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COMMUNITY & STUD POKER
COMMUNITY & STUD POKER

If you enjoy the idea of bluffing and playing against other players, then Community and Stud poker games might be for you. Check them out.

Many poker games can be divided into two categories: Community or Stud. Here’s how they break down:

Community

Stud

Community

In Community poker games, hands are made using a combination of personal cards players receive directly from the dealer (called “hole” cards), and community cards the dealer places on the table for all to use.

Stud

In Stud poker games, hands are made using only the personal cards a player receives directly from the dealer.

A letter “T” has two cards on each side. On the left is a card with the heart symbol, then a spade. On the right is a card with a diamond symbol, then one with clubs.

Texas Hold’em

(Community)

Texas Hold’em is a popular variation on poker that is played in casinos around the world. Not only is it a game of chance, but it’s also one that requires skill and strategy to beat the other players at the table. Adding to the excitement is the fact that Texas Hold’em is often played as a “no limit” game, which means it has no maximum bet.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to win the pot. There are two ways players can do this:

1. By creating a winning hand of poker using the cards they are dealt.
2. By using a combination of skill, strategy and in some cases, bluffing, to make other players fold their hands.

Odds

Like all poker games, the outcome of Texas Hold’em depends on the random distribution of cards from a shuffled deck. That means there are a few situations players can expect to encounter often. Here’s what to do when they happen:

  • The chances of getting a high starting hand, like a pair of Aces or Kings, is just 2.1%. This means if a player gets a high starting hand, they may wish to raise. Why? Because the odds of any other player also starting with a high hand is low.
  • If a hand is one card short of a flush on the Turn, there’s a 34.97% chance the hand will be completed. A player in this position may find it’s worth betting, calling or raising to see if the final card appears.
  • The chance that a personal card makes a pair on the Flop is 32.43%. If a player pairs with the lowest card on the Flop, the conservative play is to assume another player might have a higher pair.
  • If a player needs two specific cards on the Turn and River to win, the chance of getting them both is only 0.3%. That means it’s often better to fold on the Flop, rather than hold out for the best possible hand.

TIP

What happened in the previous hand doesn’t affect the outcome of the current hand. You aren’t any more likely to win because you lost the last round.

Two cards, a pair of Kings (a King of Diamonds and a King of Spades) are shown with 2.1% written on top.

Strategies

The number 169 with three rows of cards below it.

Playing Fewer Hands

There are 169 possible outcomes for a starting hand. But only 5 are considered premium: AA, KK, QQ, AK (suited), JJ.

While the best hands can and do lose all the time, the better the hand, the more likely it is to win. That’s why many players fold until they get a high value hand. Ultimately, the decision is up to the player.