General Info

Poker is played player against players and not just against the dealer as in Blackjack, and there is a lot of psychology involved during play. 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, Ace. Ace can be high or low. There are four suits: spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs, but no suit is higher than another. The number of cards dealt depends on what type of game is played: “5 card stud”, you are dealt five cards and “7 card stud”, you are dealt seven, in “Omaha” there are nine.

Each player is dealt five cards and is called “a hand”. The hand highest in ranks wins. In some games there are Wild Cards or Jokers, which can be labelled whatever suit and rank the possessor wishes to.
The origin of the game of poker is widely disputed, but it is more likely that poker derived its present day form from elements of many different games. There are as many variations regarding the possible birthplace of Poker as there are of the game itself. The most popular belief is that the Chinese invented the game around 900 A.D., possibly derived from the Chinese dominoes. Others state that Poker originates from the Persian game “as nas”. This is a 5-player Persian game, which requires a special deck of 25 cards with 5 suits. Another theory calls on the French “poque”. The French who settled New Orleans around 1480 played Poque, a card game involving bluffing and betting. This was stated to be the first use of a deck consisting of spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts. However, there are other references to “pochspiel”, which is a German game. In pochspiel, there is an element of bluffing, where players would indicate whether they wanted to pass or open by rapping on the table and saying, “Ich Poche!” Some say it may even have derived come the Hindu word, “pukka”. Another possible explanation for the word poker, is that it came from a version of an underworld slang word, "poke", a term used by pickpockets. Cardsharps who used the 20-card cheating game to relieve a sucker from his poke may have used that word among themselves, adding an r to make it “poker”. The thought was that if the sharps used the word “poker” in front of their victims, those wise to the underworld slang would not surmise the change. There are those who also believe that “poke” probably came from “hocus-pocus”, a term widely used by magicians. Cardplaying spread over the world, arriving in Italy and Spain from Egypt via trade routes by the late 14th century. arly English decks were Latin-suited, but they gradually adopted the familiar Spades, Clubs, Hearts, and Diamonds, suits that France began using on their cards about 1480 and we use today. The game of poker later evolved to include 32 cards, and eventually the modern day deck of  52, not counting the two Jokers. Jonathan H. Green makes one of the earliest written references to Poker in 1834. The history of Poker in the United States has a bit more consistency. Poker traveled from New Orleans by steamboat up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The game then spread via wagon and train. Modifications such as stud poker, the draw, and the straight became popular, during the Civil War. European influence of poker ended when the joker was introduced as a wild card in 1875.

Today poker is played in more variations than probably any other game. Over the past years online poker has grown exponentially where it has proved to be hugely popular amongst a wide range of people. Online versions of poker are pretty easy to play.

Rules

A poker hand consists of five cards regardless of the number of cards you actually hold - for different variations of Poker you will hold sometimes more than five cards and sometimes less. Any hand in a higher category beats any hand in a lower category. Between hands in the same category the rank of the individual cards decides which is better. In games where a player has more than five cards and selects five to form a poker hand, the remaining cards do not play any part in the ranking. Poker ranks are always based on five cards only.

Hand Rankings also known as Poker Hands

1. Royal Flush. This is a strongest possible poker hand. It consists of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, all in the same suit. As all suits are equal, all “Royal Flushes” are equal.

2. Straight Flush. A “Straight Flush” consists of 5 cards in numerical sequence, all of the same suit. The higher Straight Flush wins. 5432A is the lowest Straight Flush.

3. Four of a kind. A hand with four cards of the same denomination. The fifth card can be anything. The higher “Four of a kind” wins. If two players have the same Four of a kind, then the highest 5th card wins. Four of a kind is also known as “quads”.

4. Full House. A poker hand consisting of three cards of one value plus two cards of another value. For example, three sevens and two tens (colloquially called “sevens full” or “sevens on tens”). The higher 3 of a kind wins. If two players have the same 3 of a Kind, then the highest pair wins. The Full House is also known as “a boat”.

5. Flush. A set of five suited but not in denomination sequence. “The Flush” with the higher top card wins. If two Flushes have the same top card, then the Flush with the higher second to top card wins, and so on.

6. Straight. A set of five sequential cards of different suit. The Straight with the higher top card wins. AKQJT is the highest straight. 5432A is the lowest straight, also known as “a wheel”, the top card being the five.

7. Three of a Kind. A poker hand consisting of three differently suited cards of the same denomination. The higher 3 of a Kind wins. If two hands have the same 3 of a Kind, then the 2 “kickers”, unpaired cards, are used to break the tie. 3 of a Kind is also known as “trips” or “triplets”. If you have a pocket pair in Texas Hold’em, and you form trips by the third card coming onto the board, this is known as “a set”.

8. Two Pairs. A hand with two cards of one value, two cards of another and a kicker. The hand with the higher top pair wins. If the top pairs are equal, then the bottom pairs are used to break the tie. If those are also equal, then the is used to break the tie.

9. One Pair. A set of two cards of the same denomination accompanied by three kickers. The hand with the higher pair wins. If the pairs are equal, then the kickers are used to break the tie, first by comparing the highest kicker, then the second highest kicker, and finally the lowest kicker.

10. High Card. A hand of mixed suits of different value. A hand with the card of the highest value. If those are equal, then the second highests are compared, and so on.

Wild Cards

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 KK75 KKK75 play as three Kings. When playing for low, the joker becomes the lowest rank not already held, so 864A 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.

General Rules

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. Say 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 his closed cards and the highest hand wins the pot.

Poker Variants

Texas Hold'em Rules

Texas Hold'em is a well-known poker game. At casino Hold'em tables, a round plastic marker called the dealer "Button" is placed in front of the player who would be dealing if a house dealer were not provided. The button is moved one seat clockwise after each game and the card distribution and betting starts to the left of that position. The two players on the button's immediate left must post "blind" bets. Typically, the player in the very first position posts a blind bet one-half the size (called the "Small Blind") of the player in the second position and the second player posts a bet (called the "Big Blind"). Each player is dealt two cards face down (“Hole Cards”). Then, a total of five community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table in three betting segments (“Flop-Turn-River”).

Your hand is formed by taking the best poker hand you can by using any five out of the seven cards (5 community + 2 hole cards).

