Poker 101 – Game Overview

Feature image courtesy of vegasvacationbids.com

As a professional dealer (aka croupier, come on, let’s not get me into any trouble), I’m often asked to teach people how to play casino games, specifically, poker.

The thing with poker is, there’s just so much. and how someone plays the game is their poker PERSONALITY.

I can only teach people the basics such as rules, terminology and etiquette. What it eventually boils down to, is how do you want to play YOUR game.

With that being said, let’s learn some poker! There’s lots, so I’ll jump in slowly…(or try).

Let me clarify something here first.

• Think of the game of poker like the game of solitaire – there are many different ways to play both, but the premise and objective is always the same, respectfully
• The basic objective for any game called ‘poker’ is to create the best hand possible (traditionally with five cards)
• Within the realm of poker, there exists
  • Texas Hold’em (most popular and what you see on TV)
  • Omaha
  • Chicago, Chase the Queen, tic-tac-toe, etc. – house games usually, just for fun, you’ll never see these at the casino
  • Three-card Stud, Four-card Stud, Let-it-Ride, Caribbean Stud, etc. – what we in the industry call the ‘carnival games.’

Now I’m just going to skim the surface, but please feel free to leave a comment and ask questions and I’d be happy to answer them. Remember this is a game overview post, I won’t get into much complication here (I’ll just try to explain it in the most down-to-earth way possible).

Terminology (just a few for now)

• Button – indicates who is the virtual ‘dealer.’ The first card will always be dealt to the first person left of the button
• Big-blind – automatic bet (everyone has to do it), rotates clockwise, usually double the small blind, played two positions left of the button
• Small-blind – automatic bet (everyone has to do it) rotates clockwise, usually half of the big blind, must be played when directly left of the button
• Under the Gun – just a term used for the first person to act after the big blind, before the flop. Located directly left of the big blind
• Check – if there is no bet on the table, checking enables you to see the next card for free. If there is a bet on the table, checking is no longer an option
• Bet – you want to put some money in and there’s not a bet before yours
• Raise – you want to put more money than the last person put in
• Re-raise – you want to put more money in than the last raise
• All-in – you want to put everything you own into the middle of the table, it’s basically a game of bingo if someone calls you
• Call – the person on your right made a bet and you are agreeing to put the same amount in
• Fold – you no longer want to play, throw the cards away to the dealer, they will muck them
• Board – community cards, can be used by all players to make the best five card hand
• Muck – pile of cards no longer in play (once a folded hand touches the muck, it cannot be retrieved)
• Pre-flop – players are only betting on what they see in their hands, there are no cards showing on the table
• Flop – first three cards showed, players are now betting on the two cards in their hands and the three ‘community’ cards they see on the table
• Turn – fourth card to be turned, players are now betting on the two cards in their hands and the four ‘community’ cards they see on the table
• River – fifth and final card to be turned, players are now betting on the two cards in their hands and the five ‘community’ cards they see on the table

Hand Rankings

From best to worst (remember, this is all based five cards total to make the hand), here they are:

1. Royal Flush
   • Five consecutive (in a row), suited (all the same shape) cards from 10 to Ace
   • Example: A, K, Q, J, 10 of Spades
2. Straight Flush
   • Any five consecutive (in a row), suited (all the same shape) cards
   • Example: 7, 8, 9, 10, J of Hearts
3. Four of a Kind
   • Any four of one kind and a random fifth card
   • Example: 5, 5, 5, 5, 3 (this hand would be called quad 5’s)
4. Full House
   • Any three of one kind and a pair of another
   • Example: 4,4,4,Q,Q (this would be called 4’s full of Queens)
5. Flush
   • Any five suited (all the same shape) cards (they do not have to be in any order)
   • Example: 2, 6, 9, J, A of Clubs
6. Straight
   • Any five consecutive (in a row) cards
   • Example: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of any suite
7. Three of a Kind
   • Any three of one kind (sometimes called trips) and two random cards that are not a pair
   • Example: 7, 7, 7, 9, K
8. Two Pair
   • Any two of one kind, twice, and a random fifth card
   • Example: 4, 4, 5, 5, 9 (where 9 is my kicker, just in case someone else has two of the same pair, the kicker will determine the best hand)
9. Pair
   • Any two of one kind and three random cards that are not a pair or trips
   • Example: Q, Q, 2, 7, J (this hand would be called a ‘pair of Queens with a Jack kicker – just in case someone else has a pair of Queens, the kicker will determine the best hand)
10. Ace High
    • This just means you have five cards that are not any of the above and we just go with high card (kind of like war, if both players have the same high card, we compare the next one and so on).
    • In the chance that your hand and your opponents hand are exactly the same (same five cards), it’s considered a tie and you split the winnings

Etiquette

• Don’t talk about the hand while it’s still in progress –  if you’re out of the hand, keep your comments to yourself – this includes the people watching
• Act in turn. Wait for the person immediately on your right, with cards, to act before you do anything
• Call your action – “I call,” “I raise,” “I re-raise,” “I fold” – saves confusion for everyone, especially if you’re new
• Don’t splash the pot – don’t throw your chips into the middle so it’s impossible to know how much you actually bet – just put your chips in front of you
• Don’t string bet – original pile of money will be the bet unless you’ve called your action
• “I call you, and raise!” No you don’t! You see this one in the movies – this does not work on a table. First action stated is a call, you’re calling
• Don’t ask to see mucked hands – Asking to see a players mucked hand, especially if they’ve lost and tossed them in, is like questioning their integrity
• Don’t be rude to the dealer – they literally have no control over how the cards are dealt. Treat them with the same respect you would anybody else
• Tip your dealer – dealers often deal with 10 different skill levels at one table, all while keeping everyone happy and handling all the money in play
• Pay attention – it’s not the dealers, or anyone else’s responsibility to play your game. If you’re in the hand, play it

Ok, wow that was a lot. I skimmed the surface – let me know if this was helpful and what I can address next when it comes to casino games.

Cheers everyone! If you’ve read down this far, you’re all amazing and know that I appreciate you, your time and your interest! Enjoy your Wednesday.