How to Play

Texas Hold'em

Game Basics

In Hold’Em, all players receive two down cards as their personal hand, after which there is a round of betting. Three board cards are turned simultaneously (called “the flop”) and another round of betting occurs. The next two board cards are turned one at a time with a round of betting after each card. The board cards are community cards and after the final round of betting a player may use any five card combination between the board cards and their two personal cards. A player may even use all of the boardcards and no personal cards to form a hand. This is called “playing the board.” A player playing the board must still show two hole cards to receive a portion of the bet.

Hold’Em uses a flat disc called a dealer button to indicate the player who is in the dealer position for that hand (even though a non-playing poker room employee usually deals). The dealer button rotates clockwise. The player with the dealer button is the last one to receive a card on the initial deal and has the right of last action after the first round of betting. One or more blinds are used to stimulate action and initiate play. Blinds are posted before the players look at their cards. Blinds are part of the players bet. The player posts the small blind immediately clockwise from the dealer button, and the big blind is posted immediately clockwise from the small blind. The player clockwise of the blinds initiates action on the first betting round. On all subsequent betting rounds the action begins with the first player clockwise from the button. The button moves one position clockwise after each hand.

Poker Room Jackpot Rules

Prairie Meadows rules will apply at all times. The winner must be the second hand in action. Only one winner is allowed unless two hands are the same. Any conversation or comments between the participants, indicating a potential jackpot situation may void the jackpot. Management reserves the right to suspend payment of jackpot, for the purpose of investigation, in the event there is reasonable cause to believe any fraudulent or dishonest conduct has taken place. Prairie Meadows Poker Room reserves the right to establish the rules and regulations surrounding any of the enhanced or promotional jackpot situations and may change these rules and regulations from time to time as they see fit.

Hold’Em Jackpot Rules

Lose on Aces full of Jacks or better. Winner must be four of a kind or better. Each participant must use both hole cards to qualify. To qualify for Aces full, the participant with Aces full must have at least one Ace in the hole. If more than two hands are in play after all action is completed, all hands must show or jackpot may be deemed void.

Seven Card Stud Jackpot Rules

Lose on Aces full of Jacks or better.

Omaha Jackpot Rules

Four of a kind or better must lose to a four of a kind or better.

SEVEN CARD STUD

Seven Card Stud is played with two down cards and one up card dealt before the first betting round, followed by three more cards up with a round of betting after each card. After the last card down is dealt there is a final round of betting. The best five-card poker hand wins the pot. In all structured/fixed limit games, players will be required to ante before receiving any cards, then the smaller bet is wagered on the first two betting rounds on the fifth, sixth and seventh cards. If there is an open pair on the fourth card, any player has the option of making the smaller or larger bet.

The first round of betting is initiated with a force bring bet by the lowest value up card. A tie is broken down by suit with the lowest suit forced to bet. On subsequent betting rounds, the high hand on board initiates the action. Ties are broken down by position by the player clockwise from the dealer acting first.

The player with the force bet has the option of opening for a full bet. Completing an opening force bet does not count as a raise, but merely as a completion of the bet. (For example, in a $15-$30 stud game, the low card is a force bring in of $5. If the next player to act brings the bet to $15 [completion of the bet], up to four raises.)

SEVEN CARD HIGH/LOW

Seven Card High/Low is played with two down cards and one up card dealt before the first betting round, followed by three more up cards with a round of betting after each card. After the last down card is dealt there is a final round of betting. Seven Card High/Low is played with a qualifier of 8 or better for the low hand and any high the best five card poker hand wins the high part of the pot and the lowest hand that qualifies 8 or better wins the low part of the pot. If there are no hands that qualify for the low, then the high hand will win the entire pot. In all structured/fixed limit games, the smaller bet is wagered on the first two betting rounds and the larger bet is wagered after the betting rounds on the fifth, sixth, and seventh cards. If there is an open pair on the fourth card, any player has the option of making the smaller or larger bet.

The first round of betting is initiated with a force bring bet by the lowest value up card. Aces are high for this purpose. A tie is broken down by suit with the lowest suit being forced to bet. On subsequent betting rounds, the high hand on board initiates the action. Ties are broken down by position by the player clockwise from the dealer acting first.

The player with the force bet has the option of opening for a full bet. Completing an opening bet on force bet does not count as a raise but merely as a completion of the bet. (For example, in a $15-$30 stud game, the low card is a force bring in of $5. If the next player to act brings the bet to $15 [completion of the bet], up to four raises.)

All rules to Seven Card stud apply to Seven Card High/Low. A qualifier of 8 or better for low applies to all high/low split games. Aces may be used for high or low. Players may use any five cards to make the best high hand and the same or any other grouping of five cards to make the best low hand. A 2-3-4-5 is the best possible low hand and is also a straight.

OMAHA

In Omaha, all players receive four cards face down as a personal hand, after which there is a round of betting. Three board cards are turned simultaneously (called the “flop”) and another round of betting occurs. The next two board cards are turned one at a time, with a betting round after each card. The board cards are community cards and after the final round of betting a player must use exactly two card of their four down cards and exactly three of the community cards to make their best hand. Playing the board is not possible playing Omaha, as it is Hold’Em.

Omaha uses a flat disc called a button to indicate the player who is in the dealer position for that hand. The dealer button rotates in a clockwise manner. The player with the button is last to receive cards on the initial deal and has the right of last action after the first betting round.

One or more blinds are used to simulate action and initiate play. Blinds are posted before players look at their cards. Blinds are part of the player’s bet unless the structure of a particular game or the situation requires part or all of a particular blind to be “dead.” Dead chips are not part of the player’s bet. The player post the small blind immediately clockwise from the button and the big blind immediately clockwise from the small blind.

The player clockwise from the blinds initiates the action on the first betting round. On all subsequent betting rounds the action begins with the first player clockwise from the button. The button moves one position clockwise after each hand.

Omaha is often played high/low split, 8 or better. Players may use any combination of two hole cards and three board cards for their high hand and any other combination of two cards from their hand for low.

OMAHA HIGH/LOW SPLIT

In Omaha high/low split all players receive four cards face down as a personal hand, after which there is a round of betting. Three board cards are turned simultaneously (called the “flop”) and another round of betting occurs. The next two board cards are turned one at a time, with a betting round after each card. The board cards are community cards and after a final round of betting a player must use exactly two cards of their four down cards and exactly three of the community cards to make their best hand. A player can use one combination of cards to make a high hand and the same or any other combination to make a low hand, as long as each hand uses exactly two hole cards with three board cards. If there is no low hand qualifier, the high hand wins the pot.

Playing the board is not possible playing Omaha high/low split as it is playing Hold’Em. Omaha high/low split uses a flat disc called a dealer button to indicate the player who is in the dealer position for that hand. The dealer button rotates in a clockwise manner. The player with the button is last to receive cards on the initial deal and has the right of last action after the first betting round.

One or more blinds are used to simulate action and initiate play. Blinds are posted before players look at their cards. Blinds are part of the player’s bet unless the structure of a particular game or the situation requires part or all of a particular blind to be “dead.” Dead chips are not part of the player’s bet. The player post the small blind immediately clockwise from the button and the big blind immediately clockwise from the small blind.

The player clockwise from the blinds initiates the action on the first betting round. On all subsequent betting rounds the action begins with the first player clockwise from the button.

All rules of Texas Hold’Em and Omaha apply to Omaha High/Low Split.

A qualifier of 8 or better for low applies to all high/low split games. Aces may be used for high or low. Straights and flushes do not affect the low value of a hand. A 2-3-4-5 is the best possible low hand and is also a straight.