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— Established by the Gentlemen of Dedham —

Poker Night

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An evening of Texas Hold 'Em among neighbors and friends. Bring ten dollars, your worst poker face, and a willingness to lose with dignity.

$10 Buy-In · One Rebuy · Tournament Format
↓   THE RULES OF THE GAME   ↓
Chapter the First

The Game, in Brief

Texas Hold 'Em

You'll be dealt two private cards (your "hole cards"), face-down. Over four rounds of betting, five community cards are revealed in the middle of the table — shared by everyone.

Your job is to make the best five-card hand you can, using any combination of your two cards and the five community cards. You can use both, one, or none of your hole cards. Win the pot by either having the best hand at showdown — or by convincing everyone else to fold first.

Easy to learn. Hard to master. Punishing if you're not paying attention.

Chapter the Second

Hand Rankings

1
Royal Flush
A, K, Q, J, 10 — all the same suit
A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
2
Straight Flush
Five in a row, same suit
9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
3
Four of a Kind
Four cards of matching rank
J J J J 7
4
Full House
Three of a kind + a pair
10 10 10 4 4
5
Flush
Five of the same suit, any order
K♣ J♣ 8♣ 5♣ 2♣
6
Straight
Five in a row, mixed suits
9 8 7 6 5
7
Three of a Kind
Three cards of matching rank
7 7 7 K 2
8
Two Pair
Two different pairs
A A 8 8 4
9
One Pair
Two cards of matching rank
Q Q 9 6 3
10
High Card
Nothing of note. Highest card plays.
A K 9 5 2
Chapter the Third

How a Hand Unfolds

I
The Blinds
Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the dealer's left post forced bets — the small blind and the big blind. This seeds the pot. The dealer button rotates clockwise after each hand.
II
Pre-Flop
Each player receives two cards face-down. The first betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind. Fold, call, or raise.
III
The Flop
Three community cards are dealt face-up. A second betting round, beginning with the first active player left of the dealer. You may now check if no one bets first.
IV
The Turn
A fourth community card is revealed. Another betting round. The pot grows. The drama thickens.
V
The River
The fifth and final community card is dealt. The last betting round. This is where fortunes are made or shattered.
VI
Showdown
If two or more players remain, hands are revealed. Best five-card hand takes the pot. If only one player is left after everyone else folds, they win without showing.
Chapter the Fourth

Your Options at the Table

Check
Pass the action to the next player without betting. Only available if no one has bet yet this round.
Bet
Put chips into the pot, forcing others to match (or raise) to stay in the hand.
Call
Match the current bet to stay in the hand.
Raise
Increase the size of the current bet. Now everyone else has to match your raise to stay in.
Fold
Throw your cards in. You're out for this hand. Whatever you've already put in the pot stays there.
All-In
Push every chip you have into the pot. Win big or go home.
Chapter the Fifth

Tonight's Game

The Particulars

Format
Tournament — last man standing
Buy-In
$10 in cash, payable upon arrival
Rebuy
One per player ($10), through end of Level 4
Stack
1,500 chips to start
Chips
White 25 · Red 100 · Green 500 · Black 1,000
Levels
20 minutes per blind level
Payout
1st gets ~$70 · 2nd ~$35 · 3rd ~$15 (8 players, scales with attendance)
LvlBlindsNotes
125 / 50Rebuys open
250 / 100—
375 / 150—
4100 / 200Rebuys close
5150 / 300—
6200 / 400—
7300 / 600—
8500 / 1000Get serious
9+Doubles'Til someone wins
Chapter the Sixth

The House Rules

Verbal is Binding
If you say "raise," it's a raise. If you say "call," it's a call. Words count.
One Chip Rule
Tossing in a single oversized chip counts as a call, unless you announce "raise" first.
No String Bets
Declare your raise amount up front, or push your chips in with one motion. No going back for more.
Cards Speak
At showdown, your hand is whatever the cards say it is — even if you misread it. The table will sort it out.
Phones Down at the Table
If you're sitting, you're playing. Step away if you need to take a call.
Be a Good Dad About It
No slow-rolling. No whining about bad beats. Refill your neighbor's drink when you're up.

Print it. Bring it.

Want a one-page handout for the table? Print this and pass it around. Hand rankings, blind schedule, and house rules — all on a single sheet of paper.

↓ Download the Cheat Sheet

Practice your game.

Sharpen up before the next poker night. Sit down at the practice table, take on the bots, and put the rules into reps before the chips are real.

→ Open the Practice Table