Standard Oasis Poker
Properties
The game uses a standard 52-card deck with four suits.
The highest card is an Ace, the lowest 💰 is a Two. The deck is shuffled before the cards
are dealt.
Players and Table Layout
Usually, several players are active in 💰 the game.
All players independently compete with the dealer. There are two rectangle boxes drawn
on the table in front 💰 of each player. One of them is called ANTE, and the other is
called either the BET, RAISE or PLAY. 💰 There is usually a circle drawn upon the ANTE box
– for the Bonus Bet.
Prebet
Before dealing, the player makes a 💰 prebet by placing one or
more chips on the ANTE position. Each bet must be within the casino’s fixed range: 💰 the
minimum and the maximum bet are displayed on the table, as well as the table’s maximum
payout – the 💰 upper limit of the win.
The range and maximum payouts may vary from table
to table. Here are several examples:
Minimum Bet 💰 (€) Maximum Bet (€) Maximum Payout (€)
5 50 2,000 10 100 3,000 25 300 5,000 50 1,000 10,000 100 💰 2,000 20,000
Card
Distribution
The dealer deals five cards to himself and to each player. The cards are
dealt face-down alternately. The 💰 dealer’s last card is dealt face-up.
The Objective of
the Game
After the cards are dealt, the player evaluates his hand. The 💰 objective of the
game is to get the higher poker hand than that of the dealer’s.
Poker
Combinations
Every hand consists of 💰 one of eleven combinations. The lowest combination
is called empty and the others are called meaningful. A combination is defined 💰 by the
rank of its cards, as well as by their suits. The order in which the cards are received
💰 does not matter. The combinations below are arranged according to their rank. For
players’ convenience, the brief information on various 💰 combinations is given in the
table below.
Royal Flush – the highest poker combination with 5 highest cards of the
same 💰 suit (A-K-Q-J-10). Straight Flush – straight in one suit. Straight consists of 5
successive cards, for example, Q-J-10-9-8. The following 💰 combination – 5-4-3-2-A, is
also a Straight. An Ace within the combination such as 4-3-2-A-K does not make up a
💰 Straight. Four-of-a-Kind – 4 cards of the same rank, for example, 4 Jacks or 4 Fives
(plus one extra card). 💰 Full or Full House – 3 cards of the same rank and 2 of another.
For example, 6-6-6-K-K. Flush – 💰 5 cards of the same suit. Straight – 5 successive
cards, for example, 9-8-7-6-5. Suits have no meaning. Three-of-a-Kind – 💰 3 cards of the
same rank, for example, 9-9-9-Q-4. Two Pair – two cards of the same rank and two 💰 of
another, for example, A-A-5-5-10. One Pair – two cards of the same rank, for example,
8-8-K-4-2. Ace-King – an 💰 Ace and a King of any suits, for example, A-K-8-7-3. No Hand –
cards do not make any of the 💰 above combinations, for example, J-10-7-5-2.
The higher
the combination, the higher the hand is ranked. If two hands have the same
💰 combinations, they are valued by the rank of the cards. A few examples:
Ace-King –
A-K-J-3-2 is higher than A-K-10-9-8 (a 💰 Jack is higher than a 10);
– A-K-J-3-2 is higher
than A-K-10-9-8 (a Jack is higher than a 10); Pair – 💰 5-5-4-3-2 is higher than 4-4-A-K-Q
(the value of paired cards is compared);
– 5-5-4-3-2 is higher than 4-4-A-K-Q (the
value of 💰 paired cards is compared); Pair – 5-5-Q-3-2 is higher than 5-5-J-10-9 (a Queen
is higher than a Jack);
– 5-5-Q-3-2 is 💰 higher than 5-5-J-10-9 (a Queen is higher than a
Jack); Two Pair – A-A-2-2-3 is higher than K-K-Q-Q-A (the value 💰 of the cards from the
highest pair is compared);
– A-A-2-2-3 is higher than K-K-Q-Q-A (the value of the cards
from 💰 the highest pair is compared); Three-of-a-Kind – K-K-K-10-10 is higher than
Q-Q-Q-10-10 (King is higher than a jack);
Straight – A-K-Q-J-10 💰 is the highest,
5-4-3-2-A is the lowest;
– A-K-Q-J-10 is the highest, 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest; Flush –
A-8-5-4-2 of the 💰 same suit is higher than K-Q-10-5-3 of the same suit (Ace is higher
than a King);
Full House – 3-3-3-2-2 is 💰 higher than 2-2-2-A-A (the value of
Three-of-a-Kind is higher than the Pair);
– 3-3-3-2-2 is higher than 2-2-2-A-A (the
value of 💰 Three-of-a-Kind is higher than the Pair); Four-of-a-Kind – 10-10-10-10-5 is
higher than 8-8-8-8-7 (10 is higher than 8);
– 10-10-10-10-5 is 💰 higher than 8-8-8-8-7
(10 is higher than 8); Straight Flush – Q-J-10-9-8 of the same suit is higher than
10-9-8-7-6 💰 of the same suit (Queen is higher than 10).
