Whether the joker is used in poker. Hungarian joker © (rules of the card game). The image of the joker on the cards
Feb 23, 2015
The Joker is one of two additional cards included in the standard fifty-two-card deck that is only used in some games.
A standard poker deck contains fifty-two cards plus two jokers. In most casino poker games, jokers are not used or played, but in some games they can be included in the game and used as wild or semi-wild cards. If you play casino poker, the joker is usually only used in certain types of lowball games, as well as several types of draw poker. In these games, the joker is commonly referred to as a "bug".
In lowball games, when a joker is used, it is a wild card. This is an extremely valuable card in the game because, as a rule, there is only one joker in the game, and it can replace any card with itself. Since the joker can substitute for any card, it will automatically be considered the card that helps the player's hand the most. In lowball poker games, the main goal is to make the smallest possible hand, and therefore, the joker card can replace the low card, which increases the value of the player's hand.
In draw poker games, the joker is a semi-wild card. In these games, the joker can only be an ace or be used as a missing card for any straight or flush. In these games, if a player cannot use this bug to complete any straight or flush, and does not have another ace, then it will simply read like an ace at the end of the hand.
In casino games where the joker is used, there are a large number of strategies for playing with it. This is because when one player has a joker, especially from the beginning of the hand, it can often be of great benefit. The Joker is a very flexible hand, which adds value to it. Whether it's a wild or semi-wild card, the joker can be used in a variety of ways to help a player's hand. As the game develops, it can even change its meaning from one to another. Since it is such a powerful card, players tend to bet aggressively with starting hands that include a joker.
Just as a player who has a joker in his hand realizes the value of his hand, players who do not have it can be in a disadvantageous position, and they usually play with great caution. They are well aware that if they do not have a joker, then it is very likely that one of the rivals has one.
In addition to being used in casino draw poker, jokers are also widely used in home games as wild cards. Many players prefer to introduce jokers as wild cards, as opposed to using cards from the existing standard deck. On the one hand, this makes it possible to introduce wild cards without fundamentally changing the composition of the standard deck. Instead of assigning wild cards to existing cards or a group of cards, jokers can act as wild cards. Since there are two jokers in a standard deck, this is a good way to bring in up to two wild cards into play. Each wild card will have a noticeable impact on the game, as each will lead to the formation of stronger hands on average. If more than two wild cards are used, then additional cards from the deck can be used, which will also be called and treated as wild cards.
If you are playing at home, the joker can also be used to replace missing or damaged cards in the deck in order to complete the deck again. For example, if one of the standard fifty-two cards is missing or damaged, a joker can be inserted instead, which will play for this card. Since there are two jokers in a standard deck, both of them can be used to replace up to two missing or damaged cards. Two jokers in a deck usually have two different colors, or there are some features that distinguish them from each other. If you are going to use multiple jokers to replace multiple missing or damaged cards, it is important that you remember which joker represents which card. If the jokers do not differ in any way, you can distinguish them by making a distinctive mark on the face of one or both jokers before putting them into play.
Top Casino Offers
The Joker will be the 313th card in the six-deck version of the game. If the player receives such a card in his hand, then it is considered that he won, since the combination is automatically estimated at 21 points - the usual or the guarantee of an immediate win.
The joker that came to the dealer does not matter that much. If he came with the first card, then they simply put it aside, taking another instead.
Joker Blackjack has some special features. So with its presence, the player's chances of winning are certainly greatly increased. In percentage terms, the expected payoff is 0.77% higher when compared to standard Blackjack. However, such a game becomes more dynamic and sharper - the player must gradually act more and more aggressively, since as the deck is exhausted, the probability of the joker "falling out" increases. And after he leaves the game, you will need to return to the basic strategy again.
The game of Blackjack with a joker is somewhat similar to the game with card counting, only you need to keep track of not all cards, but only one. But of course it will be useful to at least roughly imagine how many cards remain in the deck, keeping track of their number in the pile to the right of the dealer.
How is the basic strategy adjusted when there is a joker in a big deck?
The player has 12 "hard" points, the dealer has 4 - the player takes another card;
The player has ace + 4, the dealer has 4, or the player has ace + 7, the dealer has 2 - the bet must be doubled;
The player has 5 "hard" ones, the dealer has an ace - you need to continue the game further.
