Rules For Cash Games
A cash game (also called a ring game) is a game in which your chips
are equivalent💷 to cash money. Unlike a tournament, in which you buy in for a set amount
of chips and play until💷 you lose all of those chips (or win a set amount based upon
your rank in the tournament), in a💷 cash game you can walk away at any point and cash
your chips back in for money.
Rules of Both Cash💷 Games and Tournaments:
While there are
distinct elements of cash, several rules overlap with tournament rules (See our
Tournament Rules page💷 for a complete list of these and other rules specific to
tournaments)
Players are responsible for protecting their own hands. Any💷 hand that hits
the muck, or has the wrong number of cards, is a dead hand. No refunds of chips💷 already
bet will be given.
Any hand that hits the muck, or has the wrong number of cards, is a
dead💷 hand. No refunds of chips already bet will be given. The cards speak. If a player
miscalls their hand at💷 the showdown, those statements are not binding.
If a player
miscalls their hand at the showdown, those statements are not binding.💷 Verbal bets are
binding. A player who declares bet, call, or raise, will be required to complete the
action.
A player💷 who declares bet, call, or raise, will be required to complete the
action. String bets are not allowed. If a💷 player does not announce a bet amount, then
the player can not put chips in the pot and follow it💷 with more chips in separate
actions. In poker movies, you'll often see the hero say, "I'll call yourR$1000...and
raise youR$3000💷 more!", and put the chip into the pot in two separate actions. This is
forbidden in poker rooms and in💷 this case it would be interpreted as only a call.
If a
player does not announce a bet amount, then the💷 player can not put chips in the pot and
follow it with more chips in separate actions. In poker movies,💷 you'll often see the
hero say, "I'll call yourR$1000...and raise youR$3000 more!", and put the chip into the
pot in💷 two separate actions. This is forbidden in poker rooms and in this case it would
be interpreted as only a💷 call. A bet of a single chip is a call unless otherwise
announced. Suppose it isR$5 to call. If you💷 throw out a singleR$25 chip, that is only a
call, unless you say "raise". Don't worry, you'll get this one💷 wrong a couple times
before it sinks in. To be safe, it is always best to verbally announce your intention
💷 to raise.
Suppose it isR$5 to call. If you throw out a singleR$25 chip, that is only a
call, unless you💷 say "raise". Don't worry, you'll get this one wrong a couple times
before it sinks in. To be safe, it💷 is always best to verbally announce your intention
to raise. Dead button rule. No player may miss the big blind💷 because another player has
left the table.
No player may miss the big blind because another player has left the
table.💷 The decision of the floor manager is final. When not covered by these rules,
standard tournament poker rules will be💷 enforced to the best of the ability of the
floor manager.
Rules Specific to Cash Games:
If there is no waiting list,💷 you may
select any open seat you like unless tables are significantly unbalanced, in which case
the floor (a kind💷 of manager for the cash tables) will direct you to a table that needs
more players. If you end up💷 not liking your table, and seats are available elsewhere
you can request to move and this will be most often💷 be allowed if it is not creating
too much a table imbalance.
you like unless tables are significantly unbalanced, in
which💷 case the floor (a kind of manager for the cash tables) will direct you to a table
that needs more💷 players. If you end up not liking your table, and seats are available
elsewhere you can request to move and💷 this will be most often be allowed if it is not
creating too much a table imbalance. Cash games have💷 a set blind structure: unlike
tournaments, where the blind structure increases over time, (e.g., aR$1/$2 cash table
will always stay💷 atR$1/$2). Having said that, aggressive players will sometimes up the
ante by “straddling” the big blind. A straddle is when💷 the Under the Gun player doubles
the big blind before the cards are dealt. There are other forms of blind💷 re-raises that
you will see occasionally, but the straddle is the most common.
unlike tournaments,
where the blind structure increases over💷 time, (e.g., aR$1/$2 cash table will always
stay atR$1/$2). Having said that, aggressive players will sometimes up the ante by
💷 “straddling” the big blind. A straddle is when the Under the Gun player doubles the big
blind before the cards💷 are dealt. There are other forms of blind re-raises that you
will see occasionally, but the straddle is the most💷 common. There are minimum and
maximum limits on the amount of money you can bring to the table. A typicalR$1/$2💷 table
might allow a minimum ofR$60 and a maximum ofR$300. If you win big, you can obviously
have much more💷 thanR$300 in front of you, but you may not add more than brings you
toR$300 yourself.
