Poker is the mother of all gambling games, as it is the only game that truly involves both the elements of skill and luck. It is played both online and at all of the major casinos around the world. In addition to that, it is online played in great length online and in homes at smaller, private games. The love for the game of poker has grown exponentially since the World Series of Poker began running on national television. Still, there is much about the game of poker that many people do not know.
Basic Rules
There are many variations of poker which have been developed over the years, but the primary goal of the game remains the same. Players are dealt cards and play against each other in order to make the best hand. In some games, players play only their cards, while in other games, such as No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, the player is allowed to play both his cards and community cards available to everyone. Players win or lose a hand based upon predetermined hand rankings or by default if all of the other players fold (or give up) their hands.
Game Variations
Draw Poker – This is a type of poker in which each player at the table receives five or more cards. These cards are dealt face down and the player has the ability to trade in a few cards for different cards a predetermined amount of times.
Stud Poker – In stud poker, the players receive cards one at a time, with some of them being face down and others being exposed to everyone at the table. This is similar to draw poker, except that in this form of the game, players cannot trade any of their cards and must attempt to make the best hand using only their given cards.
Community Card Poker – In this type of poker, the player attempts to make the best five card hand using both the cards dealt to him (face down) and the community cards in the middle. These community cards can be used by any player at the table, adding an element of uncertainty to the game. Usually, the player is dealt either two or four down cards in this game, depending upon what variation they are playing.
Poker History
No one is exactly sure where the game of poker began, although there are several theories on the matter. Some credit the game to Persians, who may have spread their game to the locals in New Orleans. There is even a bit of uncertainty surrounding the name “poker” itself. Some people think that it comes from the Irish word “Poca”, while others believe that it is derived from the French word “Poque”.
The game was played a great deal during war time, especially during the Civil War, where soldiers from both sides used the game to pass the idle times.
Poker is the most popular game at any casino and is the only one that pits player against player. With its many different forms, it continues to be the best game going both online and in live casino play. |