The suits themselves are equal.
For example, a hearts Royal Flush is 💰 equivalent to a clubs Royal Flush.
Poker
combinations
The Name of the Combination Cards in the Combination Examples of the
Layouts Royal 💰 Flush 5 highest cards of the same suit A♦ K♦ Q♦ J♦ 10♦ Straight Flush 5
consecutive cards of the 💰 same suit K♣ Q♣ J♣ 10♣ 9♣ 6♠ 5♠ 4♠ 3♠ 2♠ 5♥ 4♥ 3♥ 2♥ A♥ Four
of a 💰 Kind 4 cards of the same rank J♠ J♣ J♦ J♥ 6♠ Full or Full House 3 cards of the
💰 same rank and 2 of another 6♦ 6♥ 6♠ K♥ K♣ Flush 5 cards of the same suit K♣ 10♣ 💰 5♣ 3♣
2♣ Straight 5 consecutive cards A♦ K♣ Q♠ J♥ 10♠ 6♠ 5♥ 4♦ 3♦ 2♦ 5♠ 4♠ 3♠ 💰 2♠ A♥ Three of
a Kind 3 cards of the same rank 9♠ 9♣ 9♦ Q♥ 4♦ Two Pair 2 💰 cards of the same rank and 2
of another 5♠ 5♣ A♣ A♥ 10♦ One Pair 2 cards of the 💰 same rank 8♥ 8♦ K♥ 4♥ 2♥ Ace-King an
Ace and a King of any suits A♥ K♦ 8♥ 7♥ 💰 3♠ No Hand J♦ 10♠ 7♥ 5♥ 2♣
Course of the
Game
The player looks at his cards and determines the value 💰 of his hand. The player
will ultimately have to compare his hand with the dealer’s. This is the point of 💰 the
game. Whoever has the higher combination wins. The dealer’s one card lays face-up on
the table, but that is 💰 the only information the player has about the dealer’s hand.
Other players’ cards could be of a little help, but 💰 they are unknown. Players are not
allowed to show theirs cards to each other, as well as to share theirs 💰 problems.
After
looking at his hand, the player decides which of the three possible actions to
take:
Decision 1. Fold immediately. The 💰 ANTE is lost, the game is over.
Decision 2.
Continue playing with the cards he has. The player places his cards 💰 on the table, but
that's not all. He must place an additional bet on the BET box to continue the 💰 game.
This bet is equal to twice the original ANTE. The described procedure is sometimes
called Raising the bet.
Decision 3. 💰 Exchange one card in order to get a better
combination. For example, the player could discard a Queen from the 💰 Q-9-8-7-6 hand in
the hopes of getting a Ten or a Five to complete a Straight. However, this not a 💰 free
option. The player puts his cards on the table and lays aside the unwanted card. He
then has to 💰 put new chips on it – the payment for exchange – equal to ANTE. The dealer
takes away the chips 💰 and draws the new card. After the change, the player evaluates his
five cards again. If the change has been 💰 successful, he makes Decision 2. If not, the
player can only make Decision 1, which is to stop the game. 💰 At this point there are no
other alternatives.
