Saturday, October 4, 2008

Texas Hold 'Em - Random Trivia Questions

When I'm not writing trivia questions, I'm actually a computer programmer. I spent the better part of the last decade writing applications for the Palm Pilot before shifting to the iPhone last year.

With the release of THETA Poker for the iPhone and iPod touch this week, it's only fitting that this week's quiz is about Texas Hold 'Em. No Limit Texas Hold 'Em, the Cadillac of poker games, is the variation played in the World Series of Poker Main Event, is broadcast on television more than every other card game put together, and may now be the most popular card game in the world. The simplicity of the rules (the players each receive just two hidden hole cards, and they share five face-up community cards) belies the complexity of the play ("a moment to learn; a lifetime to master"), and large tournament prize funds provide a lottery-like appeal to poker players of all skills.

To make things easier for the non-poker players in the audience, the following dozen questions are all multiple choice or true/false, so you'll have at least a 1 in 4 chance at every answer. Are those pot odds good enough for you?

Texas Hold 'Em Questions

  • Q1) By what nickname is the fifth and final community card best known?
    A) The endB) The moon
    C) The riverD) The rock

  • Q2) True of false: A flush will never lose a pot to a full house.

  • Q3) True or false: If an ace hits on the flop, a draw (needing one card to make a straight or flush) is always possible for some combination of hole cards.

  • Q4) True or false: You are more likely to be dealt a pair of aces than an ace and king of the same suit.

  • Q5) In a pre-flop, all-in situation, which starting hand below has the worst chance against a pair of aces, say an ace of spades and an ace of hearts?
    A) The ace of diamonds and the nine of heartsB) The ace of diamonds and the two of hearts
    C) The seven of spades and two of heartsD) The three of spades and two of hearts

  • Q6) In a pre-flop, all-in situation, which starting hand below has the best chance of cracking a pair of aces, say an ace of spades and an ace of hearts?
    A) The king and queen of clubsB) The king of diamonds and the king of clubs
    C) The nine of diamonds and the nine of clubsD) The ten and nine of clubs

  • Q7) What casino hosted the World Series of Poker from 1970 to 2004?
    A) Binion's HorseshoeB) Desert Inn
    C) Golden NuggetD) Sands Hotel

  • Q8) What casino hosted the World Series of Poker since 2005?
    A) BellagioB) Luxor
    C) MirageD) Rio

  • Q9) Who defeated the largest World Series of Poker Main Event field and took home the biggest check?
    A) Greg RaymerB) Jamie Gold
    C) Jerry YangD) Joe Hachem

  • Q10) Who was the youngest player to win the World Series of Poker Main Event?
    A) Bobby BaldwinB) Huck Seed
    C) Phil HellmuthD) Stu Ungar

  • Q11) Who was the oldest player to win the World Series of Poker Main Event?
    A) Hank FowlerB) Jack Strauss
    C) Johnny MossD) Noel Furlong

  • Q12) Who was the last player to win back-to-back World Series of Poker Main Events?
    A) Chris FergusonB) Doyle Brunson
    C) Johnny ChanD) Stu Ungar

1 comment:

THETA Poker said...

The answer to question 10 has changed. Peter Eastgate was 22 when he won in 2008, and Joe Cada as 21 when he won in 2009.