When instead of six decks there are five, and there is still no joker, then the aforementioned 0.77% indicator rises to 0.92%, but the player still needs to follow the usual strategy.
With four decks, you need to split 3s and 2s if the dealer has 8. Now the chances of winning have increased by 1.15%.
With three decks, if the player has 14 "hard" points, and the dealer has 10, then there is no need to wait for "compensation". Now is the time to raise the stakes if possible, as the odds of winning have increased by 1.53% compared to odds in Blackjack without the joker.
With two decks and a joker that has not yet appeared, this is already 2.3% and the strategy needs to be changed again:
The player has 7 + 7, the dealer has 8 - split is needed;
The player has an ace + 6, the dealer has 2 - you need to double your bet;
The player has 6 "hard" ones, the dealer has an ace - you need to continue the game;
The player has 16 “hard” ones, the dealer has 9 - the game also continues.
In the last two cases, there will be no “compensation”.
So, the most important thing to remember for the player is that a joker that has not left the deck brings a significant advantage compared to playing without it. And the fewer decks of the original six remain in the game, the higher the percentage of the chances of winning. Naturally, all this is relevant only until the joker comes out.
Types of side bets
The rules of the game allow making such bets - not related to the game. As a rule, in this case the player bets $ 1- $ 10.
The first type of side bets is the player's Blackjack bet. In this case, the payout ratio will be about 12 to 1, sometimes casinos can change this indicator, and they clearly underestimate it. The real odds, at least at the start of the shuffle, should be 20 to 1.
They also often make a side bet on sevens. A standard blackjack table has a special field for such bets - circles, in which the number 7 is inscribed. To put a chip here means to place a bet. Then the player can receive a reward:
When the first card is seven, the coefficient is approximately 8 to 1;
With the second card a seven - 40 to 1;
With three sevens, this is the largest payout that the casino sets on its own.
The only thing worth worrying about a potential lucky player who can get a third to two sevens is whether he is entitled to a reward for cards of the same suit or they can be different.
Sometimes a casino rewards for three sevens with a payout of the jackpot - in whole or in part. The size of the payout will depend on the size of the bet made by the player. Thus, he is entitled to the money that was accumulated through the losses of other players who made side bets in the casino. It is difficult to say exactly what amount you can count on, but it can be either 10 or 60 thousand dollars.
Despite the fact that the mathematical calculations in this game indicate that there is no benefit for the player - nevertheless, this is how you can get the opportunity to win an amount that will be 10 thousand times more than the bet made.
Finally, we will give a useful tip - among the side bets, it is best to give preference to bets on high or low, especially if you keep a card count.
Poker with the Joker allows many different variations, in some of them a separate 53rd card is used as a joker, which is added to the deck. And sometimes one of the usual 52 cards performs the functions of a joker. Basically, the Joker replaces any card in the poker deck when making combinations, so winning ones are formed more often than in regular poker. This applies equally to the players and the dealer. But since high combinations promise higher payouts for the player (as opposed to the dealer), his chances of winning with the joker are improved. In general, the joker is much more beneficial to the players than the croupier.
In addition, with the participation of the Joker, another combination of cards appears in poker - Five of a Kind or, actually, poker, which is the highest and strongest combination of cards.
If a separate 53rd card serves as a joker, then most often it is allowed to be used to form only two combinations - a straight or a flush. For example, offsuit 10-9-7-2-Joker - this is nothing more than an empty combination (the Joker does not form a pair of cards), but 10-9-7-6-Joker - already a street, tk. the joker in this scenario plays the role of an eight. It is generally believed that this straight is inferior in strength to any other straight without a joker. If you are holding a joker and K-Q-J-10 of the same suit, then this is a flush, but not higher. For the formation of a royal flush or straight flush, the joker, according to the general rules of poker, is not suitable.
