Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
“call,” which means matching the bet another player has made. If you're confident
in your cards, you can “raise,” or bet more than the original bet. If, when it's your
turn in a betting round, no one has called or raised, you also have the option of
“checking.” This means you're neither raising nor folding, but want to remain in
the game. Once someone at the table puts money in the pot during a betting
round, however, everyone must match or raise that amount. If, when the betting
rounds have concluded, there is only one person left, that person is the winner; if
two or more people remain, the remaining players must show their cards to all to
determine who won.
Let's look at two popular poker games.
Texas Hold 'em
You can't throw a poker chip in Las Vegas without hitting a Texas Hold 'em game.
“Hot” is an understatement when it comes to Hold 'em.
The basic goal is to get the best 5-card hand while operating off two cards that
only you see (the hole), along with five community cards that the rest of the table
is also using. It sounds simple, but once you begin playing you'll realize it's any-
thing but. Try to keep in mind the lyrics of the great Kenny Rogers: “You've got
to know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em.”
The game starts with the blinds, which are basically forced bets placed by two
designated players to get things going. The two players to left of the dealer but-
ton post the blinds—the one closest to the dealer posts the small blind (equal to
half of the minimum bet) and the next one over posts the big blind, which is
equal to the minimum bet. The blinds count toward the total bet, meaning once
betting begins the players who posted the blinds simply have to make up the dif-
ference between what they put in and the current bet to stay in the game. The
dealer then deals two cards to each player, face-down. These are called the “hole”
or the “pre-flop.”
Then there's a round of betting. The amount bet is determined by the kind of
game you're playing. If it's a 2-4 fixed-limit game, then the wager is the lower
stake—in this case, $2. If it's a no-limit game, then it can be anything. When the
round is completed, the dealer discards the top card (called “the burn”) and deals
“the flop”: Three community cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. The
table bets again. Following another burn, the dealer deals a fourth card, face-up.
This is called the “turn.” The table bets, and if it's a fixed-limit game they bet the
high stake, meaning the player in our hypothetical 2-4 game must now wager a
minimum of $4 to stay in. The dealer burns another card and then deals the fifth
card, face-up. This one is called the “river.” By now you should really know
whether or not it's time to bet or fold. The last round of betting takes place (in
fixed-limit games the higher stake must still be wagered). If you're still in, show
your cards to see who's made the best 5-card hand and wins the pot. This is called
“the showdown.”
Omaha Hi/Lo
Also known as “Omaha 8-or-better” or “High-Low Split Poker,” this game shares
quite a few similarities with Texas Hold 'em. Depending on who you talk to,
you'll hear that it's far more complicated or far less complicated than the latter.
Which is the case? That's up to you to decide.
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