Official Poker Rules

Robert Ciaffone, also known as Bob Ciaffone, is one of the foremost authorities on cardroom rules. He chose which rules to use, improved their wording, and served as a rules consultant for many cardrooms. His work was instrumental in the development of poker rules for the general public. The rules he authored were adopted by the Poker Players Association, which was founded in 1984. The rules were the first comprehensive set of poker rules for the general public.

Poker etiquette includes rules for personal and professional behavior. While some of these are optional, others are a necessary part of playing the game. Some poker rooms have strict rules regarding certain behavior, and players should follow these rules to be a good sport. Generally speaking, poker etiquette is very similar to basic social etiquette. For example, avoiding chatting with other players when you’re playing, keeping your chip stack neat and tidy, and tipping dealers and servers are all examples of acceptable conduct.

In limit poker, players raise to the maximum number of times before a dealer decides whether to reveal a hand. If no one else has raised yet, the dealer will make a decision and declare the winner. The winning hand is the one with the highest five-card combination. However, there is no official hand ranking for poker hands in Texas hold’em, so players should check their rules before playing.