The betting procedure goes like this:
1. Before each player is dealt two down cards, the player at the immediate left of the button, called the "Small Blind" is forced to bet (half the minimum bet). Then the player to his left and two seats to the left of the button, called the"Big Blind", is forced to bet. Each player is then dealt a two card hand. Then the player at the left of the big blind is first to act and he must either call the big blind's bet, raise, or fold his hand. Continuing in turn clockwise, all the players around the table either call, raise or fold. When the betting gets back around to the small blind, he or she can fold and lose, call the amount necessary to get up to the betting level or raise. The big blind is then the last to act before any cards are turned up in the middle. The blinds are played in the first round only.
2. The dealer turns three cards up in the center of the table. This is the "Flop". As always, the player at the left of the button is first to act. There are no more forced bets and the players can all check around if they want to.
3. Now comes the "Turn" card with more betting that now goes to next level.
4. Finally the last, or "River" card is turned up. The last betting round takes place. The players still in the contest reveal their hole cards and the highest hand wins the pot.

In this example, you have a flush, because you can use the three clubs on the board with the two in your hand.

The players can thus use two, one, or none of their hole cards. Although it is unusual to use none of one's private cards, it is possible, if the five cards on the board form a strong hand such as a straight, flush, or full house.

Texas Hold'em High-Low Split

The game is played exactly like Texas Hold'em, except the best High hand splits the pot with the best Low hand. However, to win the Low half pot, the player must qualify. He must have a hand with an 8 highest card or better (lower), or the high hand wins the entire pot. Any hand qualifies for High.

Omaha Hold'em Rules

Players are dealt four cards face down before the flop but only two of these cards must be used combined with three cards from the board to form a best five-card poker hand.

Omaha uses a dealer button and blinds as in Texas Hold'Em but it's a nine-card poker game. Action starts with the first player to the left of the blinds beginning the betting. Players may bet, check, raise, or fold in turn. Community cards are then dealt face up the same as in Texas Hold 'Em with betting after each round.
After the final betting round, the players remaining in the hand will then show all their cards. The best poker hand wins and is awarded the pot.

7-Card Stud Rules

Traditional seven card stud is still widely played today. There is no draw in Stud. Each player gets two cards face down and one card face up, in 7-Card Stud. The player with the low card opens the betting. All players in turn must call, raise or fold. Then the player who has the best hand opens the betting on all the following rounds. Each player is then dealt 3 cards face up.

Players may bet after each card appears. The last dealt card is face down with the final betting round following. If the game has 8 players and there aren't enough cards left in the deck to deal each player a final hole card, a card is placed on the board and it is considered “shared” by all the players (similar to a community card in Hold'em). The dealer then determines the highest hand and awards the pot. The tied hands will split the pot.

5-Card Stud Rules

5-Card Stud Poker is a fast paced game, easy to learn and fun to play. Caribbean Stud Poker, also known as Bermuda Poker, is an online version of the 5-Card Stud Poker game popularized on cruise ships plying the sparkling blue Caribbean waters.

So, before any card are dealt all players place a small wager known as an “ante”. Each player is dealt two cards, one dealt face down, known as the “hole card”, and the other face up.

The player with the lowest ranking face up card must place the opening bet. Each player to the left of the player making the opening bet must in turn call the opening bet, raise it or fold. After this round each player is then dealt another card face up followed by a round of betting. So it goes this way until all players have five cards, one face down and four face up or until only one player remains. The betting is started by the highest poker hand showing after the third card had been dealt. The highest ranking five card poker hand is the winning hand.

5-Card Draw Rules

Five card draw is the most well-known poker game. Each player is dealt 5 cards face down. Players pick up the cards and look at them and then decide if they wish to stay in the game. If they decided to stay, there must be placed a bet. There is a round of betting. So now comes the time to “Draw”. Players may choose to exchange with the dealer any number of cards from their hand. After the draw, there is another round of betting. Some play that you can not draw more than 4 cards, and you can only draw 4 cards if you have an ace (and expose it). Also, some have a rule that to open on the first betting round, one must have a pair of Jacks or better. If no one has Jacks or better, the hand is considered a misdeal. The player with the highest hand is the winner. If only one player remains (the rest of the players fold) the winner is awarded the pot without having to expose the cards.

Pai Gow Poker Rules

Pai Gow Poker is a fascinating game that combines familiar poker cards with some of the strategy of the centuries-old Chinese domino game Pai Gow. Pai Gow poker uses a one deck shoe which is reshuffled after each hand. It is played with a 53-card deck (including one Joker), and each participant is dealt 7 cards. The joker can be used to complete a flush or straight, or else it is an ace. The game is one-to-one, the player (or players) plays against the banker, each competing to make the best possible hand. The object is to arrange the seven cards into the best 5-card and 2-card hands possible, with the stipulation that the 5-card hand has to be of higher value than the 2-card hand. To win, your 5-card hand has to beat the dealer's 5-card hand and your 2-card hand has to beat the dealer's 2-card hand.

Any combination of win and loss across both hands results in a push/tie. In this case your bet is returned to you. All ties are in dealer's favor. For example, if one of your hands loses to the dealer and the other ties - you lose; if one hands wins and other pushes, you push.
A winning combination pays 1:1. There is a 5% commission on all player wins, which will be deducted from your payout. The House advantage is 2.5%.

Video Poker Rules

With the advent of computer chips in the 1970's, Video Poker came on the scene. Video Poker is today one of the most popular forms of gambling.

It is easy to play. For the player who likes a game of skill, a low house edge, the possibility of large wins, and the anonymity of playing alone there is nothing else that can compare to Video Poker. The rules of Video Poker are very simple. Video Poker is a draw poker in slot machine form. The main object of the game is to hit a jackpot. You play 1 to 5 coins, the machine give you five cards, you choose which to hold and which to discard, the machine replaces your discards and pays you off according to the value of your hand. The payout for each poker card combination is displayed on the Video Poker machine face. Many casinos offer progressive payoffs or bonuses for Royal Flushes or other special hands. The number of variations of Video Poker is constantly increasing. We have Video Poker versions from “Jacks or Better” to “Deuces Wild” and “Jokers Wild”.

