Poker is a timeless classic, loved by players across the globe for its excitement and spirit of challenge. Whether you’re facing off against fellow players or the dealer, it offers a dynamic and engaging experience. This guide will help you master the rules of the game based on one of the most widespread poker variants, Texas Hold’em.
How Poker Works
Regardless of the variant, poker is a relatively easy game to learn. The main goal is to have the strongest hand at the table and win the pot. Some game variants require you to have skills and bluff that you have the strongest hand, while for others, it’s enough to know when to bet and when to fold your cards.
How to Play Poker Online
Playing online poker is straightforward and accessible to everyone. Pick a recommended casino from our site, deposit, and join a virtual table. The gameplay will vary depending on the variant you select, but the process is seamless, allowing you to jump into the action easily. Here are the steps to follow:
- The dealer gets two cards and deals you two cards: These are your “hole cards,” dealt face down, and they are for your use only.
- You place an ‘ante’ bet (obligatory): This is the initial bet required to participate in the hand.
- You can choose to place a ‘bonus bet’: This is an optional bet that can provide additional payouts based on the strength of your cards.
- Three initial community cards, the flop, are dealt face-up: These are shared cards placed at the center of the table, used by both you and the dealer to make the best possible hand.
- The dealer now places a bet: At this stage, you have to decide whether to call (match the dealer’s bet) or fold (forfeit the round and your ante bet).
- If you call, a fourth community card, the turn, is dealt: This card can improve your hand or the dealer’s, and it’s another shared card used by both players.
- The dealer places another bet: Once again, you need to choose to call or fold.
- If you call the dealer’s next bet, a final community card, the river, is dealt: This is the fifth and final community card that completes the round.
- Each player, including the dealer, shows their cards: Both you and the dealer reveal your hole cards to determine who has the best hand.
- The winner takes the pot: The player with the best five-card hand, using any combination of their hole cards and the community cards, wins the round.
Why Play Poker at Online Casinos
Below are the key pluses and minuses of playing poker online, giving you a clear picture of why it’s worth a try.
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There is a rich offer of poker alternatives
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Easily accessible, some variations allow thousands of players to participate simultaneously
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The game has low-house edge
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It’s easy to join tables at different stakes
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Lack of face-to-face interaction
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You need certain skills to play
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Table limits may not suit high rollers
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Doesn’t have the same level of excitement as real live poker games
Poker Table Layout
The poker table layout can vary depending on the game variant being played. Typically, each participant’s seat is clearly designated, along with spaces for their two hole cards. At the centre are marked areas for the community cards — three spots for the flop, one for the turn, and another for the river. In online poker, the layout is streamlined, with a single virtual seat representing you, while an unlimited number of players can participate from behind their screens.
Poker Rules
The game is played clockwise, starting with the player on the dealer’s left. A button sits in front of the first player and is moved one position to the left in every hand. The two players left of the button make the small and big blinds, starting the betting at the table.
The button also determines which player gets the first cards. It’s the participant left of the button, and then the dealing continues. When it ends, the remaining players show their cards. The player with the best five-card hand wins the round.
Poker Hands
In most poker games, the best you can hold is a pair when you’re initially dealt your two hole cards. As the community cards are revealed, starting with the flop and then the turn, stronger hands such as three-of-a-kind or even a royal flush become possible.
Note:A royal flush, the strongest poker hand, is exceedingly rare, especially by the turn.
More often than not, if you’re fortunate enough to land it, the final card you need will come on the river. There are several winning poker hands you can land at the table. Here they are from the strongest to the weakest:
Royal Flush
Straight Flush
Four of a Kind/Quads
Full House/Full Boat
Flush
Straight
Three of a Kind
Two Pair
One Pair
High Card
Actions in Poker
If you’re a newbie to the game, you will indeed be confused about what’s happening at the table. Some players don’t even talk; they just make gestures, and everyone knows what is going on. To help you get started, here are some essential actions you’ll need to understand while playing:
- Check – You pass on making a bet without folding, keeping yourself in the hand.
- Fold – You throw your cards in and end the hand.
- Bet – You place a bet at the table.
- Raise – You raise the current bet.
- Call – You match the bet of the player and keep playing.
Betting Rounds
In poker, each hand is divided into multiple betting rounds, where players can evaluate their cards and decide whether to bet, raise, or fold. Here’s a breakdown of the typical ones you’ll encounter:
- Preflop: The first betting round begins after players are dealt their two hole cards. They can either call the big blind, raise, or fold.
- Flop: Bets areplaced at the table once the first three cards are dealt.
- Turn: Once the fourth card is dealt, players make the turn bets.
- River: This is the last betting round, made once the river card is revealed.
Table Stakes
This is a standard rule across nearly all poker variants. It applies to the chips you have in front of you when a hand begins. Once a hand is in progress, you can’t top up your stack — you’re limited to playing with what’s already on the table. This ensures that you make strategic decisions based on your resources without being able to add more during the heat of the hand.
Poker Variations
Here are the most popular poker you can try your hand at online casinos:
- Five-Card Draw: Here, 5 cards are dealt to each player. You bet and choose how many of them to keep or replace. You bet or fold, and the best hand wins the pot.
- Omaha High/Low: You receive four cards total and have to use two from your hand and three from the board to get the best combination.
- Seven-Card Stud: You are dealt two face-down cards and one face-up. You bet on each round; then another three face-up cards are dealt, and one last face-down card. The best hand wins.
- Caribbean Stud: Each participant is dealt 5 face-up cards, and only one from the dealers’ cards is revealed. You bet or fold, after which all cards are revealed.
- Pai Gow: You must beat the banker with both hands here. One hand has 5 cards, and the other has 2 cards only.
Poker Top Tips and Tricks
At its core, poker is a straightforward game. However, mastering the finer details becomes crucial to gaining an edge when you play at a higher level. Here are some expert tips from our poker pros to help you elevate your game and stay ahead of the competition:
- Know the winning poker hands by heart.
- Learn the rules of the game variant you are playing.
- Know how to manage your bankroll.
- Learn how to read the opponents.
- Play with smaller stakes.
- Find free roll tournaments to get some free money.
Once you start playing, you will see that it’s fun and exciting. You can play against other players at the table. Beating all of them and winning the pot is an incredible feeling. Learn to play poker like a pro and start your poker adventure today.
