair with three distinct cards.  Highest ranking pair wins.  High card breaks ties.

High Card- When a hand doesn't even have a pair, then it comes down to who is holding the highest ranking card.

2. Two Pair-Two distinct pairs of card and a 5th card. The highest ranking pair wins ties. If both hands have the same high pair, the second pair wins. The high card wins if both hands have the same pairs.

3. Three of a Kind-Three cards of any rank with the remaining cards not being a pair. Once again the highest ranking three of a kind would win.  K-K-K-2-4 would beat Q-Q-Q-2-3. If both are the same rank then the High Card rule comes into effect with the remaining two.

4. Flush-A flush is a hand where all of the cards are the same suit, such as A-J-9-7-5, all of Diamonds. When flushes ties, follow the rules for High Card.

Straight-Five cards in rank order, but not of the same suit. An example of a straight is 2-3-4-5-6. The Ace can either be high or low card, either A-2-3-4-5 or 10-J-Q-K-A.  Wraparounds are not allowed. When two straights tie, the highest straight wins, K-Q-J-10-9 would beat 5-4-3-2-A.  If two straights have the same value, AKQJT vs. AKQJT, the pot is split.

5. Full House-A full house is a three of a kind and a pair, such as K-K-K-2-2. When there are two full houses the tie is broken by the three of a kind.  An example would be J-J-J-5-5 would beat 9-9-9-A-A.  If for some reason the three of a kind cannot determine the victor then you go to the pair to decide. An example of this would be K-K-K-A-A would beat K-K-K-J-J.  

6. Four of a Kind- Four cards of the same rank like four Aces or Four Kings. If there are two or more hands that qualify, the hand with the higher-rank four of a kind wins.

7. Straight Flush-The best natural hand is straight flush. A straight flush is a straight (5 cards in order, such as 7-8-9-10-J) that are the entire same suit.

8. Five of a Kind -A five of a kind is only possible when using wild cards and it?s the highest possible hand. If more than one hand has five of a kind, the higher cards wins, five Aces will beat five kings, which beat five queens, and continue on by the ranking of the cards.