Poker has many variations. Among the most popular are Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and seven-card stud. The fewer-than-five-card versions of these games are known as Three-Card Monte and Spit-in-the-Ocean. All of these variations are described further in this chapter. For groups with more than ten players, two separate games are organized. A successful poker hand wins the pot and all of the chips in it.
In almost all poker games, poker chips are used. The lowest-value chip is the white chip. There are also red, blue, and purple chips. The players “buy in” to the game by purchasing chips. Normally, each player buys in for the same amount of chips. After buying in, players make bets that may not win the game. Ultimately, the game depends on the decisions of all players. For example, a player might call, raise, or fold depending on his hand.
Limits in poker games vary widely. Some games have no limits. The limit may be two chips or five, while others have a limit of ten. In different variations, the limit may be higher or lower depending on the stage of the game. In the early stages, the limit of betting is five chips, and ten chips after the draw. The final betting interval is usually ten chips. The limit for raising and betting is determined by the pot limit.
The highest hand in poker is a straight flush. It is a sequence of five cards of the same suit. The highest straight flush is a royal flush. While the odds of getting a royal flush are low, the royal straight flush is considered to be the best hand. The odds for winning this hand are 1 in almost 650,000. Four of a kind is the next highest hand. Four aces or four threes are considered four-of-a-kind. In addition, a fourth unmatched card does not count in a straight flush.