After all players make decision, the dealer reveals his cards. If
the dealer 💰 has a meaningful (not empty) combination, he qualifies. It means that his
combination is compared to that of the players’. 💰 He then opens the player’s five cards.
If the player's hand is lower, he loses all his bets. When equal 💰 hands occur, the
player keeps his bets. The most dynamic moment is when the dealer loses.
The ANTE is
paid 1:1. 💰 The BET is paid according to player’s poker combination. Here is the payout
ratio table:
Royal Flush 100:1 Straight Flush 50:1 💰 Four of a Kind 20:1 Full House 7:1
Flush 5:1 Straight 4:1 Three of a Kind 3:1 Two Pair 2:1 💰 One Pair 1:1 Ace-King 1:1
If
the ANTE was €10 (the BET is €20), the player’s total winning with a Full 💰 House is
€150. With a Royal Flush, the player gets €2010. But players should always keep in mind
that in 💰 addition to the table’s minimum and maximum ANTE there is the table’s maximum
payout. The player won’t get more than 💰 this sum in any circumstances.
The above
calculations are only true when the dealer’s combination is meaningful. If it is not
💰 the case, the player’s combination is irrelevant, the dealer doesn't qualify. The
player has still won, even if his combination 💰 is meaningless, or empty. His payment
will be the ANTE sum. Those players who made Decision 1 would be a 💰 little upset, but if
a player had a Royal Flush, it would be extremely frustrating. This Royal combination
is very 💰 rare, and if the dealer qualified, the winnings would be enormous! If the
player made Decision 3, the result against 💰 a non-qualifying dealer is neutral, because
of the payment for the card exchange.
Game on Multiple Boxes
We’ve written about the
basic 💰 rules of the game. But there is an opportunity to play on multiple boxes at once
(make prebets in several 💰 ANTE boxes, not occupied by other players). The normal game is
usually played on two boxes while the other boxes 💰 are blind. On blind boxes, the player
is not allowed to look at his cards and the only decision he 💰 can make is Decision 2.
When playing like this, the chances of winning decrease. As soon as the BET is
💰 obligatory here, it is made together with the ANTE.
Two-box games are a little bit more
profitable than one-box games. That 💰 is why when playing two boxes players can only look
at their hands one after the other, box after box. 💰 The player starts by examining the
first box’s cards and makes his decision on that hand. Only after he has 💰 played that
hand can he look at the second box’s cards. Otherwise, players would know too much for
the casino 💰 to tolerate.
On the other side, it is possible for several players to play
on one box, with each of them 💰 making bets on one ANTE box. The total sum can’t overdraw
the maximum table bet. Every following decision is made 💰 by the lead player. Giving tips
or advice is not allowed in casinos.
Bonus Game
At the beginning of the game, players
💰 have the opportunity to make an additional bet – the so-called Bonus Bet. As a rule, it
is confined to 💰 €2-5. The corresponding chips are placed in the circle above the ANTE
box. This bet wins if the player immediately 💰 gets a poker combination of a Straight or
higher (though in some casinos players are paid for Three-of-a-Kind or higher). 💰 Each
casino has its own bonus rates. This is a possible table of bonus rates:
Royal Flush
1000:1 Straight Flush 500:1 💰 Four of a Kind 200:1 Full House 100:1 Flush 60:1 Straight
40:1
The bonus payout is independent of the maximum table 💰 payout and the dealer’s
cards. It doesn’t matter whether dealer qualifies or not, or if his combination is
better than 💰 the player’s.
The Bonus Bet doesn’t influence the main game. However, if
the player makes the decision to replace one of 💰 his cards (Decision 3), the Bonus Bet
is usually lost.
The most interesting bonus game is when, as a reward for 💰 a Royal
Flush, the player receives a Jackpot rather than a financial reward. The Jackpot is an
electronic money account 💰 that receives a predetermined deposit for every losing hand
played at the casino. The Jackpot’s size doesn’t correspond to the 💰 likelihood of being
dealt a Royal Flush, and can easily grow to anywhere from €10,000 to €60,000. There
certainly aren’t 💰 many other ways to win that size sum with a “single strike” in a
casino.