Poker is a complex card game played with either 52, 53 or 54 cards (depending on how many jokers/bugs are used by the game in question). What all the various forms share is a ranking of 5-card hands, based on their probability of occurrence, regardless of how many cards you are actually playing with. See Professor Pi's writeup for an excellent analysis, but here is the result, from highest to lowest:
  1. Royal Flush
  2. Straight Flush
  3. Four of a Kind (aka quads)
  4. Full House (aka boat/full boat)
  5. Flush
  6. Straight
  7. Three of a Kind (aka trips)
  8. Two Pair
  9. One Pair
  10. Highest card

I believe Scarne says that the money gambled on poker in America in a given week exceeds that of all other forms of gambling, possibly combined. This is due to the sheer number of unsanctioned/illegal home games played in suburban neighborhoods, even if played for (relatively) small stakes.

There are a metric truckload of poker nodes in E2 at the moment, some redundant, some insightful. Some rough organization is necessary.

Theory
Terminology, alphabetically (see also Poker terms,casino terms)
Games - Basic, or "Stuff you might see in a Casino"
Flop games
Stud games
Draw games

Games - Stranger, or "Stuff you play at home"
Flop games Stud-like games Exchanging games Draw games
  • Jacks Back
Permutations for games are endless -- whole books are devoted just to cataloging some of the ideas.

Variants, or "Stuff invented by casinos to make more money"
People, or "Guys you don't want at your table"
Places, or "Where you can play legally"

Atlantic City

California, Northern
  • Artichoke Joe's
  • Bay 101
  • Casino San Pablo
  • Lucky Chances
  • Oaks Club Room
California, Southern
  • Bicycle Club
  • Commerce
  • Hollywood Park
Connecticut Nevada, Las Vegas Nevada, Reno
  • Cal-Neva Casino
Mississippi, Tunica (Vaguely) Related Nodes This node is (clearly) a work in progress. Please /msg me if you can help or have suggestions for organization (or candidate nodes).