BetRaiser.com : Rules

Welcome to Betraiser.com's guide to how to play Texas Hold'em, Omaha and Seven-Card Stud. This basic guide was created to help you to understand the fundamentals of poker rules easier. In the following pages you will learn about betting procedures, the order of action, when the hand starts and ends, and much, much more. We've also included a glossary of poker's most common terms, such as blinds, the button, position, all-in, fold, raise, check, bet, call, and more.

Poker Rules
These are the basic rules that apply to all variations of poker that you might play. For more specific poker rules for popular games, check out Texas Holdem Poker Rules, Omaha Poker Rules, and Seven-Card Stud Poker Rules. After you've learned the rules, you can download our free Betraiser.com software and play for free as long as you want. It's a great way to learn before you put your money on the table!
1. Basics
  A standard pack of 52 playing cards is used in poker. There are four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs). No suit is worth more than any other. The card ranking is as follows: Ace (the highest), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (the lowest). The Ace can also be used as the lowest card if it helps make a better combination. All poker hands contain five cards, and the strongest hand wins. The number of cards dealt depends on what game you are playing. For example, you receive five cards in Five-Card Stud, while you receive seven cards in Seven-Card Stud. This may seem obvious, but that's why this section is called Basics! Five-Card Draw is the standard poker game in which each player is dealt 5 cards face down.
2. Hand ranking
  If you are going to play poker, you should learn how to make a poker hand, which hands are strong, and how different poker hands rank against one another. When you're learning, you might want to keep a copy of the hand rankings in sight, but most players prefer to memorize the chart.
  1. Royal Flush - The best possible hand. A-K-Q-J-10, all of the same suit.
  2. Straight Flush - A Straight Flush is a straight (5 cards in order, such as 7-8-9-10-J) with all the cards being the same suit. As with a regular Straight, aces can be either high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (A-2-3-4-5). An ace can't be used in a wraparound. For example, K-A-2-3-4 is not a straight.
  3. Four-of-a-Kind - Four cards of the same rank. For example, A-A-A-A or K-K-K-K. If there are two or more hands have Four-of-a-Kind, the hand with the higher ranked Four-of-a-Kind wins.
  4. Full House - A Full House is a three of a kind and a pair. For example, K-K-K-2-2. If two or more hands have Full Houses, the highest ranking Three-of-a-Kind wins. For example, J-J-J-5-5 beats 9-9-9-A-A. If the Three-of-a-Kind cannot determine the winner, then the highest ranked Pair wins. (This could happen in a game with wild cards or in Texas Hold'em).
  5. Flush - A Flush is a hand where all of the cards are the same suit. For example, A-J-9-7-5, where all the cards are Diamonds. If two or more players have Flushes, the Flush with the highest card wins.
  6. Straight - Five cards in order, but not of the same suit. For example, 2-3-4-5-6 is a Straight. The cards can be any combination of the four suits. An ace can either be high or low card, either A-2-3-4-5 or A-K-Q-J-10. An ace can't be used in a wraparound, meaning K-A-2-3-4 is not a Straight. When there are two or more Straights, the highest Straight wins. For example, K-Q-J-10-9 would beat A-2-3-4-5. If two Straights have the same value, like A-K-Q-J-10 versus A-K-Q-J-10, the pot is split.
  7. Three-of-a-Kind - Three cards of the same rank. As in other examples, the highest ranking Three-of-a-Kind wins. For example, K-K-K-2-4 would beat Q-Q-Q-2-3. If two or more players have a Three-of-a-Kind of the same rank (which could happen in a wild card game or Texas Hold'em), then the player with the highest remaining card wins.
  8. Two Pair - Two pairs and a fifth card. If two or more hands have Two Pair, the highest ranking Pair wins. If two or more hands have the same high Pair, the highest ranking second Pair wins. If two or more hands have the same Pairs, the highest remaining card wins.
  9. Pair - One Pair with three other cards. The highest ranking Pair wins. If two or more hands have the same Pair, the highest remaining card wins.
  10. High Card - When a hand has none of the above qualifications and nobody has a Pair or better, the highest ranking card wins. If there is a tie for the High Card, the next High Card determines the pot. If there is another tie, then it continues to the third, fourth, and fifth cards. The High Card is also used to break ties when two or more players have the same type of combination (Pair, Flush, Straight, etc).
3. Betting Procedures
  In most poker games, betting starts with an ante before the cards are even dealt. The money is placed in the center of the table and is called the "pot ".
  