Jacks or Better

Jacks or Better video poker is extremely simple regular Video Poker. It is a classic game of draw poker where you only need a Pair of Jacks or better to win. The object of Jacks or Better video poker is to attain the highest ranked poker hand. The payout for each poker combination is displayed on the video poker machine face. The deck is re-shuffled after every hand.

Bonus Poker

Bonus Poker is a form of Jacks or Better. Bonus Poker pays a bonus on certain Four-of-a-Kind hands.

Double Bonus Poker

Double Bonus Poker is another form of Jacks or Better similar to Bonus Poker, but with a double bonus given to 4-of-a-Kind hands in Twos, Threes and Fours.

Tens or Better

Tens or Better takes the classic game of Jacks or Better draw poker and makes it easier to get a winning hand. You only need a Pair of Tens or better to win.

Deuces Wild

Deuces Wild is played like regular Video Poker, but the Deuces (“2’s”) are wild, meaning they can take on the value of any other card to give you a stronger hand. So, the object of Deuces Wild video poker is to attain the highest ranked poker hand using 2’s as a wildcard. For example, with a Wild Deuce, you can turn a Pair into Three-of-a-Kind, or Two Pair into a Full House. The deck is re-shuffled after every hand. It's easy, it's fun – and, with a wildcard in your hand, there's always plenty of excitement!

Jokers Wild

The object of Jokers Wild is to attain the highest ranked poker hand using a joker as a wildcard. The payout for each poker combination is displayed on the Paytable. The deck includes one joker and is re-shuffled after every hand.

