The Different Types of Poker
Poker is any of a large number of card games where players wager based on which card is most likely to come up next, as determined by the rules of the game. For instance, Texas Hold’em is played using seven cards, while Omaha is played using only five cards. Some variations of poker play with seven cards or nine cards, such as Caribbean stud poker, have special rules. There are many different types of poker, including the various folding types, as well as various tournament types, including live poker tournaments.
Most poker is played with a deck consisting of 52 cards, but each player has a hand and can use any combination of three cards and five cards from their own two decks. The cards are numbered and the highest card first. In a match, players stand around the table and place their bets, called “chips.” A chip is not the same thing as a card, because in a poker game a chip cannot legally be played on a hand. A “king” is usually worth more than a chip, although not always, and it is possible to win a match with a single chip, sometimes referred to as a “pot,” but most matches end with a draw.
In freehold, or non-rewarded, poker tournaments, each player is dealt a hand and is able to either call raise or fold. Most freeroll tournaments are played in a table format with four players, with a small table chosen for the final table only. After the matches have been played, the top four players receive prizes from the pot, which may include additional chips.
In a stud, or seven-card stud poker game, each player is dealt a hand consisting of two cards face down. All remaining poker hands are turned up face up, and it is then their opponents turn up their cards. At this point, only the highest card wins. Seven-card stud is similar to seven-card poker hands in that there are certain number combinations that will result in the highest card wins. Stud poker hands also include the two “high” cards, which are referred to as the “ace” and “decay.” It is rare that an ace is turned up in stud games.
In a freeroll game, there are no pre-flop action involved. Each player is dealt a hand, and can either call (lay) or raise (fold) after the initial deal. Players can stay in the game until the final flop; at that point, the pot will increase to five cards for every player, and the player with the most chips at the end of the game wins. If a player has an Ace in his or her hand and intends to call, the other players must fold, unless they have an Ace as well. After all players have folded, the pot is turned over to the dealer and the final count is made to see who has the most chips.
Another type of poker is referred to as Caribbean stud. This is a game where each player has a set of cards face down on the table, and the person with the best hand usually ends up with the pot. Caribbean stud is a very fun type of poker that requires a good poker strategy. The player with the best hand will often go home with the largest pot.