  When the betting comes to you (betting moves clockwise), you have three choices:
  - Call - betting an amount equal to what has been bet since the last time you bet in that particular round of betting. For example, if you bet $1.00 and somebody then bid $2.00, you would owe another $1.00. If you decide to call, then you would put in $1.00 and stay in the hand.
  - Raise - when you raise, you first match what has already been bet and then you raise the pot by putting in an additional amount. The limit on how much you can raise depends on the game. For example, if the initial bet was $1.00 and you wanted to raise $1.00, you would then have to put a total of $2.00 into the pot. After raising, the other players must decide to call, raise, or fold.
  - Fold - dropping out of the current hand and losing the possibility of winning the pot. When deciding to fold, you don't put money in and you lose only the money that you bet during previous rounds. If it's the first round, you would only lose your ante. Sometimes it's better to fold than to waste money on bad cards. Just remember the old saying, "Money saved is money earned!"
  Each poker game has a predetermined number of betting rounds. The highest hand at the end of the game wins the pot. In case two or more hands have the same value the pot is split between them. For more specific rules for popular games, check out the Texas Hold' em Poker Rules , Omaha Poker Rules, and Seven-Card Stud Poker Rules below.

Texas Hold'em

Texas Hold'em, also known as Hold'em, is an extremely popular game. Each player is dealt two cards face down (called the pocket, the hole or blind cards), and while the group is dealt five cards face up (called community cards). The players use their cards in the hole (the two blind cards dealt facedown) and five community cards to put together the best possible five-card combination. Players can use both, one or none of their pocket cards while trying to make the best five-card hand. If a player doesn't use any of his/her two blind cards to make a combination, it is called "playing the board". Each player's five-card combination is in direct competition with the other players' combinations. The player with the best five-card combination wins the pot.

Because Hold'em is relatively straight-forward and easy to grasp, it has gained popularity among the world over. Even professionals say that it takes only a couple of hours to learn the game. The following is a brief introduction to the rules for the game. The rules have been divided into easy-to-follow categories for you to learn Texas Hold'em and become a skillful player.

Remember, if you want to play successfully, you must know the game's rules, even if you're only playing with fun money.

Game Sequence
Texas Hold'em is made up of four betting rounds. Limit Hold'em allows for one bet and three raises in each round of betting. No Limit Hold'em doesn't limit the amount or size of bets. To continue playing during each betting round, the player must Call all of the action that has been directed at him/her, unless he/she has already gone "all-in".

Every round of betting starts with the first active player to the left of the "dealer button". This button moves clockwise around the table with every hand. This player has three choices - Check, Bet or Fold. After the player decides, all succeeding players have the same choices until the betting round ends. The player in the Big Blind position is able to Raise, Call, Check or Fold on his turn. If nobody has raised before him, the Big Blind can Check or Raise (see below for the definition of the Big Blind).

If, after all betting rounds have finished and there is more than one player still in the game, a showdown determines the winner. The last player to Raise is obligated to show his/her cards first.

