Strategy About How to Play in Tournaments
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So, you have heard about the game of poker, especially the famous Texas Holdem tournament and thought why not try your hand at it? Well, you’ve come to the right place.In this article, we are going to cover all the poker basics from telling you about all cards in poker and the best cards in poker and the rules of poker tournaments. So, let’s get started!
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All Poker Hands
All cards in poker can be categorized into one of ten classes. The best hand in poker being the royal flush, trailed by a straight flush, then four of a kind, a full house, a flush, a straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and lastly a high card.
The best cards to get in poker are the ones that you see in the least common hands, like the royal flush and straight flush being most noteworthy. Let’s check them all out one by one, all poker hands best to worst –
1. Royal Flush –
Example: A♠, K♠, Q♠, J♠, 10♠
Odds of drawing: 1 in 649,739
A Royal Flush poker hand is the best hand in poker which includes the best cards in poker - a 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, all of them belonging to the same suit. It is the best hand in a poker game that can be created and also the rarest one because this five-card royal flush needs the combination of all the same suit in poker hand.
2. Straight flush
Example: 4♥️5♥️6♥️7♥️8♥️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 64,767
The straight flush is a poker hand with all the same suit in poker that occurs more often in movies than in real life. Many poker players have gone through their whole careers without even seeing this hand once. For a straight flush, the hand needs to be both a straight as well as a flush that means it needs to be in consecutive rank and also in the same suit.
3. Four of a kind
Example: 2♦️2♥️2♠️2♣️9♥️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 4,167
With four of each card rank in a standard deck, the odds of getting a four of a kind in a 5-card draw are 0.026%. The example above is known as “quad deuces”, and it beats every hand in poker excluding straight flush and royal flush.
4. Full house
Example: K♥️K♠️K♣️9♠️9♦️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 694
A full house or a full boat comprises a three of a kind and a pair, which means, a player needs 3 same-ranked cards of different suits and a pair to create this particular hand.
5. Flush
Example: A♦️5♦️2♦️9♦️J♦️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 509
A flush is a five-card hand with all the same suits in poker, but does not form a straight. The example shows an Ace-high flush.
6. Straight
Example: 3♠️4♣️5♠️6♥️7♥️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 132
Straights are a combination of hands that require the use of all five cards. A straight hand is formed when all five cards are consecutive in rank, but do not belong to the same suit. The above example is of “a straight to the 7”.
7. Three of a kind
Example: A♥️A♠️A♣️5♠️6♦️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 47
A three of a kind consists of three cards of the same rank, with two other unpaired cards—the above example hand is called “trip Aces” or “a set of Aces”.
8. Two Pair
Example: 2♥️2♣️J♠️J♦️A♦️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 21
The winning two pair hand is the one with the higher pair, so the above example hand would beat 9♠️9♥️T♠️T♣️Q♦️. Thus, when there are two pairs of cards in the same hand, it is known as Two Pair.
9. One Pair
Example: 6♠️8♣️8♦️J♣️K♥️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 2
Next is the one pair hand. One pair is a single pair and three other unpaired cards that make up 42% of all possible hand combinations.
10. High Card
Example: A♥️4♦️6♠️T♦️K♣️
Odds of drawing: 1 in 2
We have reached the bottom of the ladder. A high card or a no pair hand consists of five cards that have different ranks, which are non-suited and are non-sequential.
Now that you are aware of all cards in poker with the above all poker hands best to worst, let’s discuss the tournament rules, keeping in mind the Texas Holdem tournament.
Rules Of A Poker Tournament
Each poker tournament has its own set of rules that will govern play which will be prepared and posted by the Tournament Director for all to see.
Here are some of the standard rules that apply in most Texas Holdem tournaments:
· Entrance Fees - Entrance fees are typically paid before the game begins, and the house takes a 5%-10% fee for administering the game.
· Seat Assignment - The seats are assigned randomly which will stay the same unless you are informed otherwise.
· Starting Stacks - Your starting stack will be available to you after you enter the game. You cannot cash out the tournament chips during the game. These starting chip stacks differs from tournament to tournament
· Blind Levels - The way of the tournaments is that the blinds increase at regular intervals throughout the game which helps to get the action going in the room. The information about the blind levels can be found in the tournament lobby in online games.
· The Deal - The two players to the left of the button are the small blind and the big blind. The button moves one seat to the left after every hand.
· All-in Bets - A player, who is all in, plays for all of his chips. If the rival player has more chips, then he is only entitled to a sum equal to his own stack. The same goes for an all-in player who has fewer chips than his required blind, only entitled to what he put in.
· All-in confrontations - When two players are all in and the activity around the table is completed, both hands must be shown face up before the rest of the board is run.
· Calling the Clock - A player can request to force a player to choose his action in a specific amount of time (typically 90 seconds). If the player fails to act within the time-limit, his hand is folded. Only a player who is seated at the table, when the current hand was dealt can call the clock.
· Multiple Busts - If two players run out of money on the same hand, then the player with the greater amount of chips at the start of the hand will finish in the higher position.
· Showing Cards - Intentionally exposing a card is strictly against the rules in tournament play and the hand can be ruled dead with an issued time penalty.
· Inappropriate play- Inappropriate play such as swearing to other players is punishable. You will be fined with a penalty.
· Colouring up - The lowest chip denomination will be removed from the table play when it is no longer required in the blind/ante structure.
· Hand-for-hand play - As play comes to the bubble (when the money starts), it may go hand for hand which means that all tables will deal a hand only when all tables have completed the hand.
· Heads up – Heads up lay is reached when only two players are left. In this scenario the button is small blind and acts first before the flop, but last on all later streets.
· Deal-making - In most tournament circumstances, players are allowed to make a deal to distribute the remaining prize money among each other at any point. For this, all players must be in agreement for altered payouts. With this, we come to an end of our discussion about all poker hands best to worst and also the rules of poker tournaments. Now that you know the best cards to get in poker with the help of the best hands in the poker game explained above, you should now try this in a real poker tournament. Download the GetMega app now and play in the various online tournaments to have lots of fun and earn big money.
