Official poker is a set of rules that support a fair, transparant and player friendly environment. These rules are used in most major tournaments around the world, mainly in online poker.
Poker originated in the United States and was a popular pastime among crews of riverboats traveling across the Mississippi River. It spread to other areas of the country and became a staple of Wild West saloons and frontier settlements.
There are many variations of poker, and Texas Hold’em is the most popular. It is also the most widely played variant in both cash games and poker tournaments.
The most common poker rules involve betting and card showing. Betting continues until every player calls or folds after a raise or initial bet. If no bets are made, the hand is complete.
Players may not rabbit hunt (revealing cards that would have come if the hand had not ended). This is known as “chip dumping.” Chip dumping is a serious offense and may result in chip forfeiture or disqualification.
During dealing/betting rounds, players must follow house standards, including not wearing clothing that continuously obscures identity or becomes a distraction to the game. They must use official betting terms and gestures, which are time-honored and unmistakable.
Some players, such as Ali Imsirovic, have been accused of breaking poker rules in live and online games. This has caused an uproar and led to him being banned from PokerStars and Triton live series as well as GGPoker.