Here is the game's sequence:
1. Before any cards are dealt, the Small and the Big Blinds are placed in the pot by the two players directly left of the dealer button. The Small Blind is equal to half the minimum bet at the table, and the Big Blind is equal to the minimum bet. The player in the Big Blind position acts after the player in the Small Blind position. The dealer's position is indicated by the dealer button (the white disk marked with a "D").
2. Two cards are dealt face down to each player and are called the "hole" (or "pocket") cards. The first round of betting commences with the player to the left of the Big Blind. This player calls, rises or folds and from there the game proceeds in a clockwise order.
3. The second betting round starts after three community cards (also known the "flop") are dealt face up. The player to the left of the button acts first, beginning this round of betting.
4. The third betting round begins when one more card, known as the "turn" or "Fourth Street", is dealt. In Limit Texas Hold'em, the betting amount doubles on the "turn".
5. The final betting round begins after the dealer has turned over the last card, known as the "river" or "Fifth Street ". This is the final round of betting.
6. The Showdown takes place after all betting has stopped and all remaining players (also called "active" players) are ready to show their hands. The dealer compares players' hands and declares a winner. The best hand takes the pot. If there is only one player remaining after any round of Texas Hold'em, the showdown is canceled and the pot is awarded to that player.

Hold'em Sequence Chart

To understand the whole game process, the sequence of turns is summarized in the following chart:

The Small and the Big Blinds are posted

Each player is dealt two cards face down

First round of betting

The flop (three cards) are dealt face up

Second round of betting

The "turn" (fourth community card) is dealt

Third round of betting

The "river" (fifth and final community card) is dealt

Final round of betting

Showdown

Game Selection and Bankroll
The first important step when beginning a poker session is choosing the appropriate game for your bankroll and skill level. This will ensure a long and winning career in poker.
- Bankroll
  - Be certain that you have a sufficient bankroll for the stakes of the game. Fluctuations in the game are common and a decent-sized bankroll often dictates your ability to withstand the peaks and troughs. If you try playing in a $3/$6 game with a $50 total bankroll, you'll probably leave the table broke and have to deposit more money into your account.
  - Generally, it's a good idea to have a bankroll of around 200 times the Big Blind. For example, bring $200 to a $0.5/$1 game.
- Evaluate the Game
  - It goes without saying that some games are more difficult than others, even when the limits are the same.
  - It is a good idea to look for games that have weaker players, as opposed to games with stronger players. As you continue to learn the game you will find that this is a very important ingredient to poker success.
  - Before sitting down at a table, take some time to watch the game. If it is a game full of tough players then it would be wise to consider another game.

Hand Selection

A major part of whether a player will be a winner in the long run knowing the best starting, or pre-flop, hands. This is just as important as Game Selection. Of course, this is just a rough guide to hand selections and if players who feel comfortable with the game's action can decided to play more hands than listed here. Also, remember that suited cards are stronger than unsuited cards, since they also give the possibility of making a flush.

1-10 Best Texas Hold'em Starting Hands

			Ace Ace (AA)
			King King (KK)
			Queen Queen (QQ)
			Ace King suited (AKs)
			Ace Queen suited (AQs)
			Jack Jack (JJ)
			King Queen suited (KQs)
			Ace Jack suited (AJs)
			King Jack suited (KJs)
			Ace King offsuit (AKo)

Additional Things to Watch For
Common cards variations at the Showdown
- Three flop cards and both hole cards
- Four flop cards and one of the hole cards
- Only the flop cards (when the board is played)
Check and raise leads are always allowed in Texas Hold'em games, with exception to the first round of betting. During the first round, every player must either bet or fold. The Bet prompt always indicates the minimum and maximum bet wager allowed in the Bet window.

The Texas Hold'em Dealer always sits at the head of the table and deals to all players. The dealer's position (also known as the button) starts at dealer's left and moves clockwise with each player from hand to hand.

At the beginning of the game, each player is dealt with two blind (hole) cards in a clockwise direction, starting from the button.

The Dealer Button is a white disk labeled with a "D" letter, which moves clockwise from player to player at the beginning of each hand. It is used to identify the current position of the dealer, although the player aligned with it is not actually dealing the cards. This position is widely known as "to be on the button". After each hand completed, the button moves one position to the left.

