How the Game is played

All players (and the Dealer) get a number of cards. You win by 1.) having the best hand or 2.) by bluffing other players, so they think you have the best hand and surrender.

Types of Poker

There are two major types of poker: Draw and stud.
In Draw Poker, cards are dealt and can be exchanged for new ones. In Stud Poker, cards are dealt and changing of cards is not allowed.

In both types you can play high, low, or high-low.
In High, the highest hand wins. In Low, the lowest hand wins. In High-Low, the highest and the lowest hands win and split the winnings.

There are more than 120 different poker games. The most common are:
Five Card Stud, Seven Card Stud, Five Card Draw, Texas Hold'em, Omaha

Ranking Order of Hands

Five-Card Draw
1.) Deal: Five cards to each player face down.
2.) Play: First betting round (player to the left of the dealer beginns).
3.) Each player can exchange up to three cards. (Sometimes even up to four or all five cards)
4.) Second betting round.
5.) Showdown: The player with the best five-card hand wins.

Five-Card Stud
1.) Deal: One card down, one card up to each player.
2.) Play: First betting round (the highest showing hand starts).
3.) Each player is dealt the 2nd up-card.
4.) 2nd betting round.
5.) Each player is dealt the 3rd up-card.
6.) 3rd betting round.
7.) Each player is dealt the 4th up-card.
8.) 4th betting round.
9.) Showdown: The player with the best five-card hand wins.

Seven-Card Stud
1.) Deal: Two cards face down, one card face up to each player.
2.) Play: First betting round (the highest showing hand starts).
3.) Each player is dealt the 2nd up-card.
4.) 2nd betting round.
5.) Each player is dealt the 3rd up-card.
6.) 3rd betting round.
7.) Each player is dealt the 4th up-card.
8.) 4th betting round.
9.) One additional card is dealt to each player face down.
10.) Each player makes his best five card hand from the seven he is holding.
11.) Showdown: The player with the best five-card hand wins.

Texas Hold'em
1.) Deal: Two cards face down to each player.
2.) Play: 1st betting round (the highest showing hand starts).
3.) Three cards ("the flop") are dealt face up to the middle of the table.
4.) 2nd betting round.
5.) One more card ("4th street" or "the turn") is dealt face up to the middle of the table.
6.) 3rd betting round.
7.) One more card ("the river") is dealt face up to the middle of the table.
8.) 4th betting round.
9.) Each player makes his best five card hand from the two cards he is holding and the table's five cards.
11.) Showdown: The player with the best five-card hand wins.

Omaha
1.) Deal: Four cards face down to each player.
2.) Play: 1st betting round (the highest showing hand starts).
3.) Three cards ("the flop") are dealt face up to the middle of the table.
4.) 2nd betting round.
5.) One more card ("4th street" or "the turn") is dealt face up to the middle of the table.
6.) 3rd betting round.
7.) One more card ("the river") is dealt face up to the middle of the table.
8.) 4th betting round.
9.) Each player makes his best five card hand from two of the four cards he is holding and the table's five cards.
11.) Showdown: The player with the best five-card hand wins. In Omaha 8, the highest and the lowest hand split the winnings, but the low hand must be no higher than 8.