Poker with a joker of 52 cards
Recently, another version of the rules of the game in this type of poker has gained popularity. He is often called J-poker... The joker is one of the usual 52 cards, but this card is not fixed. A special electronic scoreboard is installed at the table, during the distribution of cards, one of the players presses a button, and the board displays the card that will replace the joker in the current poker game.Each of the 52 cards appears on the scoreboard with the same probability, although sometimes on it you can see the text, not very happy for the player: " Dealer "s Open Card ". This means that the dealer's face-up card will now play the role of the joker, and this, of course, immediately gives the dealer a noticeable advantage. According to our information, such an event usually occurs with a probability of 3/55, that is, approximately 1 time out of 18. Although in some casinos for some reason this happens a little more often.
There are no restrictions in the rules for the formation of high poker combinations using the joker in this game. Thanks to the joker, you can make a royal flush, and a straight flush, and a regular pair. The only and not very fundamental exception is a triple or a Set, which is impossible in the presence of a joker. A hand like Q-Q-9-5-Joker is not considered a three, but two pair (a pair of queens and a pair of nines) as the higher hand.
There is no ace-king combination in J-poker. The dealer "plays" starting with a pair. But with the help of the joker, you can get the highest and, in principle, unbeatable combination, which is called poker. These are five cards of the same rank, for example, five jacks - they are formed from four regular jacks and a joker.
If the dealer "plays" and loses, then the payout at the rate BET on older poker combinations, J-poker games are slightly underestimated in comparison with ordinary poker:
Poker 150: 1
Royal Flush 75: 1
Straight Flush 35: 1
Square of 15: 1
Full 7: 1
Flush 5: 1
Street 4: 1
Three of a kind 3: 1
Two pairs 2: 1
Pair 1: 1
The exchange of cards in such J-poker is carried out as usual according to the standard rules of the game of poker. It is possible to exchange two cards at once, but it costs a double bet ANTE... In some casino variants of J_poker, it is also allowed to exchange the dealer's card.
From the very beginning of its existence, poker, despite its European roots, has truly opened up on the American continent. The game went through several stages of formation until it reached its current appearance. The poker deck now consists of 52 cards, but some types of poker still involve jokers 53 and 54 th cards.
The value of the joker in poker
As a rule, the joker is depicted as a jester, and there are two types - color and black and white. Colored is generally considered older than black and white. The prankster clown is quite appropriate given the unpredictable twists and turns this card can add to the game. The map itself appeared only at the end of the 19th century and, in the opinion of most researchers, the name has nothing to do with the English word “ joker", But came from the distorted name of the German game" Juker". Many people associate the origin of the joker with a card from the deck. Tarot.
What is the joker for?
What is the joker in poker for? Its role directly depends on the type of game. In any casino, this card is used in lowball and dro games. And you can learn the rules of the game with the joker by considering the strategy of the game with his participation.
V lowball- Joker is a wild symbol that replaces any other card to build a winning combination. Joker can enhance almost any hand.
V draw games, the joker replaces only some cards in certain combinations, and is useless in other situations. This is the so-called semi-wild card role. 
Joker poker rules
In the usual types of poker, the joker is absent, so let's consider the rules of the two games in which it participates - American poker and poker with a joker.
V American poker play according to the following rules:
The game is played by players against the dealer, before the start of the distribution, each player makes a mandatory bet - ante. Each participant including the dealer is dealt five cards. Fifth card dealer remains open. After the cards are in hand, each player makes a choice - to continue the game and place a bet, or fold to fold. In this game, the joker can play the role of absolutely any card in every combination.
Playing in Joker poker runs according to the following rules:
Here, too, the game is played against the casino, and the cards are dealt 5 after the ante has been paid. One of the dealer's cards is always open, and the players have the right to change any number of cards for making a certain bet. Players can replace any card with a joker. It is worth remembering that if the combinations are equivalent, the one in which there is no joker always wins.
Joker combinations
There are games in which a separate card is not assigned to the joker and its role is played by one of the 52 cards in the deck. At the same time, it is not necessary that such a card be constant, the joker function can be transferred to different cards every deal. For example, in American poker with a probability of 1 to 18, the dealer's up card can become a joker. In this case, the dealer will be able to collect any combination with her participation, with the exception of the three, since the three is prohibited in collection with the joker.
The combination " poker"In principle, it is impossible without the participation of the joker, since it consists of four cards of the same denomination and a joker. This combination is one of the strongest in joker poker, even older than a royal flush. In a game with 53 cards, when the role of the joker is played by the corresponding card, its functions are significantly limited. In such a situation, the joker can only help when making combinations of straight and flush. More serious combinations must be made without the participation of the joker.