Betting Order is always dictated in Texas Hold'em by the order the cards were dealt.

Blinds are the required bets made by the two players to the left of the dealer button. The player immediately to the left of the button is the Small Blind and the player to the left of him/her is the Big Blind. The Small Blind is one-half the minimum bet and the Big Blind is equal to the minimum bet.

At the start of the first round, after the players in the blind positions have made their bets into the pot, each player is dealt two hole cards.

Folding is an important skill and will save players a lot of money over the course of their poker careers. For beginners, we suggest that, as a general rule of thumb, they fold any hand not listed above on the pre-flop starting hand. Furthermore, a player should probably fold their cards if the flop does not pair their high card(s), make three of kind, or flop two cards that give a chance to get a straight or flush.

Checking has both advantages and disadvantages. A player should generally consider raising or folding rather than checking. But, if the community cards have not helped the player's hand, a check is a safe option that allows the player to see the next card for free. Checking is often the best course of action when a player is unsure of whether he/she has the best hand at the showdown.

Calling also has its advantages and disadvantages. Like checking a player should consider raising or folding rather than calling. When the community cards have not helped them a player typically shouldn't call.
- Drawing hands that offer a chance to make a straight or a flush are often worth calling. Such hands usually require a slightly bigger pot or lots of players in the hand, as the odds of completing your draw are roughly about 1 in 4.
- If a player is unsure of whether he/she has the best hand at the showdown, then calling a bet is often the best course of action.
Betting/Raising/Re-Raising/Check-Raising are the essential weapons in a poker player's arsenal. Betting and raising is what poker is all about. Whenever a player believes that he/she has the best hand, the player should bet, raise, or re-raise. This is done to not only swell the amount of the bets in the pot but also helps guard against opponents drawing hands on the turn or the river.
- Players in a late position may bet or raise with strong drawing hands to either win the pot right away, or to enable them to receive a 'free' card on the next betting round when all the players who act before them check.
- If a player gets a very strong hand on the flop or later, then check-raising becomes a powerful way to increase the size of the pot. For check-raising to work, players should be very confident that someone else will bet after they check.
- Betting, raising, re-raising, and check-raising are also powerful tools when trying to deceive or bluff opponents, if they are used sparingly.
Bluffing is an important part of poker and it is a valuable tool for poker players. Bluffing can often win pots, and it allows players to keep their opponents off-balance.
- Bluffing works better against a smaller number of opponents, and often doesn't succeed against a large number of opponents.
- Do not try to bluff players who tend to call often. Bluffs work better against players who are more willing to fold.
Be careful to not bluff too much, as opponents will soon catch on and stop taking the bait.

Observe Your Opponents

A winning poker player should always observe and watch their fellow poker players. Analyzing an opponent's play gives a player insight into what hand their competitors may hold. This allows the observant player to make better decisions, and ultimately win more pots and lose fewer chips.
- A player should pay attention to other players and their actions even when he/she is not involved in the hand.
- Use our note-taking feature to build up a database on other players and their habits.
Players should also remember that their opponents are watching them, too, and so would be wise to vary their own play occasionally.<.p>

Omaha
1. Omaha High
  Omaha High is a community card game. This means that 5 community cards (cards everyone is allowed to use to make their hand) are dealt after each player receives 4 individual face-down pocket cards. To make their best hand in Omaha, players must use exactly 2 of their pocket cards and 3 of the community cards. No other combination of cards will be considered for the hand evaluation.
  
