The buy-in
When you enter a poker game, you must make a full buy-in for that game. In limit poker, that is 10 times the size of the maximum bet for that game. There is no maximum buy-in for limit poker games. In no-limit or pot-limit poker the minimum buy-in is 20 times the big blind. There is also a maximum buy-in of 100 times the big blind in all no-limit or pot-limit games. This maximum buy-in rule is suspended when a player who quit a game with more than the maximum buy-in returns to the same game within 20 minutes.Button Movement and Blinds
In blind poker games, a round disk called the button is used to indicate which player has the dealer position.The poker player with the button is the last to receive cards in the initial deal and has the right of last action after the first betting round.
The button moves clockwise after a deal ends to rotate the advantage of last action. One or more blind bets are usually used to stimulate action and initiate play.
Blinds are posted before the players look at their cards. Blinds are part of the player's bet, unless a particular situation cause part or all of a blind to be "dead."
Dead blinds are not part of the player's bet. With two blinds, the player immediately to the left of the button posts the small blind and the player two to the left of the button posts the big blind. The player immediately to the left of the player who posted the big blind initiates action on the first round. On all subsequent betting rounds, the player immediately to the left of the button initiates action.
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Rules for posting blinds
- In blind games, poker players must post a big and small blind.
- A new player entering the game can choose to either sit out until it is their turn to post the big blind in turn or they can post an amount equal to big blind immediately and get dealt a hand right away. When a player chooses the latter option the posted money is live.
- Blinds posted in turn are live. A player who posts the blind in turn has the option of raising the pot at the first turn to act.
- If a poker player sits out in a game and misses the big and small blind, the player must post both blinds before being dealt another hand. If the player is not in the big blind position, he will be prompted to post the big and small blind and the big blind will be live and the small blind will be dead (meaning it doesn't count toward the player's bets on that round).
- If a new player chooses to sit out and misses posting their big blind in turn, they will have to post a big blind and a small blind behind the button in order to get dealt in. They could also choose to wait again until it is their turn to post the big blind.
- If a new poker player sits down in between the big blind and the small blind the player cannot receive a hand.
- If a player sits out on a round and misses the small blind only and wishes to return before it is their turn to post the big blind, that player must post a live small blind before they are dealt in again.
- If a player goes all-in and loses, they are obligated to make up the blinds if the blinds are missed before a rebuy is made.
Betting and Raising
- Check and Raise is permitted in all games.
- In no-limit or pot-limit poker games unlimited raising is allowed.
- In limit games, there is a limit of a bet and three raises on any betting round.
- In limit play, an all-in wager of less than half the bet for that round does not reopen the action for any subsequent player who has already acted on their hand that round. A player facing less than half a bet can fold, call or complete the wager. They may not raise. An all-in wager of half a bet or more is treated as a full bet. A subsequent player can fold, call or make a full raise.
- In no-limit or pot-limit poker, a bet that is less than the bet or raise of the previous player does not reopen the action for subsequent poker players who have already acted on their hands.
- Any wager must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise in that round unless a player is going all-in.
- The smallest chip that can be wagered is equal to the smallest chip used in the antes, blinds, or rake.
Determining the Winning Hand
- All hands that have called on the final betting round are involved in a showdown. The hands are shown in order where the first hand shown is that of the person who initiated the last action on the final betting round and then the players' hands are shown in clockwise order if and only if their hand can beat the previous hand shown. If a subsequent player's hand does not beat any previously shown hand, the player's hand is mucked face down for the observers at the table, and is shown in the hand history to those sitting at the table.
- If everyone checks on the final round of betting, showing order is determined by the person who acted first on that round of betting. In button games, this would be the person closest to the left of the button. In Stud games, this would be the person who has the highest board.
- Players have the option to show winning cards in an uncalled pot.
Ties
- Suits are never used to break a tie for winning a pot.
- Odd chips in split pots are broken down to the smallest unit used in the game.
- No poker player may receive more than one odd chip.
- In a straight high, blind game, if two or more hands tie any odd chips will be awarded clockwise in order from the button.
- In a straight high stud game if two or more hands tie any odds chips will be awarded in order of high card on the players' boards where suits count in determining high card.
- In a split game, the high hand receives the odd chip in a split between the high and the low hands. The odd chip in a tie between two high or two low hands is awarded in the same manner as in the straight high version of that form of poker.
- All side pots and main pots will be split as separate pots, not mixed together.
* These rules are available at UltimateBet.