Poker Glossary

Aces Wired - Two Aces back-to-back (in the hole).
Act - When its your turn to act, you either check, call, fold, open bet, or raise.
Action - A wager or bet of any kind. The placing of money into the pot.
Add-on - To buy additional chips in a tournament that allows it.
Aggressive - A player who frequently raises and re-raises is said to be aggressive.
Alligator Blood - A tough player is good under pressure.
All-in - When a player bets all his wagering money available on the table.
Ante - In poker, a small bet as the minimum bet that each player is required to put into the pot before a new hand starts. A compulsory opening or starting bet, applied in games with an ante, put up by players before each hand.
Back Door - A hand made using the last two cards dealt in seven card stud or Texas Hold'em (e.g. "a back door flush").
Back-to-back (BB) - When a player is dealt a pair with the first two cards.
Bad Beat - Losing a pot holding a very strong hand you were sure would win.
Bank - The financial backer of a gambling operation.
Banker - In a card game, dealer or the players who books the action of the other bettors at the table.
Bankroll - The total amount of money you have the intention of gambling with.
Base Deal - Dealing from the bottom of the deck. A form of cheating.
Behind - Before the last cards have been dealt, if you don't have the best hand you are "behind".
Belly Buster - An inside straight draw.
Berry Patch - An extremely easy game.
Bicycle Wheel - The hand A2345, also called a wheel or bicycle.
Big Bet - The largest betting amount in limit games.
Big Blind - In flop games, two bets are usually posted before any cards are dealt. The "small" blind by the player to the left of the dealer and the "big blind" (double the small blind) by the player to the left of the small blind.
Big Slick - Ace King as your hole cards in Hold'em.
Blank - A card that appears not to help anyone.
Blind Bet - A bet posted without the player sees any of his cards.
Blinds - A forced bet in Hold 'em.
Bluff - To bet strong with a weak hand, aimed at misleading the other players in the hope that they will fold.
Board - The community cards dealt face-up in the center of the table in a flop game (e.g. Hold'em) or the up cards in a stud game (e.g. seven card stud).
Boat - Another term for a full house.
Bottom Pair - Making a pair with the lowest card on the flop.
Bracelet - Winning a championship event at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) earns the player a Gold Bracelet. Highly prized amongst poker professionals.
Brass Brazilians - The best hand, also known as "the nuts".
Brick - A "blank" in seven card stud (e.g. a card that appears not to help your hand).
Bring In - To "bring it in" is to make the first bet on the first round of a hand. In seven-card stud, the bring-in is a mandatory bet made by the player with the lowest upcard in the first round of betting.
Broadway - An Ace high straight.
Brush - The employee at a cardroom is sometimes referred to as the "brush".
Bug - A joker.
Bullets - A pair of aces in the hole.
Bump - To raise.
Buried - A buried pair is a pair in the hole in seven card stud - a pair in the first two down cards.
Burn - A "burn card" is a card discarded from the top of the deck at predetermined points in deals (in case a player has seen it). In card games after a shuffle and cut, one card is placed on the bottom of the deck or in the discard tray, which is called burning the card.
Bust - To run out of money. "Busted out" in competitions where its final.
Busted Hand - A hand of less value than a pair (e.g. if you miss a straight, you have a busted straight).
Button - A flat disc called the dealer button. The player with the button is the last to receive cards on the deal.
Buy - To buy a pot is to make a bet large enough that other players would be unlikely to call.
Buy-in - The chips which players buy to gamble.
Call - To call is to match the current bet.
Calling Station - A player who calls too often.
Cap - The limit on the number of raises in a round of betting in limit games.
Cardroom - Cardrooms are the rooms in which poker is played, or the organizations that run those rooms. Most casinos that offer poker have a separate room, or at least a roped-off area, designated as the cardroom.
Card Sharp - A person who is an expert at cards.
Cards Speak - Is the rule that the value of your hand is determined solely by your cards. You don't have to declare your hand properly in order to claim the part of the pot you deserve.
Carpet joint - A big card room with comforts.
Case - The fourth card of a particular rank.
Case Money - Emergency money.
Catch - If cards are helping you or are treating you well, you are 'catching cards'.
Catching Cards - Getting favorable cards.
Check - Pass the turn of calling the first bet in a betting round to the next player.
Check-Raise - To check and then raise a bet in the same betting round.
Checks - Poker chips.
Chop - To return the blinds to the players who posted them and move on to the next hand (when no-one wants to play the hand).
Coffeehousing - To talk about one's hand, usually with the intention of misleading other players.
Cold Call - To call more than one bet (e.g. one player bets, the next raises and the next calls).
Color Up - To exchange one's chips for ones of higher value.
Come Hand - A hand which must improve to be able to win.
Community Cards - Cards dealt face-up in the middle of the table and their rankings are shared by all the players.
Connectors (Connected) - Cards of consecutive ranks, especially pocket cards, are called connectors. If they're also of the same suit, they're called Suited Connectors.
Cowboys - Kings.
Crack - When a powerful hand is beat it is 'cracked' (e.g. pocket aces).
Crying Call - A call by a player who is virtually certain they will not win the pot, and probably knows it.
Cut - To split the deck of cards before they are dealt.
Cut Card - Colored faceless plastic card used to cut the cards after the shuffle.
Dead - A hand that is no longer eligible to win the pot.
Dead Money - An inexperienced player who has virtually no chance at winning a tournament. Their chips are said to be "dead money".
Deal - To give out the cards during a hand.
Designated Dealer - In a poker room where each game has a resident dealer, a different player serves as the designated dealer for each hand. In poker games like Texas hold‘em, the player to the left of the dealer bets first.
Deuce - Twos are sometimes called deuces.
Discard Tray - A tray on the dealer’s right side that holds all the cards that have been played or discarded.
Dominate - A starting hand that will almost always beat another starting hand is said to dominate that hand. For example, in Hold'em poker, AK dominates K2. Most of the time K2 makes a playable hand, AK will make a better hand. However, a 2 might still lose the hand.
Door Card - The first card dealt face up to each player in seven card stud poker.
Draw - To draw a card e.g. if you need a card to make a straight, you are on a "straight draw" or are "drawing to a straight". In draw poker, the second round of cards that are dealt. The word draw has slightly different meanings in different contexts, although generally it has something to do with receiving more cards, with the hope of improving your hand. Draw games are games where at some point during the hand you are allowed to discard some or all of your cards, to be replaced from the deck. Drawing two is thus exchanging two of your cards. "The draw" is the point during the game at which players may do this. By default, when someone asks you if you want to play some draw, they usually mean five card draw. In other poker games, drawing simply means staying in the game with the hope of improving your hand when more cards come. When you stay in a hand with the hope of improving, you are said to be "on a draw".
Drop - To abandon your hand or throw away your cards without calling a bet.
Down to the Felt - Totally out of money, broke.
Eight ball - $800.00.
Face Cards - The jack, queen, and king of any suit of cards.
Family Pot - When all players enter a pot.
Fast - Aggressive.
Fast company - Tough players. Sometimes meaning unscrupulous.
Favorite - The hand that is expected to win most often in a particular situation.
Felt - The surface of most poker tables - A player who is running low on chips is said to be "down to the felt".
Fifth Street - The fifth card dealt in a hand of stud poker. In seven-card stud, the third round of betting is called fifth street because players have five cards. In Texas hold‘em poker, fifth street is the fifth card on board and the final round of betting.
Fill - To draw a card that makes a five-card hand (straight, flush, full house, straight flush).
Fill up - To fill a full house.
