Introduction
Development
Introducing Poker
Ranking Hands
Chips
The sequence of play
Shuffling
Dealing
Betting Interval
Betting Small and Big Blinds
Table stakes
Using wild cards
Probability of holding
First betting interval
Strategy-1
Strategy-2
Seven-Card Stud
Other forms of poker
Texas Hold'em Basic Hand
Five - Six card Omaha
Poker Sense
Slow Playing
Other Gambling Card Game
Blackjack
Brag
Seven-card Brag
Gin Rummy
Glossary

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Chips 

In a casino or  club, where  everything is supplied, from table to cards, the game will be played with chips.  Usually there are four denominations, denoted by white chips, red chips, blue chips and yellow chips.  The value in cash of a unit is variable some tables having higher stakes and being more ‘valuable’ than others.  In private games cash may be used as stakes, but it is preferable to play with chips.  The players determine in advance the value of each color in units, and the value of the unit in cash before anyone buys his chips.  For example, a white chip worth one unit could represent anything between a penny and a pound in Britain, or anything from a cent to a dollar or a euro, etc, elsewhere.  In this book, in each example of specimen games, we will describe the betting in terms of chips only.

COMMON CHIP VALUES

Banker

If chips are being used, the players should select one player to act as banker, who has first choice of seat.  He has charge of all the chips and issues them to the poker players, including himself, at their cash value, and redeems for the appropriate amount the chips of players who leave the game.

Jargon -buster
Wild card a card which by prior agreement its holder can use as any card he wishes.
Chips tokens used in poker instead of money.
Pot the total of the stakes which have been bet, and which the winner takes.
Triple, trey or trip three cards of the same rank.
Pair two cards of the same rank.
Burned card a discard from the top of the pack.

Time limit

Before play begins, player should agree on a time at which play will end.  If other players join the game later they are bound by the time limit.  Players are free to leave the game earlier if they wish.

Seating

After the banker has chosen his seat, other players may choose seats if they wish, if there is a dispute, the cards are shuffled by any agreed player, and cut by another.  The banker then deals a face-up card to all of the other players.  The player dealt highest card (Ace high) has first choice of seat, the next highest card the next choice, and so on.  If two players draw poker equal cards, they are dealt a second card to break tie.

Changing seats

Players can change seats at any time after one hour of continuous play, and again at any time after another hour of play.  If a player wants to change seats and someone else disagrees, repeat the seat-choosing process.

Play 1            player 2            player 2            player 2            player 2

CHOOSING SEATS  players 2 and 4 were both given Aces in the first deal, and in the second deal player 2’s King beats player 4’s four, so player 2 may choose where to sit first, followed by players 4,3,1and 5 in that order