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The Basics of Poker Games by Suzanne Lyon
The Basics of Poker Games by Suzanne Lyon 
Poker games have evolved into quite an array of different variations of the original game. Today there are hundreds of different variations of poker.
The basic elements are the same for all types of poker with only the finer details that differ. Once a player knows the basic elements of poker they can easily learn the particulars of any variation fairly quickly.
Closed Poker including Draw Poker
Open Poker also known as Stud Poker
Low Poker
High Poker
Dealer's Choice
Closed poker or draw poker is when all of a player's cards are not known to the opponents. This is the most commonly played type of Poker game and is the standard from which all other forms of Poker are derived. It is usually played with a 52 card deck made up of four suits, hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds. The ranking of the 13 cards from highest to lowest are ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2. In some variations of poker the ace is regarded as the lowest card. Poker is played with two to ten players. The game is usually played with Poker chips of different colors with each color representing a different value. These chips are used for betting a certain value and are added to the pot.
Dealer's Choice is a combination of different types of poker games casually played by social groups.
The object of the game of Poker is to bet which player has the best hand. The game begins by establishing the first dealer. A player uses a deck of cards and deals them one at a time to each player face up until a jack dealt to a player. This player becomes the first dealer and the position of the dealer revolves around the table towards the left. The bets are placed by throwing poker chips to the center of the game table known as the "pot".
Each player contributes an equal value amount of poker chips to begin the pot. This is called the "ante". If a player does not contribute to the ante it means that player is "sitting out" the game. The deck is shuffled and cut by another player and dealing begins. The cards are dealt out one card at a time beginning from the dealer's left around the table until every player has five cards face down. The rest of the deck is put aside. The players place bets during the betting interval. In the first betting interval the player to the left of the dealer is the first to "open".
Passing by not placing a bet
Placing a bet within the betting range set before the start of the game
Folding by discarding their hand known as dropping out of the pot
Now the player to their left can either place a bet, fold and if the previous player passed may choose to pass as well. If previous players have bet and the current player wants to stay in the game they must "call". Calling is when a player matches any outstanding bets by adding to the pot enough poker chips to make their contribution equal to the greatest amount of chips that have been added to the pot by any of the previous players. They can also "raise" their own bet at this time. Raising a bet is when a player adds additional chips to the "call" chips so they have contributed the greatest amount of chips over all the players. The additional amount of chips are considered the amount the player "raises". All the other players must put in as many chips to match the raise, or fold. Folding is when the player discards his hand and is now no longer eligible to win the pot. Therefore all the chips that the player had previously added to the pot are lost and will go to the winner. The betting continues to the next player toward the left around the table. Each player can bet, raise or pass until the betting interval is over.
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Categories of Poker
Closed poker or draw poker is when all of a player's cards are not known to the opponents. This is the most commonly played type of Poker game and is the standard from which all other forms of Poker are derived. It is usually played with a 52 card deck made up of four suits, hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds. The ranking of the 13 cards from highest to lowest are ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2. In some variations of poker the ace is regarded as the lowest card. Poker is played with two to ten players. The game is usually played with Poker chips of different colors with each color representing a different value. These chips are used for betting a certain value and are added to the pot.
Dealer's Choice is a combination of different types of poker games casually played by social groups.
The object of the game of Poker is to bet which player has the best hand. The game begins by establishing the first dealer. A player uses a deck of cards and deals them one at a time to each player face up until a jack dealt to a player. This player becomes the first dealer and the position of the dealer revolves around the table towards the left. The bets are placed by throwing poker chips to the center of the game table known as the "pot".
Each player contributes an equal value amount of poker chips to begin the pot. This is called the "ante". If a player does not contribute to the ante it means that player is "sitting out" the game. The deck is shuffled and cut by another player and dealing begins. The cards are dealt out one card at a time beginning from the dealer's left around the table until every player has five cards face down. The rest of the deck is put aside. The players place bets during the betting interval. In the first betting interval the player to the left of the dealer is the first to "open".
Betting types
Now the player to their left can either place a bet, fold and if the previous player passed may choose to pass as well. If previous players have bet and the current player wants to stay in the game they must "call". Calling is when a player matches any outstanding bets by adding to the pot enough poker chips to make their contribution equal to the greatest amount of chips that have been added to the pot by any of the previous players. They can also "raise" their own bet at this time. Raising a bet is when a player adds additional chips to the "call" chips so they have contributed the greatest amount of chips over all the players. The additional amount of chips are considered the amount the player "raises". All the other players must put in as many chips to match the raise, or fold. Folding is when the player discards his hand and is now no longer eligible to win the pot. Therefore all the chips that the player had previously added to the pot are lost and will go to the winner. The betting continues to the next player toward the left around the table. Each player can bet, raise or pass until the betting interval is over.
Continue to Page Two