  Basic Game Sequence:
  - Blinds are posted
  - 4 pocket cards are dealt to each player
  - Pre flop betting occurs
  - The flop is dealt (3 community cards)
  - A 2nd round of betting occurs
  - The turn card is dealt (the 4th community card)
  - A 3rd round of betting occurs
  - The river card is dealt (the 5th community card)
  - A final round of betting occurs
  - Showdown occurs (hands must use 2 pocket cards and 3 community cards)
  - Pot is awarded to the player who assembles the best five-card hand.
  Detailed Rules:
  
  Just like Texas Hold'em, Omaha is played with a standard 52-card deck and as many as 10 players. A dealer "button" is used to indicate the position of the player who would be dealing the cards if the players were actually dealing the cards. The player holding the dealer button acts last and thus has a positional advantage that remains throughout the hand. After each hand, the button is moved one position clockwise so that all players in the game have the same opportunity to hold positional advantage.
  
  The two players on the button's immediate left must post "blind" bets...that is, amounts they place in the pot before they see their cards. Typically, the player in the very first position posts a blind bet one-half the size of the player in the second position, although in some games, the first bet (called the "small blind") may be as little as one-third or as much as two-thirds the size of the second bet (called the "big blind").
  
  All participants are now dealt four cards face down. These are pocket cards and belong exclusively to their "owners," and are not seen by the other players at any time until the showdown at the end of the hand. A round of betting takes place at this point, which is called "before the flop" or "pre-flop."
  
  Once the pre-flop betting is complete, the three cards are dealt face-up. These are "community" cards that belong to everyone, and these three cards are called "the flop." A second round of betting follows. In the second betting round, the player closest to the left of the button, who is still in the hand, acts first. After everyone places his or her bets, a 4th community card is dealt which is called the "Turn card ", or "Fourth Street."
  
  After the third round of betting concludes, the dealer reveals the fifth and final community card, called "The River," or "Fifth Street," which leads to a final round of betting. At the end of the final round of betting, any players still remaining in the hand turn their cards over. If at any point during the hand, one player makes a bet that all others decline to call, the hand is over immediately, and the player who made the final wager takes the pot without the need to show his or her cards. The player who can assemble the best five-card hand wins the pot.
2. Omaha High-Low
  The game is played the same way as Omaha High with the only difference that beside usual Omaha Hi winner there is another winner who gets half of the pot for the best Low combination.
  
  For a hand to qualify as low it must consist of five cards of different values, with no card having a value greater than eight. Flushes and straight aren't counted against you when evaluating a Low hand. Ace's can be high and low.The best low hand is 5-4-3-2-A and the worst is 8-7-6-5-4. Where two low hands have several of their lowest cards matched in value, then the hand with the lowest unmatched card is the better. For example 6-4-3-2-A is better than 7-4-3-2-A.
  
  In Omaha Hi-Low 'Hole' cards can be shared between High and Low hands or you can use different holes cards in each hand. You can only use two of your Hole cards in any one hand though, as in standard Omaha Hi.
Seven-Card Stud
1. Seven-Card Stud High
  The game begins with each player automatically putting an ante. The exact size of the ante depends on the stakes you have chosen to play.Three cards are then dealt to each player; two face down and one face up. The player showing the lowest upcard must make what is called a "bring-in" bet. As with the ante, the size of the bring-in varies depending on the size of the stakes, but unlike the ante, you have a choice with the bring-in. Here are examples of the antes and bring-ins for the different limits:
  
  Limit Ante Bring In
  
  1/2 0.1 0.50
  3/6 0.30 1
  5/10 0.50 2
  
  You may make a minimum bet that is only slightly larger than the ante, or you may choose to make a full-sized bet. For example, in a $5-$10 game, you could choose to make a bring-in bet of either $2.00 or $5.00
  
  The bring-in bet is the only significant time and place in Seven-Card Stud where card suits come into play. The highest suit is spades, followed by hearts, diamonds, and clubs. If the lowest upcard showing is a four, and one player held the four of hearts, and the other the four of diamonds, the player with the four of diamonds would make the bring-in bet.
  
