Texas Hold 'em

Texas Hold'em is a seven-card poker game with simple rules that a beginner can easily master and begin to play right away. In spite of its simplicity, it is a fast and complex game that takes skill and practice to master.

THE BUY-IN

Sometimes you must buy-in a minimum amount of chips when sitting down at your chosen table. Often the minimum limit is equal to ten times the lower bet limit of the game. For example on a $3/$6 table the minimum buy-in is $30, on a $10/$20 table the minimum buy-in is $100.

THE GAME

Texas Hold 'Em uses a disc called a dealer button to indicate where the cards are to be dealt. Prior to the deal, the two players to the left of the button place live bets called the small and big blinds. It is called a blind because players must pay this amount before seeing their cards. It's called live because it counts as part of any further bets in the first betting round.
The play begins with two cards dealt facedown to each player. Action starts with a betting round beginning with the player to the left of the blind bets and continuing clockwise around the table. Players may bet, check, raise or fold in turn. The big blind has the privilege of last action and may check or raise the bet.
Three community cards called "The Flop" are then dealt up in the center of the table and another betting round takes place beginning with the player to the left of the dealer button. Another card is dealt face up (called "The Turn") followed by a round of betting.
The fifth and last card called "The River" is dealt face up and a final round of betting takes place. Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Any combination of pocket cards and community cards may be used to make the best five-card poker hand.

7 Card Stud

7 Card Stud is probably the most commonly played poker game, especially on the East Coast of North America. It is likely that if you have ever played poker at all it was 7 Card Stud.

THE BUY-IN

Sometimes you must buy-in a minimum amount of chips when sitting down at your chosen table. Often the minimum limit is equal to ten times the lower bet limit of the game. For example on a $1/$2 table the minimum buy-in is $10, on a $5/$10 table the minimum buy-in is $50.

ANTE
You like all other players must ante before any cards are dealt. The amount of the ante reflects the table limits. The lower the limit, the lower the ante. $1.00/$2.00 tables have an ante of $0.25, and $10.00/$20.00 tables have a $1.00 ante.

BETTING
You are dealt two down cards ("Hole" cards) and one up card. The player showing the lowest card by suit (highest to lowest: spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) must bring-in the first round of betting with a forced bet of half the lower limit. The player who is to begin the betting will be prompted.
After the initial bet, three more up cards are delivered (with a round of betting after each card), then a final down card and a final round of betting. There are typically betting limits at each table. The stakes being offered at the particular table determine the limit or maximum bet on any player's turn. For example, at a $1-$2 table, the limit on any bet is $1 on the first two betting rounds and $2 on the final three betting rounds.
Many rooms allow one bet and three raises. The final raise is capped and the only options you have are to call or fold at this point. The action of the first two rounds is set at the lower limit of the table structure. The exception to this rule is when a player shows a pair after the 4th street the bet is the lower limit multiplied by two.
All players have the option to bet the higher limit for the second round of betting. If a player does bet the higher limit, subsequent bets must also be at the higher limit.

THE SHOWDOWN
Any five of your seven cards can be used to make up your best poker hand. The best poker hand wins the pot. Should multiple hands tie, the pot is split with any odd amount going to the player immediately to the left of the dealer.
If all eight players are still in the hand on the river, the total number of cards needed for all the players to receive their own card would not be available in a standard deck of cards. In this case the river card will be dealt face up on the table and it will be used as a community card.

Omaha High

Omaha High is like Texas Hold'em, with only two exceptions: Players are dealt 4 cards instead of 2 and players must use 2 out of their 4 cards NO MORE and NO LESS to form their hand.

THE BUY-IN

Sometimes you must buy-in a minimum amount of chips when sitting down at your chosen table. Often the minimum limit is equal to ten times the lower bet limit of the game. For example, on a $3/$6 table the minimum buy-in is $30, on a $10/$20 table the minimum buy-in is $100.

THE GAME

Omaha High uses a disc called a dealer button to indicate where the cards are to be dealt. Prior to the deal, the two players to the left of the button place live bets called the small and big blinds. It is called a blind because players must pay this amount before seeing their cards. It's called live because it counts as part of any further bets in the first betting round.
The play begins with four cards dealt facedown to each player. Action starts with a betting round beginning with the player to the left of the blind bets and continuing clockwise around the table. Players may bet, check, raise or fold in turn. The big blind has the privilege of last action and may check or raise the bet.
Three community cards called "The Flop" are then dealt up in the center of the table and another betting round takes place beginning with the player to the left of the dealer button. Another card is dealt face up (called "The Turn") followed by a round of betting.
The fifth and last card called "The River" is dealt face up and a final round of betting takes place. Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Players must form their best five-card poker hand from only two of their four pocket cards and any three of five community cards.