Poker Room

Texas Hold’em (usually shortened to just Hold’em) is the most popular poker game. It can be played Limit, Pot Limit or No Limit, with somewhat different strategies for each. Texas Hold’em is a community card game where players are each dealt two cards while sharing five common cards. The player who stays in the pot until the end and combines their cards with the community ones to make the best five card hand wins, unless no one calls in which case the only remaining hand wins.  

Omaha is a community card game similar to Texas Hold’em, Omaha players get four personal cards and share five community cards. Omaha players must use two cards from their held card and three from the exposed community cards. Most often played eight-or-better high-low split, Omaha is also played high only and also can be played Limit, Pot Limit or (rarely) No Limit. All games are played with forced bets known as “blinds,” both a small and big blind. The small blind is usually approximately half the minimum bet of the round and the big blind is equal to the minimum bet of the round. These games also have a “Dealer Button” that travels clockwise around the table to determine which player receives the first card and which player is last to take action.

Stud Poker has many versions. Seven Card Stud is the most popular version played in casinos; however, Seven Card Stud High-Low is becoming more popular. Stud High-Low with an eight or better qualifier is the most common form of High-Low Stud in casinos. Five Card Stud is rarely played in casinos. Seven Card Stud is played with two down (hidden) cards and four face up (exposed) cards followed by a final down card.

What beats what? 

Here’s a quick reference for winning hands from highest to lowest

1. Royal flush. A, K, Q, J, 10, all the same suit
2. Straight flush. Five cards in a sequence, all in the same suit
3. Four of a kind. All four cards of the same rank
4. Full house. Three of a kind with a pair
5. Flush. Five cards are the same suite
6. Straight. Five cards in a sequence 
7. Three of a kind.
8. Two pair
9. One pair
10. High card