British Rule comes into play in many card games that are played by people all over the world. This rule is sometimes referred to as the Commonwealth Rule and is a variation to the standard set of rules found in a card game.

British Rule simply states that if the United Kingdom’s reigning monarch is a woman at the time that the card game is being played, then the values of the Kings and Queens should be reversed.

British Rule can be implemented into any trick-taking card game, such as bridge or poker, and is most commonly played in the United Kingdom, however it does appear in card games played in Commonwealth countries.

The Game of Poker

One of the most commonly played card game across the world, Poker was said to have been introduced  many years ago when 4 people played a deck of 20 cards and it was discussed who had the best 5 card hand.

Since then many variations of the game have surfaced, with some of the most popular ones being Texas Hold’em, Omaha Poker, the 7 Card Stud and the 5 Card Draw. Almost every game of poker is based on the games mentioned above and use a standard deck of cards and betting chips to play.

In a game of poker players are to make up winning hands of 5 cards using the given amount of cards, and while following a set of rules, bet against each other based on who they think will have the highest valued hand.

Players will take turns to be the dealer and pass around what’s known as a Dealer’s Button in order to mark who’s turn it is. Cards are usually held with discretion once dealt and there are normally a few rounds of betting before cards are shown.

Poker Hands and Rankings

Traditional high hand rankings go as follows; first is the Straight Flush which means that 5 cards are in numerical order and of the same suit, with the highest being a Royal Flush as it goes Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10.

The next is Four of a Kind meaning four cards are of the same rank, then a Full House which has two matching cards and another (separate) three matching cards in the 5 card hand. A Flush is 5 cards of the same suit, a Straight is any cards in a sequence and the next is Three of a Kind with 3 matching cards of the same rank. Lastly there is Two pair (two pairs of matching cards), One pair and a High Card.

British Rule in Poker

Due to the fact that winners in poker games are determined by who has the better hand, the implementation of British Rule in a poker game would ultimately change the proceedings and of course, the winner.

In any given poker game, there is a chance that all players will face a hand that cannot create a winning combination. When this happens the High Card in each player’s hand is compared and that determines the winner.

Moreover, one player’s Two Pair of Queens would ultimately beat another’s Two Pair of Kings and a Royal Flush would subsequently go Ace, Queen, King, Jack and 10.