A standard 52-card deck of playing cards

A table and chairs

Ideally, five to seven players (poker is a bit strange with less than four players, and cumbersome with more than eight) but any number is OK.

Some "chips" of various colors, each with an established value (you can use genuine poker chips, or anything that's in abundant supply so long as you agree upon the value of each item)

A few minutes to learn, much longer to become proficient. A game of poker can last as long as the player's endurance (in casual play, it's a good idea to set a cut-off time before starting, since the losing parties are always motivated to keep playing).

There are many other Poker games being played today, some of the most common being Baseball, Texas Hold 'em, and High/Low variations. Many books are on the market to tell you all about them, as well as providing strategies to maximize your winnings. If you are serious about playing Poker, pick up a few, and gain some experience playing in friendly games.

2torial #0504: Learn2 Play Poker You got to know when to hold 'em... A game of poker is not so much a card game as it is a psychology class. It's said that good poker players can win more consistently by making accurate assessments of their fellow players' characters than by paying attention to the cards, and that's not too far off the mark. Knowledge, patience and luck are all important factors in any poker game, but the truth is, not much can save an amateur's money from an experienced poker professional who's determined to get it. After reading this, you'll know the basics of playing several common poker games, but you won't win consistently without more playing experience than you probably have at the moment. So stay away from Vegas for a while, O.K.? Here's the general idea: most poker sessions are made up of many individual games, or "hands". Every player will "ante" up a token amount for the privilege of receiving their first cards. Based on those cards, the player will make an estimate of the chances of success. Every time an additional card(s) is added to the hand, and another bet is required to continue, another estimate is made. The difficulties lie in knowing at what point to cut your losses and "fold", when to "bluff", when to play a mediocre hand, and how to increase the chance of acquiring a good hand. Each player's "rhythm" will gradually emerge, as the session progresses, and the good player will understand those rhythms well enough to make an educated guess as to the quality of their opponents hands. Luck, of course, plays a large role, but a crafty player can still win on a night when the cards are running against them. Keep in mind that a good session will last several hours, and set aside that time, so that you won't be distracted by anything else that needs attention. It's important to concentrate on the task at hand. Learn the common goals and the card values   The goal of most games of poker (except for oddball ones like high-low) is to either gain the best selection of five cards (as defined below) or to convince the other players that you have gained the best selection of five cards (called "bluffing"), so that they drop out of the game (called "folding"). Cards in poker are ranked, or valued, in the following order, from lowest to highest: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. Suits are also valued, from lowest to highest, as follows: Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts and Spades. House rules often allow aces to double as low cards, so make sure that the house rules are understood before beginning. The value of poker hands, in increasing value, are these: High Card: In a poker hand with no winning combinations of cards, the high card wins. That card is determined by the ranking above. One Pair: Two cards of the same value, with three extra cards that do not combine in any desirable way. Two Pair: Two pairs of cards with the same value, each pair having a different value. One extra card is present. Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same value, with the remaining two cards not combining in any desirable way. Straight: Five cards of sequential value, and differing "suits" (spades, clubs, hearts or diamonds). Flush: Five cards of the same suit, that are not all sequential. Full House: Three cards of one value, and two cards of another value. Sometimes called a "full boat". Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same value, with one extra card present. Straight Flush: Five sequential cards of the same suit. Royal Flush: A Straight Flush that consists of the five highest value cards, 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. Each level of value beats all levels below it. For instance, even the lowest Three of a Kind (Twos) will beat the highest Two Pair (Aces and Kings). If two players have the same type of hand, the player with the higher value cards wins the hand. For instance, the player with three Jacks beats the player with three Eights. Extra cards only matter if two players have otherwise identical hands. For instance, if two players each have Two Pair consisting of Tens and Fours, the player with the higher value extra card wins the hand. Learn five-card draw Five-card draw is the basic game from which all others are derived. First shuffle the deck of cards thoroughly, as each player antes an identical, agreed amount. The dealer gives each player five cards, one at a time, in a clockwise order starting with the person on the dealers left. After looking at their cards, the person on the dealers left has several options: Fold- Placing their cards face down towards the middle of the table and sitting out the rest of the hand. Their cards remain on the table until the hand is finished, and their ante remains in the pot. Bet- Placing a wager in the pot. Often, the house rules determine minimum and maximum bets. Pass- Choosing not to make a wager, and allowing the person to their left the same three choices. Once a player has made a wager, the choices for the remaining players are slightly different. Fold- As above, the players turn their cards face down towards the middle of the table and sit out the rest of the hand. Sorry, all the money stays in. Call- Matching the other players bet by placing an equal wager into the pot. Raise- Placing a higher wager into the pot. All other players must call that bet--or raise it--in order to remain in the game. After a round of betting, any remaining players are allowed to exchange up to three of their cards with an equal amount from the top of the deck of remaining cards. After all players have done this, a second round of betting occurs. When that round is finished, the player whose bet has been called by other players must show their cards first. A winner is determined, and that person collects all bets in the pot. If all other players are unwilling to call the bet, and fold, the winner is not required (but certainly is allowed) to show their cards to the other players. Learn five-card stud The most common variation on the classic draw game, stud differs in the presentation of cards and the addition of betting rounds. Rather than receiving five cards face down, players receive one card down, and one card face up to begin the game. All of the cards are left on the table. Players then glance at their (face) down cards, and a round of betting ensues. Betting starts with the player having the highest card face up, or "showing". After the first round of betting, each player receives another card face up. Another round of betting occurs, beginning with the player showing the highest hand. The betting continues until each player that hasn't folded has five cards total (four showing and one down). The player with the highest hand wins and takes the pot. Learn seven-card stud Another common variation, this game differs from five card stud in the presentation of cards, and the ability to choose the best five of seven total cards to form your hand. This is often a higher stakes game than most, and higher value hands, such as flushes, are common. Each player initially receives two cards face down, and one card face up. A betting round ensues, and each player that does not fold is given another card face up. This continues until all remaining players have seven cards total, with the final card being dealt face down! Players than choose their best five cards, and the winner is determined. As before, each betting round starts with the player showing the best hand. -end- Learn More!