Community Poker Games

February 7, 2010

Community Poker Games: An Overview

In this article provided by List of Poker Sites we will give you a detailed explanation about Community Poker Games. Community card poker games are those games that engage a certain number of cards placed on the center of the table as well as those dealt face down to the players. The community cards are known as shared cards or window cards and are shared by all the players. Each player is dealt an incomplete hand which he has to complete by using either one or a few of the community cards placed on the table. As the game progresses, the shared cards are flipped over and bets are placed before the next card is turned over.

The community cards are placed on the table for the common use of all the players. However, the use of these cards depend on the rules of the particular variation of the game which specify how many and which cards can be used for each player’s hand. The set of community cards placed on the table is known as “board”. The difference between the variations of community poker games lies in the arrangement of the cards on the table. For example, in Texas Hold’em, the board consists of 5 cards dealt in a single line, while the player holds two. The player can combine any of the cards to play his best five-card hand. For Omaha hold’em, the player can use exactly three out of the 5 community cards and 2 out of his own hand of four cards to play a hand.

The community games are differentiated by the geometric layout of the shared cards. Hence, you have shared cards laid out in a straight line, a circle or a cross.
There are plenty of other variations and while Google search will provide additional information, the prevalent ones have are described here.

The Line:

Usually the line format is commonly used in the hold’em poker games.
Large casinos and poker websites use this format, which is a simple line of cards that are turned over either one by one or a few at a time.
The player makes his hand combining the cards he holds and those placed on the table.
Another line game is Cincinnati where 3 cards are dealt to each player and he has to combine cards from the 4 community cards placed on the table to form a hand.
The cards are turned over one at a time.
This is a fairly simple game for beginners.

The Cross:

In this arrangement, there are two rows of cards that cross at a point.
The Iron Cross is the most popular community poker variation where one card operates as the cross point, being a part of each row.
The central card has to fulfill certain conditions depending on how the game is played.
One variation is where the player getting the highest card of the same suit as the central card will win half the pot.
Suppose the central card is two of diamonds, the player getting the highest diamond value card will share the pot with the player who has the best hand at the table.
The cross point card can also be a wild card. If this is the last card to be flipped over, the game becomes that much more exciting – a reason why the dealer normally turns over the central card last.

The Circle:

The circular layout of cards forms a loop or circle of cards which may either be turned over singly by the dealer, or several at a time.
One condition that players must follow is that the cards used from the loop must lie side by side.
For instance, if the player utilizes three cards from the circle, they must be consecutively placed on the circle.
This is a rather uncommon card layout used in very few poker games.

The most important feature of community poker games is the betting rounds.
These are betting rounds that follow each turning over of a card.
This is a general rule that is followed by all tables having small stakes and it requires that there be a round of bets for every card the dealer turns face up.
The player at the left of the dealer normally opens the betting round.
This may be changed in different variations where there are numerous betting rounds.
The opening of the betting can move in the clockwise direction beginning with the player on the left of the dealer.
This way, there is no pressure on one single player to open each betting round.

Another interesting feature that many poker players prefer to have is the High / Low element.
Here interestingly, the pot is divided into two parts where the player with the best hand shares the pot with the player having the worst hand.
In this variation, the play goes on for a longer time even though the pot is divided into half.

Rolling the cards is another way to include more betting rounds in the game.
The dealer decides to ask the players to “roll the cards in the hole”, when all the community cards have been turned over.
On a count of three (called by the dealer) each player will flip over one face down card.
The best face up card will open the betting round.
The process continues with a second card being turned over followed by another betting round.
The rolling continues till the last card.
This is the final betting round after which is the showdown.

Numerous community poker variations are played around the world, but Texas Hold’em is probably the most accepted and enjoyable variation.
The World Series of Poker Tournaments highlighted the game in 1970 by calling it “The Cadillac of Poker”.
In Australia, a variation of Texas Hold’em known as “Manila” is extremely popular.
The game uses a ‘stripped deck’ meaning all cards valued below seven are discarded, leaving only 32 cards in the deck.
Other community poker variations include Omaha Hold’em, Crazy Pineapple / Tahoe hold’em / Super hold’em and ‘Home Games’ like Cincinnati, Iron Cross, Tic-Tac-Toea and East Village amongst others.

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