Difference between revisions of "Poker" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{dablink|For the domestic fireplace tool, see [[fireplace poker]].}}
 
{{dablink|For the domestic fireplace tool, see [[fireplace poker]].}}
 
[[Image:Holdem.jpg|thumb|230px|right|A game of Texas hold'em, currently the most popular form of poker, in progress.]]
 
[[Image:Holdem.jpg|thumb|230px|right|A game of Texas hold'em, currently the most popular form of poker, in progress.]]
'''Poker''' is a popular [[card game]] in which players, each holding one or more cards whose face value is concealed, place wagers into a central [[pot (poker)|pot]]. The pot is awarded to the player or players with the best combination of cards or to the player who makes an uncalled bet. Poker can also refer to [[video poker]], a single-player game seen in casinos much like a [[slot machine]], or to other games that use poker hand rankings.  
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'''Poker''' refers to a popular card game, or group of card games, in which players compete against one another by holding one or more playing cards and gambling on the values of each player's hand by betting into a central pot. The objective is to win the central pot either by holding the superior hand at the end of the round or by betting and forcing the other players to fold, or discard their hand.
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There are many variations on the game of poker, all of which follow a similar pattern of play: dealing, betting, and showing, often with more than one round of dealing or betting, which help to change players' hand values. Some forms of poker, especially Texas Hold'em, involve a combination of concealed and community cards which make up the players' hands.
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Poker has become a very popular online and casino gambling game, including non-traditional forms of poker which use the same basic rules and hand rankings, such as video poker and three-card poker. In these games, players do not play against one another, but against a house or computer opponent.
  
 
== Game play ==
 
== Game play ==
 
[[Image:Non-casino Poker game.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Poker played in a non-[[casino]] setting]]
 
[[Image:Non-casino Poker game.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Poker played in a non-[[casino]] setting]]
Poker has many [[List of poker variants|variations]], each following the same pattern of play.
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Poker play typically follows a certain basic set of rules, regardless of the specific form. The right to deal hands is usually passed from one player to another in a clockwise fashion, and often times a round dealer "button" or token (sometimes called a "buck") circles along with the dealing responsibility.
The right to deal each hand typically rotates among the players and is marked by a token called a [[Button (poker)|'dealer' button or buck]]. In a [[casino]], a house dealer handles the cards for each hand, but a button (typically a white plastic disk) is rotated clockwise among the players to indicate a nominal dealer to determine the order of betting.
 
  
 
One or more players are required to make [[Betting (poker)#Forced bets|forced bets]] to create an initial stake for which the players will contest.  The dealer [[shuffle]]s the cards, he [[cut (playing cards)|cuts]], and the appropriate number of cards are dealt to the players one at a time. Cards may be dealt either face-up or face-down, depending on the variant of poker being played. After the initial deal, the first of what may be several [[betting (poker)|betting]] rounds begins. Between rounds, the players' hands develop in some way, often by being dealt additional cards or replacing cards previously dealt. At the end of each round, all bets are gathered into the central pot.
 
One or more players are required to make [[Betting (poker)#Forced bets|forced bets]] to create an initial stake for which the players will contest.  The dealer [[shuffle]]s the cards, he [[cut (playing cards)|cuts]], and the appropriate number of cards are dealt to the players one at a time. Cards may be dealt either face-up or face-down, depending on the variant of poker being played. After the initial deal, the first of what may be several [[betting (poker)|betting]] rounds begins. Between rounds, the players' hands develop in some way, often by being dealt additional cards or replacing cards previously dealt. At the end of each round, all bets are gathered into the central pot.

Revision as of 19:36, 5 August 2007


A game of Texas hold'em, currently the most popular form of poker, in progress.

Poker refers to a popular card game, or group of card games, in which players compete against one another by holding one or more playing cards and gambling on the values of each player's hand by betting into a central pot. The objective is to win the central pot either by holding the superior hand at the end of the round or by betting and forcing the other players to fold, or discard their hand.

There are many variations on the game of poker, all of which follow a similar pattern of play: dealing, betting, and showing, often with more than one round of dealing or betting, which help to change players' hand values. Some forms of poker, especially Texas Hold'em, involve a combination of concealed and community cards which make up the players' hands.

Poker has become a very popular online and casino gambling game, including non-traditional forms of poker which use the same basic rules and hand rankings, such as video poker and three-card poker. In these games, players do not play against one another, but against a house or computer opponent.

Game play

Poker played in a non-casino setting

Poker play typically follows a certain basic set of rules, regardless of the specific form. The right to deal hands is usually passed from one player to another in a clockwise fashion, and often times a round dealer "button" or token (sometimes called a "buck") circles along with the dealing responsibility.

One or more players are required to make forced bets to create an initial stake for which the players will contest. The dealer shuffles the cards, he cuts, and the appropriate number of cards are dealt to the players one at a time. Cards may be dealt either face-up or face-down, depending on the variant of poker being played. After the initial deal, the first of what may be several betting rounds begins. Between rounds, the players' hands develop in some way, often by being dealt additional cards or replacing cards previously dealt. At the end of each round, all bets are gathered into the central pot.

At any time during a betting round, if a player makes a bet, opponents are required to fold, call or raise. If one player bets and no opponents choose to call (match) the bet, the hand ends immediately, the bettor is awarded the pot, no cards are required to be shown, and the next hand begins. This possibility of winning a pot without showing a hand makes bluffing possible. Bluffing is a primary feature of poker, one that distinguishes it from other vying games and from other games that make use of poker hand rankings.

