Poker Guide

History
The first early records of a game resembling poker are found in Germany in the 15th century. The game of pochspiel was played with a small hand of cards on which the players laid bets against one another. Other connections link to the Persian game of nas, and the French game of poque, all of which have similarities to the modern game.

Objective of the game
The prime objective in poker, and in any of the many poker variations, is to be left holding the winnings at the end of each round. After the initial deal, players attempt to form the best possible hand from their given cards and any other cards dealt by the dealer, or on show in a community pot. Each round involves a series of betting where players display bravado against the other players in the game until a showdown forces only those with the best hand or biggest nerve to remain until the end.

Types of poker games
There are possibly more variations of the game of poker than of any other kind of card game. Hardly a week goes by without someone thinking of a new way to play the game. Essentially there are really three large families of games. These are draw, stud, and community poker games:

• Draw poker: players discard and replace a number of cards in their hand.
• Stud poker: initial deal of three cards with two cards dealt face down and only revealed at the end of the game.
• Community poker: players receive a number of cards face down, with a further selection of cards placed in a community pool, which all players can use to complete their hand.

Betting
Each round continues with players raising the stakes according to their guess at whether they can play the final winning hand and scoop the pot. The game ends with a showdown where players reveal their hands with the top hand taking the winnings.

All poker games use the same poker hands. These range from a royal flush with a run of ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit, all the way down to a single high card.