|
Poker Handbook
Poker is a microcosm of all we admire and disdain about
capitalism and democracy. It can be rough-hewn or polished, warm or cold,
charitable and caring or hard and impersonal. It is fickle and elusive, but
ultimately it is fair, and right, and just.
The card game poker is the most popular of a class of games
called vying games, in which players with fully or partially concealed cards
make wagers into a central pot, after which the pot is awarded to the remaining
player or players with the best combination of cards.
Poker Jargon
The large and growing jargon of poker includes many terms.
This set of pages contains brief glosses of most of the popular terms you may
encounter in text or over the table.
If more than a brief gloss is required, there may be a link
to a more complete article on the topic. Though space is not an issue here, the
list has been trimmed to primarily those poker-specific terms one might find in
poker texts or in common use in casinos. Not included here are those terms whose
meanings are obvious or not specifically poker-related, those that are too
regional, and those that are just obvious variations of words covered here.
Cheating at Poker
Cheating in poker is more common than most people care to
believe. Although most cheating occurs in private games that do not follow
strict gaming procedures, it is also very common in regulated card rooms and
casinos.
Cheating can be done either by means of collusion,
sleight-of-hand (such as bottom dealing, stacking the deck, switching cards
etc), or the use of cheating gaffs (such as marked cards, holdout devices, glims
etc).
Cheating is as common in friendly games as it is in high-stakes games. A card
cheat may operate alone, but most of them operate in pairs or small groups. The
groups are often composed of one card mechanic who is in charge of manipulating
the cards, one or several shills who pose as regular players, and a muscle who
acts as a bodyguard. Street gangs also often employ a wall man who acts as a
lookout, however this approach is more common with three card monte mobs, and
back-alley dice gangs.
Poker Strategy
Miscellaneous topics to cover: Probability - Bluffing -
Sandbagging - Game theory - Psychology - Tells - Pot odds - Drawing - Protection
- Value - Outs - Starting hands - Game selection - Position
Specific games: Texas holdem strategy - Draw poker strategy -
California lowball strategy - Seven-card stud strategy - High-low split strategy
- Razz strategy
Poker Variants
The game of poker has many variations, most of them created
in the United States in the mid-1900s.
The standard order of play applies to most of these games,
but to fully specify a poker game requires details about which hand values are
used, the number of betting rounds, and exactly what cards are dealt and what
other actions are taken between rounds. Any game may also use any betting
structure.
Poker Betting Structure
The game of poker as played today requires that players agree
before play on allowable amounts for betting (called limits), and the use and
amount of forced bets.
These are collectively called the betting structure of the
game.
The betting structure of a poker game is a more significant factor in its
balance of luck and skill than the game variant being played. Higher forced bets
and smaller limits increase the influence of chance. Smaller forced bets and
larger limits increase the element of skill. Good games are carefully balanced
so that skillful players will win in the long run while recreational players can
win often enough for the game to be exciting to them.
Poker Terminology
In the game of poker, Opens and Raises are considered aggressive plays, while
Calls and Checks are considered passive (though a Check-raise would be
considered an aggressive play).
It is said that "aggression has its own value", meaning that often aggressive
plays can make money with weak hands because of Bluff value. Aggressive plays
also tend to give the opponents more opportunities to make mistakes.
Poker Hands
The word hand in the game of poker is used to mean any of the
following:
The set of cards held by an individual player during play.
Joe took another look at his hand when Virginia raised. The term holding can be
used for less ambiguity.
The value of a player's hand(1), as determined by the rules of the game being
played (see below). Karen's hand was a flush, but lost to Steve's full house.
The term hand value can be used for less ambiguity.
A single instance of poker game play, also called a deal. We played eight hands
of draw poker, then eight hands of stud poker.
Empire Poker
EmpirePoker brings you the best in live, multi-player poker,
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Join our tables now, and start winning real cash
today!
EmpirePoker stands for ease of use and most of all FUN.
Thousands of players play poker daily on EmpirePoker, and there are many good
reasons why!
We offer a variety of games and tournaments. We also offer FREE play at our play
money tables, for as long as you like. Play on our free software live with other
players at no cost while you learn the ropes. In addition, we make every effort
to ensure a fair and safe environment for all players. Your banking and personal
information remain TOTALLY PRIVATE.
Let It Ride Poker
Let It Ride was first introduced to the casinos in 1993.
Shuffle Master Inc, the company that makes those automatic-shuffling machines,
created it.
The game is popular because it offers a potential for high
pay outs. Because the players are not playing against each other or trying to
beat the dealer, camaraderie develops among the players creating a fun
atmosphere. The game and the correct playing strategy can be learned quickly.
Poker Game
Online poker is not one game, but a large family of related
games. Hence the online poker rules may vary from site to site.
There are so many variations of these poker rules that it
sometimes seems a new "family member" appears every time someone picks up a deck
of cards. Still there are general poker rules and principles that unite almost
all games that fall under the name of poker.
Online poker is a rich, complex game that combines skill,
luck and intense psychological warfare. Every player competes against and
interacts with every other; each player's actions influence each other player's
actions.
Online Poker Chip
Thousands of players play poker daily on EmpirePoker, and
there are many good reasons why!
We offer a variety of games and tournaments. We also offer FREE play at our play
money tables, for as long as you like. Play on our free software live with other
players at no cost while you learn the rules. In addition, we make every effort
to ensure a fair and safe environment for all players. Your banking and personal
information remain TOTALLY PRIVATE.
|
RoDI
ISOC
IWA
ARTT
RTS
WQC 2003
ISAQ 2005