Poker Game Channel

June 8th, 2011 by admin

At Seven Card Stud Poker each player must ante to be dealt in. The ante starts the pot and the amount of the ante is set by the game limit. Each player is dealt individual cards, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer. The action proceeds clockwise from the low card bring-in. When playing 7 card stud each player, in turn, has the option of:

1. Folding,
2. Calling the bring-in,
3. Raising (on the initial round the 1st raise is a completion and not considered a raise).

• Each player is dealt two cards down and one up, (the up card is referred to as a ‘door card’). The low card – designated in alphabetical order, by suit – clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades – starts the action with a ‘bring-in’ bet. The amount of the bring-in bet is set by the game limit.

• The next card, dealt up, is known as 4th street, the high hand starts the action. If a pair shows on this round, the player/s have the option of: 1) checking, 2) betting the small bet amount, 3) betting the big bet amount. Example: $4 – 8 stud. Player A pairs his door card. Player A may check, bet $4, or bet $8. If Player A bets $4, player B has the option of calling $4 and raising $8 more for a total of $12, or just calling $4 or calling and raising $4.

• The next card, dealt up, is commonly called 5th street. If a player bets, they must bet the big bet amount.

• The next card, dealt up, is called 6th street, the betting is the same as 5th street.

• The last card is dealt down, called 7th street or the ‘river’, the betting is the same as 5th street.

The best five cards play in Seven Card Stud Poker game. Aces play high or low.

A 7 card stud poker game that is played in identical format to 7 card stud – with more than one difference noted. Players can make high or low hands to win all or part of the pot, there is no qualifier on low, in this respect the low is similar to RAZZ. Another factor in the game play that mimics RAZZ is the high card is forced to ‘bring-in’ the bet on the first three cards dealt. On the fourth card dealt, the low hand starts the action. If a pair shows in the first four cards dealt, the small bet limit is still in force, the only stud game that allows the ‘big bet’ on the fourth street pair is 7 card stud. Players may use any combination of five cards for high and five cards for low. Aces play high or low.

7 Card Stud 8 or Better

7 Card Stud 8 or better or 7 card stud hi/lo as it is commonly referred to, game play is identical to 7 Card Stud except for the fact that one is trying to make a high or low hand or both and on ‘fourth street’ if a pair shows, the small bet is in effect instead of allowing a player to bet the big bet.

The low hand must qualify by showing five cards that are eight or under to win the low half of the pot. If there is no low hand, the high hand wins the whole pot. Any five cards may be used for high and any five for low. Aces play high or low.

Once you have learned the basic Seven Card Stud rules, it is time to read poker strategy articles and start playing online. Try low limit tables or fun money first and only when you feel satisfied with your game, move to higher limits. Check for the best online poker room on our poker room ratings table. See you at the tables!

June 8th, 2011 by admin

The game of Omaha is a game very similar to Texas Holdem. The Omaha Poker blinds and limits and play of the game, are identical to Holdem. There is one major exception as to how the cards are used and played in the hand.

• Each player is dealt 4 cards down, beginning with the small blind. The first round of betting forces a player to 1) fold, 2) call the amount of the big blind, 3) or raise. A raise has to be the size of the bet, unless the raising player is going all-in. When the action returns to the blinds, the blinds have the option of calling/checking or raising the bet.

• In Omaha Poker after the betting round is complete, three cards are placed face up on the table – the ‘flop’ – all at once, and the first player in front of the button begins the action. Each player, (in turn), has the option of checking if the bet is checked to them, calling, raising, or folding, if they are facing a bet. If a player checks and there is a bet to them, the player has the option of ‘check raising’ when the action returns to them.

• After the ‘flop’ betting action is complete, a 4th card is turned face up on the table, (commonly called 4th Street or the Turn), and the betting action commences again – if there is a bet, the big bet is mandatory at this stage of the hand, (in $10 – $20 limit, the Flop bet limit is $10 and raise $10, on the Turn the bet limit is $20 and raise $20).

• After the Turn betting action is complete, a 5th card is turned face up on the table, (commonly called 5th Street or the River), and the betting action commences again with the big bet limit.

Each player MUST use two cards from their hand and three from the board. If a player has one spade in their hand and four spades are on the table, the player does not have a flush. Two spades would be required in the player’s hand.

Omaha 8 or better

The order of betting, blinds, and play of the game is the same as Omaha Poker. Omaha 8 or better or ‘Omaha hi/lo’ as it’s commonly referred to is a high/low game, in which the low hand must qualify with an EIGHT or under for low. If there is no low in the hand, the high hand wins the whole pot.

In order for a low to be possible, there must be three cards that are eight or under on the table. It is possible for a player to win both the high and low. Example: A-2 hearts, A-5 spades are in player’s hand. Board shows K-3-4 hearts, 2-10 off suit. Player has an Ace high flush and A-2-3-4-5 for low, (wheel).