Official Poker Rules

To know the official poker rules, you need to know a lot of terminology. Below is a listing of poker slang and instructions on what to do when it’s your turn.

1. Hand. These are the cards in your hand dealt to you at the beginning of each play.
2. Play. Another way of saying “round,” a play is the action that takes place between each shuffle.
3. Pot. This is the money thrown into the center of the playing area. The pot is won by the highest hand in each play.
4. Ante. It is a bet all players must make before cards are dealt. Antes are optional but are most often used to speed up game play.
5. Call. This is used to place a bet into the pot equal to the bet being called. Example: To call a bet of $10 means you will put $10 into the pot.
6. Raise. This is to place a greater amount into the pot than the bet being raised. Raises must be at least double the original bet. Example: To raise a bet of $10 means to place at least $20 into the pot.
7. Fold. This is to forfeit your turn during a play. You do this by laying down your cards.
8. Check. If there haven’t been any previous bets in a play, a player may check. To check according to official poker rules means to pass your turn without placing a bet of any kind. When you check, the next player must place a bet or check.
9. Kicker. In the event two players lay down the same type of hand (see below) or hands of equal value, the next highest card in each hand is compared until a winner is determined. This next highest card is called the “kicker.”
10. One pair. Two cards of equal value in a five-card hand are one pair. Example: 3-3-A-Q-7 is one pair of three.
11. Two pair. These are wo separate one pairs in a single hand. Example: A-A-3-3-7 is a two pair. In the event two players have identical two pairs, the fifth card acts as kicker.
12. Three of a kind. In official poker rules, three cards of equal value in a hand constitute three of a kind. Example: 3-3-3-A-Q is three of a kind. The fourth and fifth cards are kickers.
13. Straight. This is five cards of different suits in sequential order. Straights are named after their highest card. Example: 10-9-8-7-6 is a 10-high straight.
14. Flush. This is five cards of the same suit in non-sequential order. Flushes are named after their highest card according to official poker rules. Example: A-10-6-3-2 is an ace high flush.
15. Full house. A full house is a combination of three of a kind and two pair. Example: K-K-K-5-5 is a full house. With official poker rules, the kicker in a full house is the higher valued two pair, ex. K-K-K-5-5 beats K-K-K-4-4.
16. Four of a kind. This is like three of a kind except with four cards of equal value. Example: K-K-K-K-2 is four of a kind.
17. Straight flush. This is five cards of the same suit in sequential order. Straight flushes are named after their highest value card. Example: 10-9-8-7-6 is a 10-high straight flush.
18. Royal flush. According to official poker rules, when your hand consists of A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit, you have a royal flush. A royal flush is the highest valued hand and beats any other hand on the table.