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Hold’em
Hold 'em is most easily described
as a variation of seven-card stud. Two cards are dealt face down
to each player, and then a total of five community cards are dealt
face up in the center of the table. Each player uses the five community
cards in combination with his hole cards to form the best five-card
hand.
After the first two cards are dealt to each player, there is a round
of betting, beginning with a forced, blind bet by one, two, and
sometimes three players to the immediate left of the dealer or the
button if there is a house dealer. In limit hold 'em there is usually
only one forced blind.
After that first round of betting, the dealer turns over three cards,
called the flop, in the center of the table. These are the first
three community cards. Thus, if the flop is A?8?5? a player holding
A?5? in the hole has two pair; a player holding 7?6? in the hole
has a four-flush and an open-ended straight; and a player holding
8?8? in the hole has three 8s.
Following the flop, there is a round of betting, followed by a fourth
community card, then another round of betting, then a fifth and
final community card and a final round of betting. Each round of
betting begins with the first active player to the left of the dealer
or button. In the showdown the best high hand wins.
Five-Card Stud
Two cards are dealt to each
player, one face down and the other face up. There is a round of
betting, starting either with the lowest card or the highest card
on board, depending on the betting rules. A third card is dealt
face up, and there is a round of betting, starting with the best
high hand on board. A fourth and fifth card are dealt face up with
a round of betting after each. After the final round of betting,
the best high hand in the showdown wins the pot.
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