Poker Rules
Poker Hand Ranking
- Royal Flush – A straight from a ten to an ace with all five cards of the same suit. In poker all suits are ranked equally.
- Straight Flush – Any straight with all five cards of the same suit.
- Four of a Kind – Any four cards of the same rank.
- Full House – Any three cards of the same rank together with any two cards of the same rank.
- Flush – Any five nonconsecutive cards of the same suit.
The highest card of the five determines the rank of the flush.
- Straight – Any five consecutive cards of different suits.
Aces can count as either a high or a low card.
- Three of a Kind – Any three cards of the same rank.
- Two Pair – Any two cards of the same rank together with another two cards of the same rank.
- One Pair – Any two cards of the same rank.
- High Card
Basic Terminology
- Blinds: Short for “blind bets,” these are the forced bets made before the cards are dealt. In Hold’em, blinds take the place of the classic “ante.”
- Burn Card: The card dealt facedown before any community card is dealt.
- Check: Similar to a call, but no money is bet. If there is no raise preflop, the big blind may check.
- Preflop: Anything that occurs before the flop is dealt is preflop.
- Flop: The first three community cards dealt.
- Turn: The fourth community card dealt; also known as fourth street.
- River: The final community card dealt; also known as fifth street.
- Showdown: When players reveal their hands to discover the pot’s winner.
- Kicker: Refers to a tie-breaking card.
- Heads-Up: One on one play, usually the final two at the end of a tournament.
- Option: The big blind’s choice whether to raise/check.
- Bubble: The period just before the paid places begin.