Contents
Poker Fundamentals
Hands and Hand Rankings in Poker
Dealers and Dealing
Betting
Winning the Pot
Basic Poker Game Variations
General Poker Strategy
Five-Card Draw and Variations
Seven-Card Stud and Variations
Texas Hold’em and Variations
Where to Play Poker
Tournament Poker
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Winning the Pot
Most poker games end when the person with the best five-card hand takes the entire pot. But certain game variations and scenarios can result in split pots or side pots.
Split Pots
Split pots are pots split between two (or more) players who have hands of equal value. Split pots occur more than you might expect, especially in community games. For instance, say you’re playing a game of Texas hold’em and the community cards on the table are:
If you’re holding a J and a T while another player has a J and a 4, you both have the straight A-K-Q-J-T. Your hands are of equal rank, so you split the pot.
Side Pots
If someone bets more chips than you have in your stack, you’re allowed to stay in the hand, but you can’t win as much as the other players. What you can win is a side pot. The side pot is formed by counting the chips from the player who has the least, and then taking the same amount from each other player. The rest of the chips form the main pot. Here’s an example involving Bob, Sue, and you:
- Bob bets $25, and Sue calls the bet, but you have only $15 worth of chips.
- You bet the entire $15. The dealer puts together a side pot of $15 from you, $15 from Bob, and $15 from Sue ($45 total). The rest of the money that was bet ($20) goes in the main pot.
- In the two additional rounds, Bob bets $25 each time, and Sue calls each of his bets. Their bets go into the main pot, which is now $120.
- The players show their cards. You have J-J-J, Bob has 8-8, and Sue has K-K. Though you have the best hand, you’re eligible to win only the $45 side pot. Sue wins the $120 main pot.
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