Foundations

Which of these hands is the strongest?

Straight > three of a kind > two pair > one pair.

Who posts the big blind?

Small blind is one seat left of the button, big blind is two seats left.

You hold A♠ K♦. The board is A♥ 9♣ 9♦ 4♠ 2♥. What is your best five-card hand?

A-A-9-9-K: two pair using the board’s nines with your ace, and your king plays as the kicker.

Blinds are 1/2. Player A raises to 7. What is the minimum re-raise?

A raised by 5 (from 2 to 7), so a re-raise must add at least another 5: to 12.

Everyone folds to the small blind, who just calls. What can the big blind do?

Nobody raised, so the big blind has the option to check or raise.

You hold 6♣ 6♥ and the flop is K♦ 6♠ 2♣. What have you made?

Three of a kind using a pocket pair is a set. Trips use one hole card plus a pair on the board.

The board is K♠ 9♦ 4♣ 2♥ 7♠. What is the nuts?

The board is unpaired, has only two spades and no three cards within five ranks — so no full house, flush or straight is possible. Top set wins.

What is a slow-roll?

Making an opponent think they’ve won when you know you have them beat is poor etiquette.

In a tournament, what happens to the blinds?

Rising blinds force the action and shrink stacks in big-blind terms.

It’s folded to you under the gun at a 6-max table with K♦ 9♣. What does the beginner game plan suggest?

K9 offsuit plays badly out of position against five players and is often dominated. Fold it from early seats.