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| Welcome to my Internet Poker Mosaic page.
Hopefully you will find everything you need and that all your requirements are filled.
Whether you plat real mpney games or play money games we hope to supply. |
| THE HISTORY OF POKER |
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Poker is a card game, primarily a betting or gambling game, and is the most prevalent of the class of what is called “vying games”. Participants play with either totally or partially concealed cards and make wagers with money or poker chips that are placed into a central pot. The pot is subsequently rewarded to the player (or players) with the best “hand” or combination of cards with the highest value.
Historians have not been able to pinpoint the origin of the game but believe that it originated in Asia, perhaps in China about 1,100 years ago in a game using Poker-like values but played with dominoes.
While card playing in general reached Europe from the East about 600 to 700 years ago - first recorded in Spain, then spreading to Italy followed by the rest of Europe – it was a French game called poque that first introduced the suits of playing cards common today; Hearts, Spades, Diamonds and Clubs. In that same era, Germany invented suits that were called hearts, acorns bells and leaves while in Italy they were named swords, cups, batons and coins.
Card games, including variations of early Poker, were played with decks of 20, 25 or other sizes. However, the standard deck of 52 cards commonly used today, divided into four suits, numbered from 1 (or Ace) to 10, and including the Jack, Queen and King, evolved from a deck of 78 cards invented in France back in the 16th century.
Many people believe that the face cards in a deck of cards were based on historical figures, such as this example for the Kings:
Spades – King David of Israel
Clubs – Alexander the Great
Hearts - King Charlemagne Franks
Diamonds – Emperor Julius Caesar
However, it is said to be an urban legend as there are several deviations on the personages depicted as Jacks, Queens and Kings on playing cards, in a number of countries, throughout history.
Getting back to the name poque, it is believed to have descended from a German card game called pochen but there is also literature that states that poque may have come from the British word “poke” which means a bag, sack, wallet or purse, used to safeguard valuables (one might imagine the “poke” as the pot in Poker).
On the other hand, though the names of pochen or poque sound similar to Poker, a game called Primero, which was invented about 600 years ago either in Italy or Spain, is the one that is commonly recognized as the direct forerunner of the modern game of Poker.
About 400 years ago, Persians were playing a Poker-like card game called As Nas, which involved rounds of betting and would be won by the best combination or order of cards according to established denominations or values. Later, the game of As Nas was apparently introduced to North America by Persian sailors who taught it to French settlers in New Orleans. Interestingly, it is believed to have spread to the rest of North America by way of the Mississippi riverboats, on which gambling was a familiar activity.
Many phrases or terms utilized in Poker are heard in dialogue on a daily basis - often spoken by people who have never played the game. Here are just a few:
- Ace in the hole
- Up the ante
- When the chips are down
- Call the bluff
- Pass the buck
There are many variants of Poker (link to Rules section of different Poker games) of which the most popular today is Texas Hold ‘Em, currently enjoying a phenomenal craze worldwide. It is estimated that Poker is played by well over 50 million people in North America alone. Many people play the game at home for small stakes with friends, some venture to Poker tables at live casinos, while countless other on the more than 200 Internet play sites.
The online Poker scene has become as multi-million dollar industry as these Poker sites take a small fee known as “the rake” from the pot for providing the service of connecting players together online.
The popularity of Poker has also reach television and several days a week you can watch previously taped live events played in tournaments organized by such groups as the World Series of Poker (WSOP), World Poker Tour (WPT), European Poker Tour (EPT), the International Poker Federation (IPF), and several others.
Numerous celebrities play Poker at live international events nowadays (such as Ben Affleck, Nicole Kidman and James Woods) while some stars entertain the folks at home playing Texas Hold ‘Em on TV. A very popular one of these shows is called Celebrity Poker Showdown, where each star chooses a charity foundation and competes for prize money that is donated to the cause.
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| Texas Hold'Em
Texas Hold'em is a game that can be learnt in minutes but,as the cliche goes,takes a lifetime to master.
Hold'ems naunced simplicity is what keeps people shuffling up all around the world.Wherever you are and whatever stakes you're p |
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Texas Hold'em is a game that can be learnt in minutes but,as the cliche goes,takes a lifetime to master.
Hold'ems naunced simplicity is what keeps people shuffling up all around the world.Wherever you are and whatever stakes you're playing,whether it's a $2 sit n go at Dream Poker or a $10,000 tournament at Full Tilt,the format is always the same.You're dealt two hole cards that only you are allowed to see,which you combine with five community cards,which everyone sees,to make the best five card hand.The person who makes the strongest hand wins the pot.That's poker.Sounds simple?It is.It's making sure your the one left raking the chips in where things get interesting.
Hole Cards
Each hand starts with your two hole cards being dealt one at a time clockwise from the dealer.That first player is required to pay a 'small blind' bet,let's say £1,and the player to the left of them has to pay a 'big blind' bet which is twice as much,thus £2.The level of blinds depends on what game you decide to play in.These blind bets are very important in stimulating action as they juice the pot by for forcing two players to enter the pot whether they have good cards or not.If you're the first to pay the big blind there's no need to worry;the nominated dealer moves one seat to the left every hand,meaning that you only get stung once every round.
Fold,Call Or Raise
After the blinds have been paid and you've recieved your hole cards the first round of betting takes place.The player to the left of the big blind has three options;fold,call or raise.Folding costs nothing so if you don't like the cards you can ditch them.If you want to stay in the hand you have to match the big blind.This is a call.If you are feeling bullish you can raise.Raising is a sign of strenght that says,'my two cards are strong and I'm going to take the pot uncontested unless anyone's brave enough to call me'.If you raised £5 with a pair of kings then anyone else wanting to play their hand would have to match your £5 bet plus the big blind making £7.If no-one calls you take the pot uncontested.
Flop,Turn,River
When all the acxtive players have bet the same amount that first round of betting is over.Thre cards are then dealt face up(refffered to as the flop).The first active player to the left of the dealer starts the next round of betting and when that's complete,a further card is dealt(known as the turn).If you think you are ahead of the pack then make a bet because it has to be matched by any player wishing to stay in the pot.There's betting on the turn card and then one last chance to get your chips in after the fifth and final card (river card) is turned over.When all betting is done and dusted it's time for the moment of truth,the showdown,where the best hand wins the pot.Just remember that if you bet big and no one is brave enough to call,you'll walk away with the pot uncontested.
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