Poker

Despite all the differences between the poker variants, they have one thing in common: You want to win the pot! And the beauty of poker is that there is not just one way to achieve that goal. You can either present the best hand at the Showdown or make everybody else fold before it gets to the Showdown.

Another common feature is that poker hands consist of five cards in all main variants. In community card games (Hold’em, Omaha) you can built your five card hand by a combination of your hole cards and the community cards (flop, turn, river). In Stud Poker you are dealt a total of seven cards and pick the best five-card combination from these. (also see: Hand Rankings)

For Hold’em and Omaha games three different betting structures are in use.

Fixed Limit (or just: Limit)

In Fixed Limit games the bet sizes for all betting rounds are predetermined: During the first two rounds of betting they are set at the lower limit of the stake structure, during the last two betting rounds at the higher limit. For example in a €1/€2 limit game all bets and raises pre-flop and on the flop are €2. On the turn and river all bets and raises would be €2. Furthermore, the maximum number of bets per player and round is capped at four. Before the flop, the player sitting to the left of the big blind opens the betting round (by folding, calling or raising). On all subsequent betting rounds, the first player to the left of the dealer button opens the action (by checking or betting).

No Limit

In No Limit games a player can bet all his chips whenever it is his turn. The minimum bet during all betting rounds equals the size of the big blind.

The first raise during all rounds has to at least double the initial bet (exception: a player who doesn’t have enough chips to double the initial bet, can raise all-in regardless)

Pot Limit

For minimum bets and raises the same rules like in No Limit games apply, but the maximum raise equals the current size of the pot.

Please note that on FatBetPoker the Hold’em cash games are mostly No Limit, while the Omaha cash games are usually Pot Limit games.

Stud Poker

Stud Games are generally played with no Blinds, but an ante instead, a small amount that every player has to post before the start of the hand. For details about betting in Stud Poker games please see 7 Card Stud