Fish - A poor player.
Fishing - A player who stays in a poker game longer than advisable generally is fishing for the card or two that will make the hand a winner.
Fishhooks - Jacks.
Flat Call - As opposed to calling, flat calling emphasises the fact that you didn't raise.
Flop - A number of games, such as hold'em and omaha, are played with five community cards. The first three of these cards are dealt all at once, face up, and are called the flop. Games with a flop can be called flop games.
Flush - Five cards of the same suit.
Fold - To abandon a poker hand. When a player declines a bet and drops out of the hand.
Foul - In pai gow poker, a hand is fouled when the two-card Low hand is set higher than the five-card High hand, or when the hands are set with the wrong number of cards. A fouled hand is a losing hand.
Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same rank, also known as Quads.
Fourth Street - The fourth card dealt in a hand of stud poker. In seven-card stud, the second round of betting is called fourth street because players have four cards. In Texas hold‘em poker, fourth street is the fourth card on board and the third round of betting.
Free Card - Seeing the next card without having to call a bet (e.g. if everyone checks).
Freeroll - When you have a hand that will at least share the pot but still has a chance of winning, you are said to be freerolling. Also used in online poker rooms in order to demonstrate a site's looks and feel to new players before playing for real money. When a site offers Freeroll it means you can sign up and play for free against other players who also requested Freeroll play.
Freeze-out - Any tournament format in which you cannot re-buy.
Full House - A hand consisting of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.
Gap - The number of ranks needed to fill in the middle of a straight flush. For example a 6,7,8 would have 0 gaps, a 6,7,9 would have 1, and a 6,7,10 would have 2. The following are considered to have 2 gaps because they are at extreme ends: A,2,3; A,2,4; A,3,4; J,Q,A; J,K,A; and Q,K,A. The following are considered to have 1 gap because they are close to an extreme end: 2,3,4 and J,Q,K.
George - A poor player.
Give the office - To give a warning regarding cheating.
Glimmer - Money.
Going All-in - In cardroom poker, to call with (to bet) all your chips. If another player bets more chips than you have in a No Limit game, you can go All-in and stake your total stack against an equivalent amount of your opponent's stack.
Goulash joint - A restaurant or bar that runs a regular card game hidden in a back room.
Greek Dealer - A player who cheats when dealing.
Grinder - A player who only aims to win a little money each day.
Gutshot - An inside straight draw.
Hand - Refers to the cards that you hold, or to everything that happens in a card game between shuffles of the deck. A hand begins with the shuffling of the cards, dealing and then betting until a winner is declared which is when the hand is over. To "play a hand" means to be dealt in or to call the initial bet.
Hanger - A card that juts out conspicuously when a cheater is dealing.
Heads Up - A play between only two players.
Help - Someone who needs help needs their hand to improve for a chance of winning the pot.
High (High hand) - The best hand.
High Card - A jack, queen, king, or ace.
High Poker - Standard poker, as compared to low poker or lowball. In high poker, high hands win.
High Society - The highest denomination of chips in a card room.
Hit - If you hit it means you have at least paired a card on the flop or hit a draw. If you miss it means you haven't matched anything or missed a draw.
Hold 'em - A form of poker in which each player is dealt two cards face down, called hole cards. The player may then use none, one, or both of his hole cards, in combination with five community cards dealt face up, to make the best possible five card hand.
Hole - Your first two down cards are said to be "in the hole".
Hole Card - In stud and Texas Hold‘em poker, the facedown cards dealt to each player. In blackjack, the facedown card that the dealer gets.
Inside Straight (Draw) - An inside straight draw is a draw to a straight that's missing one of the cards in the middle (as opposed to on the end). 4578 is an inside straight, 4567 is an outside straight. Also called a one-gapper or a gutshot.
Isolate - To isolate a player is to raise with the intention of removing everyone else from the hand except that player.
Joker - The 53rd card in a deck, sometimes used as a wild card. A card that can be labelled whatever suit and rank the possessor wishes to.
Kansas City - Kansas City lowball is Low Ball with the ace as high. Best hand is 23457.
Kicker - The highest unpaired card in your hand that doesn't participate in a straight or flush - i.e., the card that does not contribute to the strength of your hand except by itself.
Ladies - Queens.
Limit (Limit Poker) - Any game in which there is a fixed limit on how much you can bet or raise in any round.
Limp - To flat call an opening forced bet is to limp into a hand.
Live card - A fresh card or a card that has not been seen.
Live game - A game with lots of betting action.
Lock - A hand that is guaranteed to win at least part of the pot.
Loose - A loose player plays more hands and holds on to them longer.
Lowball - A 5 or 7 card version of poker in which the lowest hand wins.
Low Poker - Also called lowball, is poker in which the pot is awarded to the hand with the lowest poker value.
Make a Hand - To get a decent hand that has a shot at winning the pot.
Maniac - A player who plays extremely loose and aggressive, often raising with just about anything.
Match Play - The competition system used in tournaments (usually card games) in which two participants play a series of games which ends when one player accumulates a required number of points. Each game could be worth one, two, or more points.
Mechanic - A cheater who manipulates the cards to his benefit when dealing.
Mechanic's Grip - The way a cheater holds the deck of cards to facilitate his manipulations.
Middle Pair - If there are three cards of different ranks on the flop in Hold'em, and you pair the middle one, you have middle pair.
Mitt joint - A club where the house cheats the players, or one that turns a blind eye to cheating in general.
Monster - An extremely strong hand, one that is almost certain to win the pot.
Muck - To "muck" your cards it to put them into the pile of discarded cards when folding.
No-limit - A form of betting where players can bet any amount they choose, from the chips or money in front of them.
Nuts (or Nut) - The nuts is the best possible hand.
Nut Straight - The highest possible straight in a given hand.
Odds - The probability of making or not making a hand (e.g. if you have a 25% chance of making a hand, the odds are 3 to 1 against your making it).
Off-suit - Not of the same suit.
Omaha - A flop game dealt similar to Hold'em but with four down-cards each. A hand is made using five from a possible nine, but two and only two must be used from the players hand.
On the Finger - Money given on credit.
On tilt - Going "on tilt" is a bad reaction to an unlucky hand resulting in uncontrolled wild play.
Open - To "open betting" is to make the first bet in a round.
Outdraw - To make a better hand than an opponent by drawing more cards.
Outs - Live cards or fresh cards remaining in the deck that may improve one's hand.
Outside straight - An open ended straight that can be completed at either end, such as the cards 7,8,9,10.
Overpair - In flop games, a pocket pair higher than the highest card on the board. If you hold AA and the flop is K62, you have a nice overpair.
Paint - A card with a picture (Jack, King or Queen).
Pair - Any two cards that have the same rank.
Pasadena - Fold.
Pass - To not bet, to fold.
Passive Play - A style of play that is characterized by reluctance to bet and raise.
Pat - In draw poker, a hand that does not need any more hands. In blackjack, an unbusted hand worth at least 17 points.
Pineapple - A variation on Hold'em where players receive three cards each and are forced to discard one of them after the flop is dealt. Thus reverting to Hold'em.
Play Back - To play back at someone is to raise their opening bet.
Playing the Rush - A poker term referring to a player who has just enjoyed a short-run of good luck marked by winning a very large pot of money in one hand or winning several hands in close succession. If the player subsequently begins to play more loosely or more aggressively they are said to be "playing the rush".
Play on Your Belly - To play without cheating.
Play the Board - In flop games like Hold'em, if your best five card hand uses the five community cards, you're playing the board.
