Hoyle Poker Rules

The variation of Poker played in Hoyle Card Games is 5-Card Draw. Each hand can start with eight players or less (if a player runs out of cash, or if you remove players before the deal); the minimum number of players is two, of course. No cards are wild.

Players' hands consist of five cards dealt to each player, all face down. From these five cards, the player can choose to discard several cards (3 card maximum) and draw the same number of cards to replace them. (A player can also choose to stand pat, which means not drawing any cards.) A player wins by having the highest-ranking hand of five cards.

General Hoyle Poker concepts

The object of the game is to put together a better poker hand than the other players. The players bet to see who has the best hand. Each deal is a separate game, in that its result doesn't affect any other deal. All the bets are placed together, forming a pot. The object is to win the pot, whether by actually holding the best hand or by inducing other players to fold (drop out) and leave the pot to be taken, uncontested, by a single player still willing to bet.

The turn to deal, the cards as they are dealt, and the turn to bet all pass clockwise from player to player. Once a player folds, the turn skips him or her and continues with the next player still in the action.

Generally, the cards are shuffled and dealt; there follows one or more betting intervals; and there's a showdown at the end of the last betting interval in which each player who has not previously folded shows what's in his or her hand. The highest-ranking hand at that point wins the pot.

In each betting interval, you can do one of four things:

Fold Leave the hand.

Call Place in the pot only enough chips to stay in play for that betting interval.

Raise Place in the pot enough chips to call, plus additional chips.

Check A "bet of nothing," only possible when no previous player has made a bet in that betting interval. Checking allows a player to stay in the pot without risking additional chips.

How play proceeds

Each player adds his or her ante to the pot. Each player then receives five cards face down, followed by the first betting interval. The right to open passes to each player, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button. Players that stay in choose which (if any) of the five cards they want to discard (3 cards maximum). Note To stand pat (not draw any cards), press the spacebar.

The dealer then deals replacement cards to make each player’s hand total five cards. The second (and final) betting interval takes place.

After the final betting interval, all players that are still in show their cards. The player with the highest-ranking hand of five cards wins. If hands tie, the pot is split. In each betting interval, if more than two players are betting, there is a limit of three raises amongst all players. If only two players are in the game, there is no limit.

Playing the game

The type of game (25 hands, 50 hands, or win-it-all) and the pot amount is indicated on the table when the game begins. When you are ready to start play, click the Ante button. Each player adds his or her ante to the pot. Each player then receives five cards face down, followed by the first betting interval. The right to open passes to each player, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. Players that stay in choose which (if any) of the five cards they want to discard (3 cards maximum).

If nobody else has opened, you have the option to check, open, or fold. If another player has opened, you have the option to call, raise, or fold.

Check A "bet of nothing," only possible when no previous player has made a bet in that betting interval. Checking allows a player to stay in the pot without risking additional chips.

Open Place the first bet in the betting interval.

Raise Place in the pot enough chips to call, plus additional chips.

Call Place in the pot only enough chips to stay in play for that betting interval.

Fold Leave the hand.

If you choose to Open or Raise, the Betting dialog box appears for you to choose your chip denominations for your bet. In a given betting interval, there is always a minimum and maximum bet that you can make. These values vary depending on how many players are left in the game, and what their average bankroll is. As the game gets down to just a few players who each have a lot of money, the stakes get higher. Also, the bet limits for the betting round after the draw are generally higher than the bet limits for the round before the draw.

Control/Option Description

$1, $5, $25, $100, $500, $1000, $5,000, $25,000 Click on the chips you want to make up the current bet or raise amount. The bet must meet the minimum bet and not exceed the maximum bet. Click on a chip with the left mouse button to add it to the current bet. Click on a chip with the right mouse button to subtract it from the current bet.

Bet/Raise Amount Indicates the current bet or raise amount.

Bankroll Indicates your current available bankroll total.

OK Accepts the current bet and starts the hand.

Clear Clears the current bet amount.

Hoyle Poker Game options

You have the option of setting when the game ends: after you win all the money on the table (or lose it all), or after 25 or 50 hands. To change this option, click Poker Settings on the Options menu. For help on this option, see the help area in the Options dialog box.

Notes:

You can quickly take any action in a dialog box by pressing the first letter of that action when the dialog box appears. Press A to Ante or S to Sit Out; press C to Check, O to Open or F to Fold; press C to Call, R to Raise, and F to Fold. You can also press the number of a chip to add that chip to your bet when opening or raising.
If you like this poker game, you might enjoy Hoyle Casino, which has seven different poker variations: Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hold'em, Omaha Hold'em Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, Five Card Draw, and Five Card Draw Lowball. For more on Hoyle Casino, click the Hoyle Web Site icon in your Hoyle Card Games program group.

Seven Card Stud Rules
Texas Hold'em Rules
Omaha Rules
General Rules