How to Play poker

The history of Poker is subject to much contention but most people agree that the game is based on a mixture of older card games, including a 15th century German game called Pochspiel, the Persian game of As Nos and the French game of Poque. Other influences came from the Renaissance game of Primero and the French game of Brelan.

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The game gained in popularity when it spread across continental America through the Mississippi Riverboats and the American Civil War. It has become one of the most played card games in the world, with its own World Championship which was started in 1970 at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

There are four variations of the game that are played today. In Straight Poker, a complete hand is dealt to each player in one round, with raising and re-raising. In 5 or 7 card stud, the cards are dealt in a prearranged combination of face down and face up rounds (also called ‘streets’). One round of betting follows each.

Draw Poker involves the dealing of a complete hand of cards to each player face down and after betting, the players are allowed to then change their hand by discarding unwanted cards and being dealt new ones. Community Poker is a variation of Stud Poker. Players are dealt an incomplete hand of face down cards and then a number of face up cards are dealt to the center of the table. These cards can be used by any of the players to make a hand. Examples of community games are Texas Hold’Em and Omaha.

African Palace Poker offers four games – Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, Hi/Lo and 7 card stud. All of these games are for between two and ten people (plus the virtual dealer) and are played with a single deck of 52 cards per table. The games are similar in their basic concept but have strategic differences and most players have their favourite type.

  • Texas Hold'Em
  • Omaha
  • 5 Card Stud
  • 7 Card Stud
  • The Variety of Games
  • Poker Glossary