A typicalR$1/$2 table might allow💷 a minimum ofR$60 and a maximum
ofR$300. If you win big, you can obviously have much more thanR$300 in front💷 of you,
but you may not add more than brings you toR$300 yourself. You may not remove money
from the💷 table at any point. If you have wonR$1,000 and want to protect some of that
profit, you must leave the💷 table with your entire stack. You can not just removeR$500
from the table and remain in your seat.
If you have💷 wonR$1,000 and want to protect some
of that profit, you must leave the table with your entire stack. You can💷 not just
removeR$500 from the table and remain in your seat. Absent players. Unlike tournaments,
an absent player is not💷 dealt a hand. If a player is away from the table and misses
either or both of their blinds, they💷 must pay the blinds when they return. If they are
away for multiple rounds of blinds they only pay one.
Unlike💷 tournaments, an absent
player is not dealt a hand. If a player is away from the table and misses either💷 or
both of their blinds, they must pay the blinds when they return. If they are away for
multiple rounds💷 of blinds they only pay one. Unlike tournament poker, neither player is
forced to turn his/her hand face up immediately💷 when an all-in and call is made before
the river. After the last card is shown, the player who went💷 all-in and was called
shows their hand. If the player who called cannot beat that hand, she may muck her💷 hand
without showing. In some cardrooms, players may ask to see the cards and then the hand
would be revealed,💷 but that is generally not done, and even if allowed, considered bad
form.
Cash Games Variations:
There are three different types of💷 cash games played at
casinos: Limit, Pot Limit, and No-Limit:
In Limit poker, there are proscribed limits on
betting in each💷 round. A limit game will have a small bet and big bet (sayR$2 andR$4).
The big blind is the size💷 of the small bet (and the small blind is less than that). If
you are the first to bet, you💷 can only increment the bet by the size of the small bet.
The next player can also only increase the💷 bet by the size of the big blind. So, if you
are at aR$1/$2 limit table, the first better can💷 only raise toR$4 ($2 plus anotherR$2).
The next player who would like to raise can raise toR$6 ($4 plusR$2). These💷 limits are
true for the flop as well. On the turn and river you must bet the size of the💷 big bet.
So in this example you could open the turn betting withR$4 and the next raiser could go
toR$8.💷 However, there will also be a cap on the number of raises which can be made
(usually 4 or 5,💷 but varies by casino). Once that number of raises have been made, no
more raising can occur.
poker, there are proscribed💷 limits on betting in each round. A
limit game will have a small bet and big bet (sayR$2 andR$4). The💷 big blind is the size
of the small bet (and the small blind is less than that). If you are💷 the first to bet,
you can only increment the bet by the size of the small bet. The next player💷 can also
only increase the bet by the size of the big blind. So, if you are at aR$1/$2 limit
💷 table, the first better can only raise toR$4 ($2 plus anotherR$2). The next player who
would like to raise can💷 raise toR$6 ($4 plusR$2). These limits are true for the flop as
well. On the turn and river you must💷 bet the size of the big bet. So in this example
you could open the turn betting withR$4 and the💷 next raiser could go toR$8. However,
there will also be a cap on the number of raises which can be💷 made (usually 4 or 5, but
varies by casino). Once that number of raises have been made, no more raising💷 can
occur. In Pot Limit poker your bet is limited by the amount of money in the pot at the
💷 time of your bet. Your legal bet size is thus anywhere between the big blind and the
size of the💷 current pot.
poker your bet is limited by the amount of money in the pot at
the time of your bet.💷 Your legal bet size is thus anywhere between the big blind and
the size of the current pot. In No💷 Limit poker you can bet all of your chips at any
point. The minimum raise is the amount of the💷 previous raise (or the big blind if there
has been no prior raise).
No Limit is currently the most popular form💷 of Texas Hold'em
being played at casinos. However, you will often find a couple of tables of Limit
players if💷 the cardroom is large enough. Pot limit is extremely rare in Hold'em, but is
the most popular form of Omaha💷 being played today.
