A common question that even I found myself asking every time I was watching Television and saw a group of men in a cigar smoke-filled room sat around a circular table, dealing cards to one another before all but one would slap their cards down and sigh as the remaining man would smugly scoop up a pile of chips or loose notes that lay tossed in its center.
If you too have wondered what’s going on there, or just wish to know a bit more about the game, then this may be the article for you.
This is not a comprehensive guide or a “How to Play,” but more of a simple explanation to make the world of Poker a little less intimidating.
What is Poker?
Many think that Poker is a single game with confusing rules and people shouting random phrases at each other, but there’s more to it than that. There are multiple ways to play with even more common rule variations. The primary objective in Poker has the players to receive a set of playing cards from the appointed dealer; these card sets are called ‘Hands’ and the player with the best hand wins. Traditionally, one would use chips to denote the amount one bets in a round but these games can be held with valuable items like money, cars, and jewelry in the chips place as collateral.
How do you win?
There are multiple factors that determine the winner. Yes, a key method is to have the best value hand but that is not the only way. There is a considerable amount of psychology, probability, and game theory involved. If you’ve heard the phrase “play the man, not the cards” then you’re one step closer to understanding the ruling concept in the game which is to manipulate your opponent. Your hand might be absolute garbage but your opponents don’t know that, and if you can convince them that you have, not only a great hand but a better hand than theirs; you can cause them to fold out of fear or even cause them to reveal their tell. A ‘Tell’ is a change in a player’s behavior or demeanor that can give a clue to what is in their hand.
Where did Poker come from?
It’s strongly suggested that Poker originates from the Persian card game As-Nas, but those claims are widely disputed. Rising in America during the early 19th century, it grew in popularity, and then in 1970, the World Series of Poker began and it enjoyed further favor in public consumption thanks to the modern tournament play found in American casinos. Now in the early 20th century, it has become a widely popular activity throughout the world for participants and spectators alike.
Situs Poker online has since found its way into every aspect of our society from movies and television to video games and online versions that you can play yourself with minimal effort. We’ve grown accustomed to it as a game of wits and luck that requires focus and cunning to play and to be fair to the players, that isn’t untrue.
What types of Poker are there?
As stated before, there are lots of ways to play with varying rules that can make the games slightly different to barely recognizable. There are three game types that are the most popular:
Draw Poker: The player is dealt a hand, usually five cards, and must improve the hand by replacing cards while keeping their own hidden.
Stud Poker: Each player receives a combination of face-up and face-down cards throughout multiple rounds. This allows the other players a chance of seeing some of the cards you have and vice versa.
Community Card Poker: This is where the players are dealt an incomplete hand and the rest that can be used are shared face-up cards in the center of the table.
I hope this helps you have a slightly better understanding of the general themes of Poker and helps it seem a bit less confusing.