POKER.
The game of Poker is better known in the United States than in England. Like many other games, it is so closely associated with betting that its reputation has consequently suffered in no slight degree.
There are several varieties of the game, known as Stud Poker, Straight Poker, Whiskey Poker, Twenty-deck Poker, and Draw Poker; but as the last is the game best known, it will, perhaps, be advisable to describe it first.
DRAW POKER.
A full pack of fifty-two cards are required, and any number of persons may play, though some players think it better that the number should not exceed six or seven.
Before dealing, each player is provided with a certain number of counters, which in America are styled chips. The dealer then places a stake in front of him. A single chip usually constitutes this stake, and is called the ante. Having concluded this preliminary part of the business, five cards are dealt to each player. As in Loo, all look at their hands, and declare in turn what they will do. The choice of three things is given them: They can throw up their hand, and go out of the game for that deal; keep their cards as they are; or they may change as many of their own cards as they like for the same number from the remainder of the pack on the table. In case any one should choose the latter alternative, no one must look at the rejected cards.
When the dealer's turn comes to make his choice, if he determine to play, he is bound to add an equal amount to what he had previously staked. This is called making good the ante; by so doing the dealer places himself on an equal footing with the other players.
Should he rather than raise his stake prefer to go out, the next player is requested to raise; but should he, like the dealer, also prefer to go out rather than raise, the next player is asked, and so on, until some player expresses himself willing to raise. This being the case, the next player has three alternatives: he must either go better, which means stake some larger amount; see the raise, which signifies staking an equal amount; or he must go out. The choice of these three alternatives is given to each player, until after full opportunity has been afforded to all of deciding, no one has gone better, but each of those remaining in has elected to see the raise, the stakes consequently remaining equal.
The person who now is requested to show his hand is the player seated next to him who last saw the raise, though if such player should not have a good hand to show, he may, if he likes, go out without showing his cards.
Perhaps to a greater extent in Poker than in any other card game, the great aim of a good player is to conceal his system of playing; therefore, although a player going out relinquishes all hold upon his stakes, he would rather do that than show an inferior hand.
Many of the technical terms used in Poker being peculiar to the game, a knowledge of them will be found necessary to the learner.
Age.—Same as eldest hand.
Ante.—The stake deposited in the pool by the dealer at the beginning of the game. At Straight Poker each player puts up an Ante.
Blind.—This name is given to the bet made by the eldest hand before the cards are cut to be dealt.
The eldest hand alone has the privilege of starting the Blind, though the player to the left of him may, if he likes, double it, and again, the next player, still to the left, may straddle it, which means double it again.
Any player refusing to straddle thus prevents any one else doing so afterwards.
Bluffing Off.—When a player with a weak hand bets so high that he makes his opponents believe he has a very strong hand, and they are deterred from seeing him or going better.
Brag.—To bet for the pool.
Call.—To call a show of hands is for the player whose say is last to deposit in the pool the same amount bet by any preceding player, and demand that the hands be shown.
Chips.—Another name for counters.
Draw.—To discard one or more cards, and receive a corresponding number from the dealer.
Flush.—Five cards of the same suit, not necessarily in order.
Fours.—Four cards of the same denomination, as four threes or four fives.
Full.—Three cards of the same denomination and a single pair.
Going Better.—When any player makes a bet, the next player to the left may raise him or run over his bet, which means that he may deposit more in the pool than his adversary has done.
Pair.—Two cards of the same denomination, as two queens.
A Straight.—Five cards in numerical sequence, though not of the same suit.
Triplets.—Three cards of the same denomination, as three aces.
Although the ace is the highest card in this game for sequence purposes, it may be counted as next to the two or next to the king, as may best suit the player. The player, however, is not on this account entitled to use the ace as a connecting link between the king and the two, so as to form a sequence between them.
STRAIGHT POKER.
Straight Poker, or Bluff, as it is often called, is played according to the same rules as Draw Poker, though there are one or two particulars in which it differs from that game.
Not only the dealer, but also every player, "antes" before the cards are cut for deal. The winner of the pool has the deal. Any player may pass, and come in again if he chooses to do so, provided that in the meantime no other player has raised. No one is allowed to discard or draw any cards.
In case of mis-deal, or when all the players pass, the eldest hand deals, and a fresh ante is added to the pool by each player making what is called a double header.
To prevent confusion, and to save trouble also, it is sometimes arranged that, instead of each player depositing a fresh ante every time before the cards are cut, one of the players shall take it by turns to chip for all.
When this is done, the best way is to pass round the table, by way of memorandum, a buck. This name is given to any small article which may serve as a reminder, and should in the first instance start with the original dealer. As soon as the dealer has chipped, he hands the buck to his left-hand neighbour, who keeps it until he in turn has chipped for all, when he again passes it on. So to the end the game goes on.
WHISKEY POKER.
Plenty of fun may be extracted from this highly amusing game. To make the pool is the matter that requires the first consideration, and to do this each player contributes one counter or chip. After this, the game is regulated very much by the same rules as those laid down for Draw Poker, the only exception being that the strongest hand gets the straight flush.
Five cards, one at a time, are given to each player, besides which an additional hand, called the widow, is dealt, and laid in the middle of the table.
All the players now look at their hands, and if not satisfied with them, they each in succession have an opportunity of making a little change in them, according to the following explanation.
Should it so happen that the eldest hand, after examining his cards, expresses himself satisfied with them, the next player may, if so inclined, put down his own cards on the table, and take up the widow instead. When he has done so, the other players in turn may select any card they please from the discarded hand in exchange for one of their own, until some one declares himself satisfied by knocking on the table. Even after this, however, the rest of the players are allowed one more chance of drawing before showing the hands.
The strongest hand wins the game.
In case all should declare themselves satisfied without taking the widow, the dealer turns his hand upwards, and every one may draw a card from it.