Poker Rules (Cont.)

Poker Rules - Hands with wild cards

Wild cards rank exactly the same as the cards they stand for, so when comparing hands of the same rank, ties are possible between same denomination fours, full houses and threes. With fours and threes, the rank of the other cards in the hands decides the winner where possible.

The poker rules is that if hands with wild cards are identical rank, the hand with no or fewer wild cards, wins. If there are the same number of wild cards, the hands tie. Where wild cards are used for any card (even one held by the player) two new hands are possible.

1. Five of a kind: five cards of the same denomination. This ranks as highest hand, above a straight flush.
2. Double ace high flush: a flush including two aces. This ranks above flush and below full house.

Sometimes a wild card my be used only to make a five of a kind- but not to make double ace high flush. This must be decided before start of play.

Poker Rules - Number of Players

Anywhere from two to thirteen players seek to make the highest possible five-card hand from the cards made available to them by the particular form of poker they are playing. More players are theoretically possible, but impractical.

In seven card stud games the maximum number of players is eight. In Omaha games the maximum number of players is ten. In Texas Hold'em the maximum number of players is thirteen.

In Draw and Lowball the maximum number of players is nine, although eight is a preferred maximum because when you play nine-handed you constantly run out of cards and the discards have to be re-shuffled and dealt for the draw.

Poker Rules - Dealing

The dealer deals cards face down around the table, starting at the player to his left and continuing clockwise. The dealer always deals to himself last and then deals everyone a first card, then goes back around the circle to deal the second card, and so forth. When everyone has five cards, the remainder of the deck is placed in the middle of the table, and game begins.

Poker Rules - Order of Play

The play of a hand always proceeds clockwise, beginning with the player in first position, and ending with the last player to respond to an action. Each player acts after the player to his immediate right. If no action is made, then play continues to the player in last position.

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