  Assuming the player who brings the hand in does do so for the minimum, the next player to act (action, as in all forms of poker, moves in a clockwise direction) may choose to fold, call the minimum bet, or "raise" by "completing" the bet. For example, in the $3-$6 game, the first raiser would increase the bet from $1 to $3, a raise of only $2. Any further raises during this round would be in normal $3 increments.
  
  Fourth Street (the second round of betting)
  
  After the action has been completed on the opening round, the dealer gives a face-up card to each player remaining in the game. Unlike the first round, where the lowest hand was forced to start the action, in this second betting round, the highest hand on board has the option to start the betting; that is, the player showing the highest hand is called upon first to either bet or check.
  
  Checking (declining to bet, but retaining the option to remain in the hand if someone else bets, or even to raise if someone else bets) is not an option on the first betting round, because the forced bring-in bet creates a bet that must be called or raised. The betting action starts with the highest visible hand throughout all further betting rounds. In the unlikely event of a tie, suits once again come into play. For example, if two players are each showing the highest hand with an ace-four (or four-ace; the order the cards are received in doesn't matter), the player with the higher suit would start the action.
  
  Normally, all bets and raises are at the lower dollar figure (in our example here, $2) during the first two betting rounds, and at the higher dollar figure ($4 in this example) for the final three betting rounds. If, however, someone immediately makes an open pair on his first two upcards, he is allowed the option to immediately make the larger bet; that is, he can choose to bet either $3 or $6. He could also choose to check, however.
  
  If the player bets $3, his opponents may call or raise in $3 increments. Because the open pair creates the possibility of the $6 wager, just because the player who owns the pair bets $3, the other players don't have to stick with that number. For example, Player A, who is showing an open pair of fives, might bet $3, and find himself immediately raised $6 by Player B (who puts $9 into the pot to do so). As soon as the $6 raise is made, the action stays at the $6 level; that is, Player C cannot re-raise $3 (putting $9 into the pot). If Player C wants to re-raise after Player B has raised $6, Player C must also raise $6.
  
  Similarly, if Player A bets $6, all further calls or raises are in $6 increments.
  
  Fifth and Sixth Streets
  
  On "fifth street", you receive your third upcard, and then there is a round of betting, again started by the highest hand on board. There are no more $3 bets: all bets and raises are at the higher $6 increments. "Sixth street" is virtually identical: an upcard is dealt, the highest hand acts first, and all bets and raises are at the higher $6 increments.
  
  Seventh Street, "The River"
  
  The betting on "seventh street" is identical to "sixth street", but the card dealt is the last card you will receive, and it is dealt face down. After you examine this final card, you assemble your best possible five card poker hand out of the seven in front of you.
2. Seven-Card Stud High-Low
  The game is played exactly as Seven-Card Stud High only the pot is splitted the same way as it happens in Omaha High-Low.
RAZZ
The goal of razz is to collect the lowest 5-card combination out of 7 cards. A maximum of 8 players can play limit razz simultaneously.

Every game begins with players putting in an ante. After this, each player is dealt 2 hole cards that are hidden from other players and one card face up. The first round of betting begins (there are 5 rounds of betting in each razz hand). In the beginning of the first round, the player with highest open card makes the first bet. Suits are ranked as follows from high to low: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs. This bet could be the minimum (called bring-in), or it can be made up to the amount of a small stake. Other players have an option to fold, to call the bring-in or the stake, to make a small stake themselves (if it hasn't been made yet) or to raise to the amount of a double small stake. There can be 3 raises in a betting round. The last raise is called the cap.

After the first betting round ends, the remaining players are dealt 3 more open cards (which are called the 4th, 5th and 6th streets) and the last closed card (7th street). After each dealt card, a new round of betting begins. On the 5th, 6th and 7th street, the stakes are doubled.

In the end every remaining player has 7 cards - 4 open and 3 closed. At the flop, the player with the lowest 5 different card combination out of his 7 cards wins. Aces are the best low card. Flushes and straights have no value. Two cards of a pair count as one. The best combination in razz is A-2-3-4-5.