Poker Hand - A collection of exactly five cards that constitute a hand according to the accepted list of hands.
Pocket Cards - Cards dealt face down.
Position - Refers to your betting position at the table (e.g. the first players to act are in an early position).
Position Bet - A position bet is a bet made more on the strength of one's position at the table than on the strength of one's hand. A player on the button in hold'em poker is in good position to steal the pot if no one else opens.
Post - To post a bet is to place your chips in the pot (or, commonly, out in front of you, so that your bet can be counted). In poker, posting usually means a forced bet, such as a blind.
Pot - In a poker game, the amount of money that accumulates in the middle of the table as each player antes, bets, and raises. The pot goes to the winner of the hand.
Pot-Limit - Any game in which the maximum bet or raise is the size of the pot.
Pot Odds - The ratio of the amount of money in the pot to the amount of money it will cost you to call a bet.
Proposition Player - A proposition player is a player who is paid by a cardroom to play poker, usually in order to keep games going when they get shorthanded, or to get games started. Props are paid a salary, but they gamble with their own money.
Protect - To protect a hand is to bet so that more people will fold, reducing the chances of anyone outdrawing you.
Pushka - An arrangement between two or more of the players to share part of the pot's win, or more precisely, the container into which the shared chips are played.
Quads - Four of a kind.
Qualifier - In poker, the minimum standard a hand must meet in order for it to be eligible for part of the pot.
Rabbits - Weak players.
Rabbit Hunting - Is the act of asking to see what cards would have come up if a hand had continued. For example, if a hold'em poker player folds a flush draw, but would like to know if the flush would have come in, he or she might ask the dealer to deal out the next few cards. Some cardrooms prohibit it.
Rack - Plastic, wooden or metal tray to place rows of poker chips.
Rainbow - Three or four cards of different suits.
Raise - In poker, a player raises by matching the previous bet and then betting more (adding more money to the pot), to increase the stake for remaining players.
Rags - Cards that do not help a hand.
Railbirds - Spectators.
Railroad bible - Deck of cards.
Rake - The percentage of a pot that the casino/house keeps. The money that the casino charges for each hand of poker. It is usually a percentage (5-10%) or flat fee that is taken from the pot after each round of betting.
Rank - The worth of a set of cards.
Read - To read someone is to have a good idea what their cards are based on the way they play (or by spotting tells).
Re-buy - When you first sit down at a game, you buy in with a certain amount of money. Re-buying is what you do when you buy more chips before you leave. Re-buys are also allowed in some tournaments to players who fall below a certain point - usually only up until a certain point and often limited to a fixed number of re-buys. The time during which one may re-buy, usually lasting from the start through the early stages of the tournament, is called the re-buy period. Tournaments with re-buys are called, generically, re-buy tournaments.
Represent - To bet in such a way as to indicate that you have a certain hand.
Riffling (Card Riffling) - A commonly used shuffling process. To accomplish a riffle, the deck is divided roughly in half and the two halves are interleaved by pulling the card corners up with the thumbs and letting the two halves "riffle" together. Riffling is also sometimes called "zipping" the cards. Like card Stripping, the riffling process can span a range from a fine riffle to a coarse riffle.
River - The final (seventh) card dealt in Hold'em, Omaha or Seven Card Stud. In seven-card stud, staying in until the fifth and final round of betting is called going to the river.
Road gang - Team of cheats.
Rock Garden - A game of tight players.
Rolled Up - In Seven Card Stud, three of a kind on the first three cards.
Round - Refers to either to a round of betting or a round of hands.
Rounder - An astute player who knows all the angles and earns his living at the poker table. The opposite of a "sucker".
Round of Play - A round or hand of play can consist of a single wager or several wagers made during the time of a short wagering event. For example, in poker the round of play (wagering event) begins with the dealing of the cards and ends when the winning player takes the pot. In casino craps a round of play begins with the "come out" roll and ends when the passline wagers are decided. This may take one or several rolls of the dice. In between, the player might have multiple wagers riding on several different numbers and other betting options. All wagers made between the time of the come out roll and the decision roll are considered to be part of that round of play. In roulette each spin is counted as a round of play, no matter how many bets you place.
Royal Flush (Also, Royal Straight Flush or Royal) - An Ace-high straight flush; the best possible poker hand.
Running - Two needed cards that come as the last two cards dealt are said to be running.
Rush - A player who wins a large number of pots in a short period of time is said to be on a rush.
Sandbag - To check and then raise the opener, or to check holding back raising to get more money in the pot.
Scare Card - A card that when it appears makes a better hand more likely (e.g. In Hold'em, a third suited card on the river is a scare card, because it makes a flush possible).
Scarne Cut - To cut by pulling cards from the center of the deck and placing them on top of the deck.
Schenck's Rules - First known rules of poker.
Schoolboy Draw - An unsound, unwise draw.
Scoop - To win an entire pot, especially in high-low split games.
Scoot - Scooting is the practice of passing chips to another player after winning a pot. Typically, scooting partners will agree to "scoot" each other a predetermined number of chips after winning each pot.
Seating List - In most cardrooms, if there is no seat available for you when you arrive, you can put your name on a list to be seated when a seat opens up. Typically, games are listed across the top of a board, and names are written below each game so that players are seated for games in the order in which they arrive.
Seat Position - The position of a player relative to the other players.
Seconds - Cheating by dealing the second card instead of the top card.
See - To call a bet.
Semi-bluff - Similar to a Bluff, except that the Semi-bluff has some chance of making a winning hand.
Sequence - Cards of consecutive value as in a straight.
Sequential Declaration - The last bettor or raiser being required to declare his hand in high-low poker.
Session - The time period in which a poker game is held.
Set - Three of a kind with two in the hole. In pai gow poker, players set their seven cards into two separate hands of two and five cards each.
Seven Card Flip - Seven-card stud poker in which the first four cards are dealt facing down and then the player turns any two, face up.
Seven Card Stud - A variation of poker dealing seven cards to each player, but only five cards are used to make a hand.
Sevens Rule - A rule in low-ball poker in which a player with seven low or better must bet or forfeit further profits from the pot.
Seventh Street - In seven-card stud, the fifth and final round of betting is called seventh street because players have seven cards.
Shiner - A tiny mirror or any reflecting device used by a cheater to see unexposed cards.
Short Call - To call part of a bet (short call) in table stakes with all the money one has on the table.
Shorthanded - A game is said to be short-handed when it falls below a certain number of players.
Short Pair - A pair lower than openers, such as a pair of tens in jackpots.
Short Stack - A player who is 'short stacked' has too few chips to cover the likely betting in a hand.
Short Stud - Five-card stud poker.
Shotgun - Draw poker with extra rounds of betting that start after the third card is dealt.
Shove Them Along - Five-card stud poker in which each player has the choice to keep his first up card dealt to him or to pass it to the player on his left.
Showdown - When all the betting's done, if more than one player is still in the pot, the players who remain in the pot must show their hands in the showdown to determine the winner.
Shuffle - Before each hand the dealer mixes up the order of the cards.
