One of the most entertaining and famouscard games around the world is poker. Every year in all corners of the planet, more and more fans of this entertaining card game become more and more. And with the spread of poker on the Internet, it became even easier to play it. The most popular version of this exciting game is Texas Hold'em. More and more people are interested in how to play poker. The rules of the game can be studied in a short time, and their development will not cause serious difficulties. To better understand the psychology of poker, it is advisable to study its history.
The history of the game
There is no consensus among poker theoristsconcerning the origin of this card game. Reliable information about what game was the predecessor of poker, also does not exist. Researchers agree that he is a symbiosis of several card games.
Some people believe that poker, likemost of the ancient gambling games, originated in China in the tenth century AD. Instead of cards, the Chinese used dominoes with a special pattern. Also, the predecessor of poker may be the German game "Pochspiel" or the Indian 96-card game "Ganjifa". The course of the game and the rules of poker have some similarities with these ancient versions.
Most likely, the progenitor of poker inThe modern form was a French play of the XV century called "Pogue". In the game process, 52 cards (as in modern) and four wild cards were used. The game included bets and the possibility of a bluff. It was in this form that it was brought by French travelers to Canada, and then to the United States.
She was also fond of the military in times ofcivil war. However, the progenitor of the modern version of poker, which gave the game a name, is Jonathan Green, who in prison learned how to play poker. He learned the rules thoroughly, because he was a real fan of this gambling pastime.
Texas Hold'em: History and Modernity
It is believed that the first time in Texas Hold'emin the town of Robstown, which is, naturally, in Texas, in 1900. Since then, a lot of time has passed, and poker has won a lot of fans - largely due to the World Series of Poker (World Series of Poker). For the first time this holiday of excitement was held in Las Vegas (in the casino "Podkova") and still gathers a large audience around the world.
The desire of more and more people to play in thepoker, as well as the development of Internet technologies allowed to hold tournaments on card games online. Many websites provide services for online tournaments and cash games on poker, since the nineties of the twentieth century.
How to play poker? rules varieties of poker
There are several modern versions of the game:
1. Texas Hold'Em (Texas Hold'em).The rules of Texas poker are the simplest, therefore the number of fans of this variety is greatest. The player is given two cards on his hands. It is necessary to collect the strongest combination of five cards, that is, choose from their two, which are distributed in private, and the five common ones that are laid out on the table.
2. Omaha (Omaha).The principle of the game is the same as hold'em, but four cards are dealt on the hands, two of which must necessarily participate in the composition of the combination. Omaha is Omaha Hi / Lo, the feature of which is that at the end of the auction the winning bank is divided by the players with the strongest and weakest combination.
35 Card Draw (five-card draw poker) is the most traditional and oldest form of poker. Five cards are dealt in the closed hands, and opponents do not have the opportunity to look at the common cards, which complicates the possibility of guessing the desired combination.
4. Seven Card Stud (seven card stud).The rules of poker provide for the distribution of seven cards to each player. In this case, three shall be closed, and four - shine. After that, the player also makes a combination of five cards.
There are also other types of poker, but they are not so popular.
Types of Hold'em
Whenever possible, the increase in bets and the method of forming a poker bank provide for the following types of hold'em:
1. Fix limit - the size of the bet is limited for each round, it is a predetermined value.
2. Pot limit - the size of the player’s bet must not exceed the total amount of the pot.
3. No limit - the player’s bet is not limited to anything.
4. Mixed - the rate limit type alternates from unlimited to fixed and vice versa.
Seniority and variation combinations
Whatever poker is chosen, the rules of the combination of cards and their precedence are preserved. So, the hierarchy of card combinations is as follows.
Possible player actions
Texas Hold'em poker rules provide for the following actions of players during the bidding process:
1. Bet (bet) - the attacking bet of the player in the absence of bets in front of her.
2. Call (call) - equalization of the rates of previous players.
3. Raise, re-raise (raise, re-raise) - increase the rate of previous players.
4. Fold (pass) - an action that indicates the reset of cards and the refusal to continue the game until the next hand.
5. Check (check) - zero rate, transferring the right to move the next player. A check from all players allows you to view the next card for free.
6. All-in (all-in) - a bet equal to all player chips. Placed as a confirmation of the strength of his own hand, or if the number of player's chips is less than the previous bet of the opponent.
Distribution of cards - the start of the game
At the beginning of each game a player is dealt two“Pocket” (hole) cards, which in many respects predetermine the prospects of the future distribution. Analysis of the cards dealt, as well as the position of the player at the table, lead to the conclusion about the strength of the hand and the need to continue the game or fold the cards. Same cards in different positions can have completely different strengths.
Why put the blinds
The defining feature of poker isthe need for each hand to make mandatory bets. This increases the excitement and dynamics of the game as a whole. Further - extremely important information for those who want to learn how to play poker. The rules of this game provide for the position of the dealer, which is symbolically indicated by a large chip (button) and moves clockwise throughout the game. The position of the dealer is the most promising and advantageous, since it leaves the player the last move.
Two players after the loaf havethe worst position, since they must make mandatory bets regardless of the strength of the hands they have been distributed. From their contributions, called the blinds (blind), formed the original bank.
So, the first player to make a mandatory bet,is located to the left of the dealer and is called small blind. This is followed by the big blind (big blind) - a player whose mandatory bet is twice as large as that of the small blind. After setting the required bets, these two players get complete freedom of action.
Preflop
The first bidding round at which bets are placed independing on the strength of the hands handed out and position relative to the loaf. If the cards are too weak, or the position is unfavorable, it is advisable to fold the cards to pass. In other cases, you can call, raise or bet all your chips. After this round of trading a primary bank is formed.
The flop
На флопе (flop) раздаются и выкладываются на стол Three common cards that are primary in the formation of combinations and perspectives (draws) on a combination. Seeing this, players make decisions about the strength of their cards (existing and possible) and conduct a second round of bidding.
The turn
Следующим этапом, до которого доходят далеко не all players, is turn. The following community card is placed on the table (already the fourth). All players who did not fold in a pass, make bets in the same order, using the options described earlier.
River
At the final stage of trading is laid out on the tableThe fifth card is the river. Now all players have fully formed combinations. The last bidding round is held, which clarifies the hand of the winner.
Opening and determining the winner
After completing the last round of biddingthe winner is determined, which will take the bank. The rules of poker for beginners state that when making the best combination of a player, 2 pocket cards can be used, as well as common cards lying on a game table. The winner is the player who collected the best five-card hand. Also, players can divide banks with equal combinations between both two and between multiple players (split-bank).
Learning the rules of poker will allow you to plunge into the world of excitement with a cycle of bets, combinations and beautiful hands.
