What are poker hands called in your language? Are there particular customs when playing poker in your country/region?
In Italian they are:
| royal flush | scala reale (massima) |
|---|---|
| straight flush | scala reale |
| four of a kind | poker |
| full house | full |
| flush | colore |
| straight | scala ("ladder") |
| three of a kind | tris |
| two pair | doppia coppia ("double pair") |
| pair | coppia |
(Normally it's not possible, but a five of a kind is called a pokerissimo)
Before texas hold'em became the new standard, poker in Italy was traditionally played five-card draw (with a stud poker hand played every once in a while). It's played with a stripped deck: the lowest card in the deck is 11 minus the number of players, so in a five players game the deck is A-6; for this reason a flush beats a full house.
Any straight flush is called a royal in Italian. AKQJT is called scala reale massima ("maximum royal flush") which beats any middle scala reale (such as QJT98) BUT is beaten by a scala reale minima (9876A in a five player game). When playing hold'em, a straight flush is called scala colore.
If two hands are of equal rank, winner is determined by suit: hearts beat diamonds, which beat clubs, which beat spades. For example, a AQJ98 of hearts beats a AQJ98 of clubs
In order to make the first bet, a player must have at least a pair of jacks or a four card straight flush (for example KQT9 of the same suit). If nobody makes a bet, the hand is redealt but the requirement becomes a pair of queens (if it happens again then it's kings, then aces, then back to jacks)
Players can change up to 4 cards, never all five. If any players choose to change 4 cards, the dealer will give them three, then the final card will be given only after serving all other players.