You get a straight by collecting four consecutive cards plus a joker. And four suited cards with a joker will give you a flush. At the same time, do not forget that the same combinations will be stronger for your opponents if they did not use another joker to create them.
As you can see, the joker brings unexpected turns to any game and is completely unpredictable for reading opponents. The owner of the joker always feels like the leader of the hand, since it is easier with him to control the game and predict further events in the hand. The game of poker with jokers can be played not only in casinos but also in online slots. 
In poker rooms you will not encounter the Joker in poker, but in casino games it is used. In addition, the Joker is used in some types of home poker, for example in the game Stat poker. This is a pretty interesting card that differs from the rest. It has no suit and denomination, however, it provides its owner with clear advantages over rivals!
The Joker is found in a 54-card deck (52-card classic deck, plus two Jokers). If the game does not require its use, then the Jokers are simply removed from the deck. However, in some games, the rules do allow them to be applied.
Why do you need a Joker in poker?
Over the centuries, players have striven not only to improve card games so that all participants in the distribution are in an equal position, but also to make the game more interesting. They innovated, including coming up with the Joker, which made some games more unpredictable and interesting. The Joker in poker was especially popular in casinos, whose owners sought to lure more players with innovations that would allow them to increase their winnings. Since the Joker increases the likelihood of making such rare combinations as Four of a kind and higher, games with this card began to attract more players.
What does Joker mean in poker?
The Joker itself is a card that usually depicts a jester or a clown, although there may be another image with the corresponding inscription. Usually one Joker in a deck is red and the other is black. Despite the difference in color, both cards are equivalent. Since the Joker has no denomination and no suit, he can play the role of any card needed to strengthen the hand. In the game of poker with the Joker, the rules govern how a given card is used.
The joker acts as the card that the player needs to make the highest possible combination. For example, if a poker player has a Straight Draw in his hands, the Joker will act as the missing card to build a Straight combination. It turns out that he completes the hand to the strongest, given the available set of cards, which makes the Joker in poker a universal card.
Poker combinations with Joker
The rules of playing poker with the Joker also stipulate the determination of the seniority of the combinations made using this card. And here there are differences from the game of Hold'em! You need to know two key points of these rules in order to correctly determine the seniority of combinations:
- Poker combinations with Joker win if the opponent's hand is lower according to the combination table. For example, Flash with Joker will beat Street without Joker, or vice versa, since he is older than him.
- Poker hands with Joker lose to similar hands, while the comparison by Kicker and High card is not made, as is the case with "clean" hands. For example, if two opponents collected a Flash and one of them used the Joker for this, the poker player with the Joker will lose, even if his hand has a high card, for example, Ace.
In games with the Joker, the strongest combination is not the Royal Flash, but Five identical cards, which are made up of Four of a kind and the Joker. For example - five Aces.
What games are played with the Joker?
Joker poker is also called Stat poker. This game is completely identical to five-card poker, but it is played on 54 or 53 cards - with one or two Jokers, as agreed between the players. This game is intellectual, as winning in it largely depends on the player's strategy, the ability to read opponents and use bluffing techniques. Stat poker outnumbered Hold'em and Omaha in Russia at a time when poker rooms could legally operate across the country. In casinos, Joker is sometimes used in modifications of Oasis poker and even in Black Jack.
Computer game poker 5 cards with Joker
At the time when slot machines were allowed all over the country, the game of 5-card poker with the Joker was very popular in Ukraine, Russia and other CIS countries. True, this game is a gambling entertainment, and the winnings in it depended solely on the settings of the machine.
Today the computer game of 5-card poker with Joker is available on the Internet, in addition, it can be installed on a computer or phone. Also, this game is offered by various online casinos. Of course, given that it is gambling, it is better to prefer Texas Hold'em or other types of poker that can be played in online rooms.
Joker poker can be gambling and sports. If you are going to play five card poker with friends, try using Jokers to make the game even more interesting. However, do not forget that the counting of outs will change dramatically. It will be necessary to take into account not only the fact that the deck will have universal