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Poker is a game which has stood the test of time as one of the most popular card games of all time. You may conjure up images of cigar-smoking men in visors drinking beer and throwing chips, but poker games can be family events or get-togethers for couples or friends. You can have an all girl poker night or an all guy poker night, once you see how much fun it is to play, you may find yourself lighting up a cigar.
Poker doesn’t have to be played for big money to have a good time. When we play poker, we all bring our jars of change which we throw spare coins in when doing the laundry, etc. Bets start at a nickel and if you have enough players, you can even make a few dollars. By using nickels, no one will loose the family ranch or have to sell their firstborn and you’ll still have the excitement of winning money and hearing the sound of coins!
There are many variations of poker games, and often, if you play poker with friends you will find that they have games you have never heard of. It’s fun to invent new games and the rules are only limited by your imagination. For straight poker, there are a few standard games.
Five card draw is one of the oldest games, the one you see in old western films. The dealer gives each player five cards and everyone puts the pre-determined amount of money in the pot. Each player decides how many cards he will keep and how many he will throw down to exchange for new cards. The most cards a player can exchange is 3 unless he has an ace, in which case he can keep the ace and exchange 4 cards, but he must show his ace. After every player has exchanged his cards, bets are placed and the player with the best hand wins. It is up to the dealer to decide if any cards are wild or if you will need a pair of jacks or better to win the hand.
Seven card stud is another popular game. This game is played by dealing two cards down, four cards up and one card down again. There is no exchanging of cards and the player with the best hand is the winner. Any card can be made wild by the dealer.
So how do you know if you’ve won a hand of poker? It’s hard to remember what beats what when you are starting out. If you are playing among friends, they may let you keep this handy list nearby when you play.
Winning hands from least to best:
1 pair
2 pair
3 of a kind
straight
flush
full house
4 of a kind
straight flush
5 of a kind
royal flush
So for your next get-together, invite your friends and family over for a fun night of poker and ask them to bring their favorite game to the table. Before you know it, you’ll have an arsenal of games and everyone will have their favorite.
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