Poker

Poker, a round game at cards (developed from the older game of brag). Each player has five cards dealt him. A sum called the ante is deposited by the oldest hand. The players then look at their hands, each in order after the ante saying whether he will play or pass. If he passes he throws down his cards and stakes nothing. If he plays he has to chip to fill—i.e. to stake a sum equal to twice the ante; the amount clipped by the ante, if he plays, or makes good the ante, is only equal to his first stake. Each player in rotation may then discard any of his cards and receive from the dealer an equal number of cards from the top of the pack, but no one is obliged to discard any. When all have filled, each player in order must either raise his stake or go out of the game, forfeiting what he has already staked. The raise is generally limited, but any less sum than the limit may be staked. Subsequent players must either see the raise—i.e. make the sum next staked equal to that of the last raiser—or go better—i.e. raise higher, or go out of the game. The raising, seeing, going better, or going out, as the case may be, continues until either all the players but one have gone out (when the one left in takes the pool), or until all the stakes of all the players left in are equal, no one going better. Then a call is declared. The player to the left of the one who compelled a call has then to show, face upwards, the best combination he holds which has a poker value. The subsequent players in order either show anything they have better, or throw down their hands. The best poker hand takes the pool. In case of absolute equality the pool is divided. The value of the hands is as follows, beginning with the best: (1) Straight flush, sequence of five cards of the same suit; (2) Fours, four cards of the same rank, accompanied by any other card; (3) Full, three cards of the same rank, and a pair; (4) Flush, five cards of the same suit, not in sequence; (5) Straight, sequence of five cards not all of the same suit; (6) Triplets, three cards of the same rank, not accompanied by a pair; (7) Two pairs; (8) One pair; (9) Highest card. The cards rank as at whist (ace highest), except in the case of straights, when ace may be highest or lowest—i.e. ace, king, queen, knave, ten, or five, four, three, two, ace form the highest and lowest straights respectively. If more than one player holds a straight flush the sequence headed by the highest card wins; the same as between two straights. Similarly, the highest fours win, or the highest triplets in triplet hands; in the case of fulls, the holder of the highest triplets wins. As between two flushes, the highest card wins; if these tie, the next highest, and so on. If two players each hold two pairs, the highest pair wins; if the two pairs tie, the remaining highest card wins; with one pair, the same. If none of the players remaining in the game hold any of the above combinations, each shows his highest card; if there is a tie, the next highest, and so on. There are numerous varieties in the way of playing, for which treatises on poker should be consulted. The above describes the simplest form of Draw Poker, the game most commonly played. See books by Keller (New York, 1887) and Guern-dale (1889).