Poker is a game of betting as to which player holds the best hand. Each player is dealt five cards (called Five Card Draw). Players look at their cards then place bets. Next, players discard up to three cards, and are dealt new cards (the exact number they discarded). Players then bet again. If two or more players are still in the game after the final bet, the players show their cards and compare hands to see who has the highest ranking hand.
The player to the left of the dealer starts the betting. He can check (doesn't bet, but stays in the game), open (bets an amount between the minimum and maximum bet allowed), or fold (drops out of the round). If the first player checks or folds, following players have the option to check, open, or fold until someone opens. If no one opens, the round is finished. After someone opens, the next player can call (put as much into the pot as the previous player), raise (put in more than the previous player), or fold (drop out of the round).
Betting continues until all bets are equalized. Bets are equalized when the turn comes around to the player who in his turn made a higher bet than anyone previous to him, and when every intervening player has either exactly called that bet or folded. The player who opened in the first betting interval starts the betting in the second interval. Checking and then raising on a later round is permitted. A limit of three raises before the draw and three raises after is enforced.
The pot (chips in the center) may be won in two ways:
1) After all players have had full opportunity to bet, there is a showdown in which the hands are shown and the best hand wins.
2) If a player makes a bet that no other player is willing to meet, that player wins the pot without showing his hand. This introduces the factor of bluffing, betting on a weak hand in the hope that all other players will fold.
Ranking of Hands (listed in order of highest to lowest):
1. Straight flush - five cards in sequence in the same suit.
3. Full house - three of a kind and a pair.
4. Flush - any hand of five cards all of the same suit.
5. Straight - any five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit.
6. Three of a kind - three cards of the same rank.
7. Two pairs - two cards of any one rank and two cards of any other rank.
8. One pair - any two cards of the same rank.
9. High card - the highest card out of a player's hand wins.
If two players have the same type of hand, the player with the highest ranking cards wins (the ace being the highest ranking card and the two being the lowest). Hands identical in all respects tie; the suits of which the cards are composed never make any difference.
Money / chips
A ruthless variation of table stakes poker is the name of the game here, partner. That means you're "spotted" $500 for the game and if you go below $50, that's it, you are out! No loans, no going "light" on a call. If you are running low on money and can't match a "call" bet, you are forced to fold. Therefore, manage your money carefully and look for betting traits in your opponents to take advantage of. When it is time for the dealer to deal, each player has to ante up (put a small amount of chips into the pot). When you click on "Deal" you automatically ante up. If you don't have enough money to continue betting, you must fold. If a player has less than 50 dollars ($50), he is considered out of the game. If you are out of the game, the game ends and you are asked if you want to play Poker again.
Options
You can change the ante amount to $5, $25 or $50.
Poker can take quite a while to finish, so there is the possibility to save and restore a game.
You can alter the allowed betting amounts:
Round 1: $5 min and $15 max, $5 min and $25 max, or $25 min and $50 max
Round 2: $5 min and $25 max, $5 min and $50 max, or $25 min and $100 max
