Poker (except Caribbean poker) is a game between players, not with a casino. Because of this, the player (with enough knowledge) has a better chance of winning.
How to play poker:
Poker is played from a standard deck of 52 cards. Some variant games use multiple decks or add jokers or wild cards.
The cards are ranked in descending order starting from the highest; Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and Ace. Ace can be high or low. All four suits are included (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) but no suit is higher than another.
Each player is dealt five cards and is called a hand. The hand highest in rank wins. In some games there are wild cards or jokers, which can be labelled whatever suit and rank the possessor wishes to.
There are 2,598,960 possible combinations of cards in a poker hand you can be dealt. In brackets below next to the ranking of hands, are the number of possible hands of that rank in 2,598,960 possible combinations, and the chances of getting one in percentage probability:
1.Five of a Kind (with a wild card or joker): Five of a Kind is only possible when using wild cards and is the highest possible hand. If more than one hand has five-of-a-kind, the higher rank wins; e.g. five Aces beat five kings, which beat five queens, and so on.
2.Royal Flush (4 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.000154%): An ace high straight-flush is called a Royal Straight Flush or Royal Flush and is the highest natural hand.
3.Straight Flush (36 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.00139%): Straight Flush is the best natural hand. A straight flush consists of five cards in sequence and of the same suit.
4.Four of a Kind (624 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.0240%): Four of a Kind is a hand that contains of four cards of the same rank. The hand with the highest rank of four-of-a-kind beats other four-of-a-kind hands. If there are many wild cards, as used in some game variants, there could be two four-of-a-kind hands with the same rank. In this case, the hand with the higher ranking fifth card wins. This rule applies to hands that tie, such as a pair or two pairs. Dead heats split the pot.
5.Full House (3744 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.144%): Full House is a hand consisting of three-of-a-kind and a pair. Again, where wild cards are used, ties are compared first by the three-of-a-kind ranking, then the pair.
6.Flush (5108 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.197%): Flush is a hand consisting of cards that are all of the same suit in any order.
7.Straight (10,200 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.392%): Straight is a hand consisting of 5 cards in sequence, such as 5-6-7-8-9. An Ace may either be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (A-2-3-4-5).
8.Three of a Kind (54912 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 2.11%): Three of a Kind is a hand similar to the four-of-a-kind hand, except that if the remaining two cards are a pair, then it becomes a Full House.
9.Two Pair (123,552 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 4.75%): Two Pair is a hand that contains two pairs only.
10.Pair (1,098,240 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 42.26%): Pair is a hand that contains one pair only.
11.High Card (1,302,540 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 50.12%): High Card is a hand that is none of the above and is a weak hand. If no player has a pair or better, then the hand that contains the highest ranking card wins. If multiple players tie with the highest card, then the second highest card decides, followed by the third and so on.
How the wild card can be used depends on the game you are playing and the rules. A wild card can be defined as a joker or standard card that, by player agreement and/or dealer’s choice, can be used to represent any card desired.
When a joker is in play, it usually can only be used as an Ace or to complete a straight or flush. It cannot be used as a true wild card, for example, as a king to make KK75X play as three kings. When playing for low, the joker becomes the lowest rank not already held, so 864AX is played as 8642A, with the joker used as a deuce.
Wild cards add an additional hand, five of a kind, which normally ranks above a straight flush. They can also cause confusion when two players hold the same hand composed of different wild card combinations. The standard rules of poker do not distinguish between such hands, but some players prefer to rank hands using fewer wild cards above less ‘natural’ versions of the same hand.
In most games players must ante a nominal amount just to have the cards dealt. Once the cards are dealt, the betting starts. Players bet into the pot in the middle of the table and it is done in turn clockwise.
The player with the highest rank showing is the first to speak and to bet. He can either bet or check. By saying ‘Check’, he passes the decision to bet to the next player who can also check. If all players check, then it is the end of the round. Everyone opens his cards and the highest hand wins.
Only after one player places a bet the real betting starts. Each player in turn can either ‘Call’, ‘Raise’ or ‘Fold’.
To fold is to pass or drop out of the round and not play.
To call means willing to match the bet and the same amount must be placed on the pot.
To raise means to match the bet and add an extra bet.
For example: you start with a £5 bet. If someone else raises £10, he puts £15 in the pot. When your turn comes again you need to add £10 difference to the pot to stay in the game, and if you want you can also raise or even say ‘Pot’. Pot is a raise to the maximum, which means to bet the same amount as the total money available in the pot.
If there are no more raises and all the cards have been dealt, then it is the end of the round. Everyone opens their closed cards and the highest hand wins the pot.
Tips and Strategies to win:
Choose seven-card-stud poker in preference to five-card poker. Five-card offers limited opportunity to use your ability as it is worth staying in only if you are dealt a strong first hand.
In seven-card-stud poker stay in after the first three cards if you have: three-of-a-kind, a high pair, a middle pair, a small pair and a high card, three to a possible straight, three to a possible flush.
In stud poker on the last two bets and in draw poker on the bet before the draw, calculate the odds against you (how likely your cards will improve), and if the return is greater than the odds (making a relatively small bet for a big pot), make the bet.
Hands that are heavily favoured to win, even without improvements, are known as ‘Locks’. With a lock hand keep as many players as possible in the pot for as long as possible.
In Caribbean Stud Poker, bet/raise if:
You have a pair or better.
The dealer shows 10 or less and matches one of yours, and you have an Ace-King or better.
The dealer’s card is less than your fourth highest card and you have an Ace-King or better.
The dealer’s card is an Ace or King and you have a pair of six or better.
You can’t lose what you don’t put in the middle. If the smart play is fold, then fold.
A poker player faces some tough decisions on many occasions. He usually has four choices to make: check, bet/call, raise or fold. To make a wise decision, the player needs to establish the approximate expectation of each possible move and choose the one that has the best return, if any, or simply fold.
Calculate the odds against you, and if the return is greater than the odds, make the bet. If the odds are in your favor, bet as heavily as you can.
Because there is a lot of psychology involved during a game of poker, psychological strategy is very important.
Regularly varying your play is considered a good poker tactic. This means that sometimes you have to ‘bluff’ and you should do it tactically, not just for the sake of bluffing. The aim is to make it harder for the other players to be able to ‘read’ your cards or guess your intentions when it matters.
Therefore, the most important thing a poker player must do is not to form a pattern of play.
The next important thing is body language and talk. Both of these can reveal a lot of how strong (or weak) your hand is.
Remember, poker is about being able to win big pots, not just getting the highest hand. Being able to disguise your play is probably the most valuable asset you can have as a poker player, closely followed by the ability to memorize played cards and be constantly aware which cards are ‘Live’ cards.
Winning at Online Poker using Poker Bots:
A poker bot (poker robot) is a program or software package that is connected to an online casino and makes decisions about the current hand that is being played and acts accordingly as if you were playing the hand yourself.
Here are a few interesting articles on poker bots:
Thisismoney article
wired article
msnbc article
There are many different poker bots available on the market. Some are free and some are chargable either as a one-off or a subscription basis. However, a lot of them are scams as well. The best site for poker bot reviews can be found at www.purely-poker.com/pokerbot.htm
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