Poker Online - GAME RULES: The Basics, Blind/Ante Rules, Betting Rules, All In Rules, Hand Rankings, Basic Game Tips

GAME RULES: The Basics

The basics of poker are simple. The object of the game is to win the pot - or the sum of money being wagered throughout the course of a game (minus the 'rake').

Winning is possible in the following ways:

• You have the best hand,
  or                  

• You bluff your opponent into thinking that you have the better cards and he folds.  

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Poker School - HOSE

HOSE

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The HOSE poker game is simply a combination of other popular poker games where you alternate the game you play each time the dealer button goes around the table once. In HOSE (or H.O.S.E.), you start by playing a round of Texas Holdem, then a round of Omaha – Eights or Better (Hi/Lo), then 7 card Stud, followed by 7 Cards Stud – Eights or better (Hi/Lo). See the rules for each game as they are all played separately and there’s no mix or strange combination of any of the games while you’re playing a hand.
H – Texas Holdem
O – Omaha – Eights or Better
S – Seven Card Stud
E – Seven Card Stud – Eights or Better

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Poker School - Horse

HORSE

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The HORSE poker game is simply a combination of other popular poker games where you alternate the game you play each time the dealer button goes around the table once. In HORSE (or H.O.R.S.E.), you start by playing a round of Texas Holdem, then a round of Omaha – Eights or Better (Hi/Lo), then RAZZ, then 7 card Stud, followed by 7 Cards Stud – Eights or better (Hi/Lo). See the rules for each game as they are all played separately and there’s no mix or strange combination of any of the games while you’re playing a hand.
H – Texas Holdem
O – Omaha – Eights or Better
R – RAZZ
S – Seven Card Stud
E – Seven Card Stud – Eights or Better

Poker School - HAR

HAR

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The HAR poker game is simply a combination of other popular poker games where you alternate the game you play each time the dealer button goes around the table once. In HAR (or H.A.R.), you start by playing a round of Texas Holdem, then a round of Omaha, then RAZZ. See the rules for each game as they are all played separately and there’s no mix or strange combination of any of the games while you’re playing a hand
H – Holdem
A – Omaha
R – RAZZ 

Poker School - HA Poker or “Half N Half”

HA Poker or "Half N Half"

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Some poker rooms refer to HA Poker as “Half N Half” poker and both are the exact same poker game. You’ll play you play one hand of Texas Holdem and one hand of Omaha.
In tournaments, it’s common to play the same game over and over, and then switch when the blinds go up. In other words, whenever there is a change in blind levels, you switch the poker game.
If you don’t know the rules fo Texas Holdem and Omaha, read how to play Texas Holdem and how to play Omaha.

 

Poker School - Badugi

Badugi

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Just like in Texas Holdem, you’ll find a dealer button, the small blind, and the big blind. Unlike Texas Holdem, Badugi is a four card lowball where you must try to have one card of each suit, and no pairs.
Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, everyone is dealt a total of four cards face down (1 card per player 4 times, not 4 consecutive cards per player). The first betting round takes place beginning with the player to the left of the big blind, just like in Holdem. Betting also works the same way, where players fold, call, raise, or check when that is an option. The same concepts of limits found in Holdem can be applied to Badugi as well (no limit, limit and pot limit). I’ll explain these betting rules in more details at the end of these Badugi poker instructions. 

Poker School - Razz

Razz

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Razz is a poker game variation very similar to Seven Card Stud, only here the player only play for low hands. Throughout the course of the game the players are dealt seven cards and the best low five-card hand wins the pot. Unlike in Seven Card Stud, in Razz there is no requirement for “8 or better”. Straights and flushes do not count.