Here in the UK however our train network is at best poor. Now, just stay with me on this for a moment as I’ll explain why.

The Stations:

If we arrive at any train station we are often greeted with a very old build with poor amenities. They are usually cold dirty places that we put up with as we have no choice. To be fair, there are some stations that have been re developed to drag them into the 21^st century, but still the vast majority are poor. The problems get even worse as you leave the southern counties and travel up north. So what we have is a really bad start before we have even begun our journey.

The Trains:

When we have finally got over the fact the stations are of a poor quality, we are then faced with the train. Often the trains that arrive are very old rolling stock that is only fit for transporting cattle. They are often late and dirty and the staff that are present to make our journey more comfortable, may be better off being prison guards.

If the train arrives three to four minutes late we are all really happy at this and think they have done well, but compared to Europe this would be unacceptable. Once on board there is little to do so advice is taking a media device with you. Poker in the UK in very popular so I recommend that playing a few games will pass the time as you will need something to kill the time particularly if you are on a long journey.

In a nut shell, trains in the U.K need much improvement from North to South, so having something to do is really important so that you can get through your journey as painlessly as possible.

The most popular hands are the flushes. A flush is five cards in the same suit (hearts, spades etc.). A Royal flush is having the ten card, jack, queen, kind and ace cards all in the same suit. This is a rare and powerful hand.

A full house is another common hand, composed of five cards in total, with a pair of any type, and a three of a kind of any type.

A straight is very well known, and is composed of five cards in total, who’s value must be consecutive, such as seven, eight, nine, ten, and jack.

Of course there are also pairs, which can be two cards of the same value in a different suit, but these are more common and less powerful. They aren’t the most ideal of hands, but instead a base in which to build to a more powerful hand like above.

For example, when it comes to betting alone, there are many common terms you may have heard but were unaware of their meaning. Such as “Up the ante” is a common phrase even outside the poker world. The “ante” is a term for an initial bet. It is used to be sure that every player at the table contributes a minimum to the pot at the beginning of the game. Another term is called “blind” which is another obligatory bet that circles the table in a counter clockwise direction alternating between players. This type of bet comes in big and small. Calling is another common term, which means the bet will match the bet that is up currently.

Terms for specific hands include the Flush, which is five cards in the same suit. Royal flush is the same but cards 10-Ace.

For example, besides the basic stand, hit and double down options, you have the choice, in the very rare scenario, to “split” your hand.

If a player is dealt a pair, or two cards of equal value, they can choose to split the cards apart and form two separate hands. This is a great chance for you to win big, if you act accordingly. Here are some guidelines on when it’s best to split, and when it’s best to stand.

You should hit if the table is any of the following: the dealer’s hand contains an eight through ten, or an Ace, and you have a pair of sevens; the dealer’s hand contains a seven through ten or an Ace, and you have a pair of sixes. Double down when the dealer has a two through a nine, and you have a pair of fives, but if he has a ten or an Ace, then hit.

You should stand if the following: the dealer’s hand contains a seven, ten or an Ace, and you have a pair of nines.

Texas Hold ‘em is primarily played with seven cards. The object is not to make a hand using your own personal cards, as with many other forms of Poker, but instead to use a set of “community cards” to form the ideal hand. You will use a combination of two of your own cards, dealt to you, only visible to you, and three of the cards laid out on the table for every player to use, or the community cards. Together you will create the same hands as you would in any Poker game.

Texas Hold ‘em is a great choice for beginners looking to get into Poker. At the same time, due to it’s speed and diversity, it is a challenge for professional players as well. This is why it is seen in many tournaments with big turnouts.

For example, once both the player and the house has been dealt two cards, the player has a few choices. They can stay, if they believe their hand to be the closest they can get to twenty one without going over; they can hit, to get another card to increase their total towards the goal of twenty one, or they can “double down”. Doubling down is when the player will double their initial bet, and then take one more hit from the dealer, and then will stand, regardless of the outcome. This is for confident players with a sure fire hand and no doubt in their mind. The next card needs to raise them towards twenty one without busting, and the wining, if successful, is double!

Another option is if the player has a pair, at which time you can split the cards and make two separate hands. This isn’t always available.