Shuffling (Card Shuffling) - Is a generic term which encompasses all card mixing techniques used to prepare a deck or a shoe for continued play. All casino shuffling processes employ a combination of mixing techniques. These may include "Stripping" or "washing" the cards as well as "riffling", "boxing", "plugging", "cutting" and other off-spring techniques. All shuffling processes employ multiple riffles of "clumps", "picks", or "grabs" to achieve some level of randomization. The shoe games, which use multiple decks of cards (4, 6, or 8 decks), will often employ the most intricate riffling patterns of all. In these, the picks are riffled together and then re-picked and re-riffled in complex symmetric patterns.
Side Money - The amount set aside from the main pot in table stakes.
Side Pot - If the call bet or the raise bet is $20 and a player has $15 only, this player makes an 'all in' bet (he puts all his money into the pot). In this case a side pot is created for those players who have more money to bet. The $5 difference is placed into this side pot. All other active players carry on betting and and their money is placed into this side pot and if at the end one of them has the best hand, he or she wins both; the main pot and the side pot. If the "all in" player has the best hand, he or she claims the main pot, and the side pot is awarded to the best hand among those players who were still active in betting. You win a pot that you put money into.
Sign on Your Back - Someone identified as a cheater.
Singleton - In poker, a card that is the only one of its rank.
Sixth Street - In seven-card stud, the fourth round of betting is called sixth street because players have six cards.
Skin - A dollar.
Skin Game - A game having two or more collusion cheaters.
Skinning the Hand - A cheater's technique to get rid of extra cards.
Skoon - A dollar.
Slowplay - To slow-play is to underbet a very strong hand.
Slowroll (Slow rolling) - An annoying habit that means you slowly reveal that you have the winning hand. To reveal one's hand slowly at showdown, one card at a time (to irritate other players who think they won).
Smooth Call - To call one or more bets with a hand that's strong enough for a raise.
Snap Off - To beat someone, often a bluffer, and usually with a not especially powerful hand, is to snap them off.
Snarker - A player who wins a pot and then ridicules the loser.
South - Fold.
Spikes - A pair of aces.
Splash (the pot) - To throw your chips into the pot, instead of placing them in front of you.
Spread Limit - Betting limits in which there is a fixed minimum and maximum bet for each betting round, and any amount in between these limits may be bet.
Squeeze Bet or Squeeze Raise - To bet or raise against another strong hand in order to extract more money from a third player holding a weaker hand.
Stack - All your chips.
Steal - To (attempt to) steal a pot is to make a bet when it appears no one else has anything. To win the pot by bluffing.
Steam - A player who is on 'Tilt' is sometimes said to be steaming.
Stenographers - Four queens.
Still Pack - The deck of cards not in play when two decks are used.
Stonewall - One who calls to the end with a poor hand.
Straight - Five cards of consecutive ranks or in sequence.
Straight Draw - Draw poker not requiring openers.
Straight Flush - A hand consisting of five cards of consecutive ranks and of the same suit.
Streak - A run of winning or losing hands.
Street - The betting interval in a hand, e.g. the fifth card dealt in Seven Card Stud is known as fifth street.
Stringer - A straight.
Stripping (Card Stripping) - Is a shuffling technique which reverses the sequential order of the cards in the deck. For instance, imagine if a dealer took the first card off the top of a deck and placed it on the table and then took the second card off the top and placed it on top of the first card. If this process were continued until the 52nd card was placed on top, then the sequential ordering among the cards would have been completely reversed. This characterizes the basic process of striping. The process described above would be a very fine strip. Often the dealers will speed up the process by rapidly pulling small clumps of cards off the top of the deck rather than a single card at a time. The number of cards in the clumps determine how fine or coarse the striping process is.
Stud Poker - One of the two basic forms of poker game (the other is draw poker) and played with open or exposed cards (up cards) and with one or more concealed cards known as hole cards (down cards).
Suicide King - The king of hearts (showing a sword pointed at its head).
Suit - Any one of the four types of cards: clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades.
Table Stakes - Stakes in which the betting and raising is limited to the amount of money a player has in front of him. The amount of money or chips a player puts on the table, which he may not add to or reduce, during the hand.
Talon - The remainder of the deck after the deal.
Tap - Tap the table means to check. Also, to bet all one's money in table stakes. Also to bet the amount of an opponent's entire stack, forcing him to go "all in" if he calls the bet.
Tap City - A player having gone broke in a game.
Tapioca - Out of money.
Tap Out - To bet and lose all one's cash, forcing one to leave the game.
Tap You - A raise. Also, an expression for a player betting an amount equal to all the money his opponent has on the table in table stakes.
Tell - An unconscious gesture that reveals information about your hand.
Tell Play - Observing the dealer's body language and expressions to determine his hole card. In poker game "tells" pertain to quirks or readable aspects of a players actions, verbal behavior, or body language that give away information about what cards they are holding.
Texas Hold'em - Is a poker game in which each player gets two pocket cards, while five community cards are dealt face up on the table.
Third Street - In seven-card stud, the first round of betting is called third street because the players have three cards.
Thirty Days or Thirty Miles - Three tens.
Three Of A Kind - Three cards of the same rank.
Tierce - A three-card straight flush.
Tiger - A low hand from the two to the seven.
Tight - Conservative.
Tight Player - A player who seldom bets unless he has a strong hand.
Tilt (Tilting) - Players who are "on tilt" make bad betting decisions because of their emotions (e.g. frustrated, angry or upset).
Time Cut (Axe or Collection) - Money charged each player on a time basis by the casino or by the poker room owner. Charge is usually on a 3 minute or an hourly basis.
Top Pair - If there are three cards of different ranks on the flop in Hold'em (or any flop game), and you pair the highest one, you have top pair.
Trap - You're "trapped" if after putting some money in the pot you're faced with the proposition of calling a raise in order to continue, especially an uncomfortably large raise.
Trey - A three.
Tricon, Trio, Triplets, or Trips - Three of a kind.
Turn - The fourth of five community cards in flop games (e.g. Hold'em and Omaha). Sometimes called fourth street.
Two-Card Poker - A poker game in which the best two cards win.
Two Pair - A hand consisting of two sets of pairs and a singleton. A hand consisting of two cards of one rank, and two cards of another rank, and an unpaired card (e.g. KK992).
Underdog - When two hands face off, the underdog is the one that is less likely to win.
Under the Gun - The first player to act after the blind bets is said to be under the gun.
Unlimited Poker - Poker in which no limit is placed on bets or raises.
Up - Refers to the highest pair of two (e.g AA883 - you have aces up as they are the higher pair).
Valet - A jack.
Value - The return you get on your betting investment.
Washing (Card Washing) - A card shuffling technique where the dealer spreads the cards on the table face down and then proceeds to mix them around with his hands flat in a face-washing-like action before gathering them up and performing a more normal shuffle. Card washing is intended to remove any consistencies in the sequencing among the cards that new decks of cards have, or that were produced in play prior to the present shuffle. In standard table poker the cards are washed after every hand before they are subjected to a more conventional shuffling. In blackjack and baccarat, the the cards are washed when old decks are taken out of play and fresh new decks brought in to replace them.
Weak - A style of play characterized by a readiness to fold and a reluctance to raise. Also describes a poor player.
Whangedoodle - A round of jackpots played after a big hand such as four of a kind.
White Meat - Profit.
Wild Card - A card that can be labelled whatever suit and rank the possessor wishes to.
Wired (Back-to-Back) - A pair, trips, or four of a kind dealt consecutively or back-to-back in a hand, usually in a stud hand starting with the first card.
Wire-up - Three of a kind with the first three cards.