At the end of the last betting round, if more than one player remains, there is a showdown, in which the players reveal their previously hidden cards and evaluate their hands. The player with the best hand according to the poker variant being played wins the pot.

The most popular poker variants are as follows:

Draw poker
Players each receive five — as in five-card draw — or more cards, all of which are hidden. They can then replace one or more of these cards a certain number of times.
Stud poker
Players receive cards one at a time, some being displayed to other players at the table. The key difference between stud and 'draw' poker is that players are not allowed to discard or replace any cards.
Community card poker
Players combine individually dealt cards with a number of "community cards" dealt face up and shared by all players. Each player will attempt to make the best five card poker hand using the community cards and their own face down cards. Two or four individual cards may be dealt in the most popular variations, Texas hold 'em and Omaha hold 'em, respectively.

See betting (poker) for detailed rules regarding forced bets, betting actions, limits, stakes, and all-in situations. See List of poker variants and poker hand rankings for order of play and other details for the most common poker variants.

History

The history of poker is a matter of debate. It closely resembles the Persian game of as nas, and may have been taught to French settlers in New Orleans by Persian sailors. The name of the game likely descended from the French poque, which descended from the German pochen ('to knock'). Yet it is not clear whether the origins of poker itself lie with the games bearing those names. It is commonly regarded as sharing ancestry with the Renaissance game of primero and the French brelan. The English game brag (earlier bragg) clearly descended from brelan and incorporated bluffing (though the concept was known in other games by that time). It is quite possible that all of these earlier games influenced the development of poker as it exists now.

English actor Joseph Crowell reported that the game was played in New Orleans in 1829, with a deck of 20 cards and four players betting on which player's hand was the most valuable. Jonathan H. Green's book, An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (G. B. Zieber, Philadelphia, 1843), described the spread of the game from there to the rest of the country by Mississippi riverboats, on which gambling was a common pastime. As it spread up the Mississippi and West during the gold rush, it is thought to have become a part of the frontier pioneer ethos.

Harry Truman's poker chips

Soon after this spread, the full 52-card English deck was used, and the flush was introduced. During the American Civil War, many additions were made, including draw poker, stud poker (the five-card variant), and the straight. Further American developments followed, such as the wild card (around 1875), lowball and split-pot poker (around 1900), and community card poker games (around 1925). The spread of the game to other countries, particularly in Asia, is often attributed to the U.S. military.

The game and jargon of poker have become important parts of American culture and English culture. Such phrases and clichés as ace in the hole, ace up one's sleeve, beats me, blue chip, call one's bluff, cash in, high roller, pass the buck, poker face, stack up, up the ante, when the chips are down, wild card, and others are used in everyday conversation, even by those unaware of their origins at the poker table.

Poker Room at the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey

Modern tournament play became popular in American casinos after the World Series of Poker began, in 1970. Notable champions from these early WSOP tournaments include Johnny Moss, Amarillo Slim, Bobby Baldwin, and Doyle Brunson. It was also during that decade that the first serious strategy books appeared, notably Super/System by Doyle Brunson (ISBN 1-58042-081-8) and The Book of Tells by Mike Caro (ISBN 0-89746-100-2), followed later by The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky (ISBN 1-880685-00-0).

Poker’s popularity experienced an unprecedented spike at the beginning of the 21st century, largely because of the introduction of online poker and the invention of the hole-card camera, which turned the game into a spectator sport. Viewers could now follow the action and drama of the game, and broadcasts of poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour brought in huge audiences for cable and satellite TV distributors. Because of the increasing coverage of poker events, poker pros are becoming more and more like celebrities, with poker fans all over the world entering into expensive tournaments for the chance to play with them. This increased camera exposure also brings a new dimension to the poker professional's game—the realization that their actions may be aired later on TV.

Major poker tournament fields have grown dramatically because of the growing popularity of online satellite-qualifier tournaments where the prize is an entry into a major tournament. The 2003 and 2004 WSOP champions, Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, respectively, won their seats to the main event by winning online satellites.

See also

Wikibooks
Wikibooks has more about this subject:
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
  • List of poker terms
  • Poker hand rankings
  • List of poker related topics
  • Rule variations (poker)
  • Poker tournament
  • Poker strategy
  • World Series of Poker
  • Poker probability
  • Online poker
  • Ring games
  • Poker chip
  • Poker room/card room

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Brunson, Doyle (1979). Doyle Brunson's Super System. Cardoza. ISBN 1-58042-081-8. 
  • Sklansky, David (1989). The Theory of Poker (3rd Ed). Two Plus Two Publications. ISBN 1-880685-00-0. 
  • Vorhaus, John (2002). Killer Poker. Lyle Stuart. ISBN 0-8184-0630-5. 
  • Ernest, James; Selinker, Mike; Foglio, Phil (2005). Dealer's Choice: The Complete Handbook of Saturday Night Poker. Overlook Press. ISBN 1-58567-654-3. 
  • Caro, Mike (1978). Caro's Book of Poker Tells. Cardoza. ISBN 1-58042-082-6. 

External links

  • Poker at the Open Directory Project
  • Poker at the Yahoo! Directory

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