This Friday, the Union Program Council will host its annual K-State After Hours Poker Tournament.
“The participants will play Texas Hold‘em style poker and it is open to the public,” said Cody Watson, sophomore in business administration and co-chair for UPC After Hours committee.
According to Texasholdemonline.com, Texas Hold’em is the world’s most popular form of poker. The object of the game is to make the best possible five-card poker hand, using any combination of the two cards in a player’s hand (known as the “hole cards”) and the five community cards that the dealer places in the middle of the table which can be used by all players.
On texasholdemonline.com, students can familiarize themselves with the standard hand rankings (from best to worst):
Straight Flush: Any five cards of the same suit and consecutive rank; the best of these hands, AKQJT of a single suit, is known as a Royal Flush. For these and regular straights, aces may be played as either high or low cards.
Four of a Kind: Any four cards of the same rank.
Full House: Any three cards from a single rank combined with a pair from a different rank.
Flush: Any five cards of the same suit.
Straight: Any five cards of consecutive ranks.
Three of a Kind: Any three cards of the same rank.
Two Pair: Any two pairs of cards from the same ranks.
One Pair: Any two cards of the same rank.
High Card: Hands that do not fit any of the above categories are ranked based on the highest card in their hand (aces are high), then by the second highest card and so on.
For the After Hours tournament, there will be 16 tables with eight people at each. The tournament is not bracket style.
“If you lose your money, you are out of the game,” said Hannah Vu, sophomore in public relations and co-chair for UPC After Hours committee.
The UPC has put up prizes for the tournament’s top eight competitors: the first place winner will win a GoPro Hero 3+; the second place winner will receive a $100 Best Buy gift card; and the third place winner will walk away with a $50 Southwest Airlines gift card.
“For those who place fourth through eighth place, they will receive smaller dollar amount rewards, such as restaurant gift cards and union gift cards,” said Rachael Herter, sophomore in fine arts and co-chair for UPC After Hours committee.
To sign up, students can visit UPC’s homepage and click on the poker chips.
“Every Friday that school is in session, After Hours host weekly events that are substance free,” said John Buckley, graduate adviser for UPC. “People can check our website to see our upcoming events.”
The tournament will start in the K-State Student Union Ballroom at 6 p.m. and last until midnight.
