The Basics of Poker

Whether you’re new to the game or are an old hand, you’ve probably heard of Poker before. But what’s the origin of this classic card game? No one is certain, but it’s believed that it evolved from earlier games. The name “poker” is believed to have been coined by Jonathan H. Green, who saw a game played on a Mississippi riverboat and attached it to a cheating game that involved two to four players, using a deck of twenty cards. The game soon spread and, within a few years, the word “poker” was added.

There are many different variations of poker. One variation features the Three-Card Monte game and Spit-in-the-Ocean game. All variations of Poker are discussed later in this chapter. If there are more than 10 players, two separate games are often organized. Once a player has the highest-ranking hand, the player with the highest value of cards is said to be the winner. If that person has a higher hand, he is said to be the active player.

Another variation of poker is called a “backdoor flush” in which the player is holding the best hand possible at the moment. The best possible hand is the one that has three of the same kind: a pair of sevens or a pair of tens. This hand wins the pot when the player has a statistical advantage. The best way to make a backdoor flush is to hit all the cards you need on the turn or river.