The Playing Strategy

Hold'em Strategy

One of the most important aspects of Texas Hold'em is the value of each two-card hand before the flop. The decision of how to play your first two cards is something you face every hand, and the value of your first two cards is highly correlated to your probability of winning. The players holding two good high cards (Aces, Faces and Tens) have the best chance at the best hand or a draw to the best hand after the flop. Only play strong hands, that will stand a raise or multiple raises, from early betting positions. Play medium strength (9 thru 7) and other playable hands from the later positions if you have a good chance of seeing the flop at a reasonable price. Play strong high hands all the time, and play them very aggressively. Take all the raises you can get. If you don't thin out the competition, you reduce your chances of winning. Plus, your aggressive play before the flop can add credibility to any strong play you might want to use on the next round if a garbage flop falls and you want to try a steal. Be ready to fold your high pair if you get a lot of action with a threatening flop.

Omaha Hold'em Strategy

Omaha players all start with four cards. Each four card hand contains six Hold'em hands when the four cards are converted to all possible combinations of two. ie: ABCD = AB AC AD BC BD CD. As you know players must play two cards from their hands and three from the board. If you are in a pot with five other players after the flop, it is sort of comparable to a Texas Hold'em game against thirty other players, because each of your five competitors is holding six Hold'em hands instead of one. So if you get down to the river with a very good hand, but one that can be beaten by some other two card combinations, brace yourself for a loss because they are likely to be out there somewhere. Your high end straight on the flop runs into serious problems when the board turns up three suited cards or a pair. A flush or a full house will usually pop up to beat you.

7-Card Stud Strategy

Seven Card Stud is a High card game. More winning hands are decided by the highest pair of two pair or just the highest pair, than by straights, flushes and other big hands. So if you start with a straight or flush draw, it should have at least two high cards or at least one card that is higher than anything up on the board. These draw hands and low pair starting hands need to improve or turn a high pair quickly to justify continued play. Any time your high hand is beaten on the board, fold, unless you think you still have the best draw hand. Fast play (bet, raise and re-raise to get as many other players out as possible) early high hands to thin out the competition. Slow play (just check and call along to keep other players in the game and increase the pot odds) draw hands to keep other players in to increase the pot odds in case you hit.

5-Card Stud Strategy

5-Card Stud is mostly a game of High Cards and Pairs. Always raise with a pair or higher. Always fold with less the dealer's qualifying hand (ace/king). Don't play for straights and flushes unless you have three cards to a straight flush on third street, or it looks like you might luck into a straight or flush on fourth. With only one down card, it is easier than most games to put your opponents on hands. Pay close attention to how they each play. Usually don't start without either a pair or at least one live card (cards that have not been revealed on the board and are possible to get) that beats the board. Usually fold if you do not have at least a pair in the first three cards. Almost always fold when you are beaten on the board and do not have a good draw to the best hand.

Video Poker Strategy

Jacks or Better 9/6 Basic Strategy

To use the Jacks or Better 9/6 Basic Strategy match your hand to the highest on the following chart and elect cards to play.

For example, You have the following hand:

The top three plays are:

The 4 to a Flush is listed highest and is thus the best play, so discard the 3 of hearts.
The Jacks or Better 9/6 Basic Strategy is for “full pay” Jacks or Better Video Poker. Full pay mean the paytable, per coin based on five coins bet, where Full House pays 9:1 and Flush pays 6:1.

Deuces Wild Basic Strategy

To use the Deuces Wild Basic Strategy match your hand to the highest on the following charts and elect cards to play.

Consider this

Poker requires a lot of patience. A good player will fold most hands, about 80% in a 10-player game. The sure sign of a bad player is one who falls in love with every hand, usually paying to see the flop and then chasing straight and flush draws or hoping a low pair stands up.

Study your opponents, especially when you are not playing hands and can pay careful attention. For the player seeking a profit, a good poker game is not one where titans of equal strength square off against each other. The law of the jungle rules the poker table. The secret of winning money consistently is to find games with players who play worse than you do.

When playing online I like to use a female name. Men at the table will often not give their best game against a woman. Most will play more passively but some more aggressively.

Get caught bluffing once in a while. It is a way to vary your play and not be too predictable. You win pots that you don't deserve when your bluff works. You lose a few chips when it doesn't work but it will get you calls from weaker hands down the line when you have a strong hand and need the action.

A bad poker strategy is to play too many hands. Most players play way too many hands. You will win more by folding more often. This sort of discipline is difficult for the recreational player. If you read the experts' books, you'll see how they preach patience and discipline, and you'll be shocked by how many hands they say to throw away.

Texas Hold'em

Fast play high pairs and very strong hands before the flop. This puts more money in the early pot and encourages weak and garbage hands to fold that could get a lucky flop and beat you.

Don't draw to the low end or both ends of a straight.

Unconnected Medium and Low Cards are Usually Unplayable.

Play starting low pairs cautiously.

Omaha Hold'em

High pair with an overcard is a good flop in Hold'em but not in Omaha. In this game you need to flop two pair, a set, or better.

Usually don't raise before the flop unless you are holding Aces or Kings.

Don't over value low pairs. A pair of fours in your starting hand is only useful if it flops a set, but then a low set on the flop is not a very strong hand in Omaha.

7-Card Stud

When you start with a high pair, fast play to eliminate as many players as possible.

Usually don't begin with a small pair unless they are concealed or your sidecard can beat the board.

The first four cards are the major key to winning at 7-Card Stud games.

5-Card Stud

Usually Fold if you don't have a pair or better in the first three cards.

Play only live cards from the start and at least semi-live cards from the middle to the end.

Don't play for straights and flushes, except for three cards to a straight flush.

Don't fall in love with your Ace in the hole. If that's all you have, against apparent strong hands, usually fold early.

Video Poker

Always read the payoff information on each machine. Only play machines with the good payoffs.

Always play the maximum coins.

In Jacks or better, a pair of Jacks or better pays even money. Hold on to the two off-suited face cards for the best chance of a winner.

Never keep a “Kicker”, a high card with a pair.