Are you wondering how to play poker? Poker is a card game that involves strategy where you need to have a constant check on the other players to determine when to fold, when to bluff, and when to pronounce the opponent’s bluff. There are several types of poker and the most popular is Texas Hold’em. While each version has its own set of regulations, the fundamentals of all the games remain the same. All you have to do now is grasp the foundations, and you’ll be well on your way to creating your own winning strategy!
Poker is played with a normal deck of 52 cards and is one of the games that needs a lot of skills. The challengers make plays counting on the value of their poker hand and while playing online poker games, you need to call out!
We’ll get you started by going over the most important poker rules and strategies for improving your game. Learn the 10 most common 5-card hands and how to rank them. The hands will always be the same, no matter what sort of poker you play. Print out a “cheat sheet” and study it to get a better understanding of the different hands. Then, learn the various hands so you know how to play poker basics.
Read More: Steps to Get You Started as a Poker Player for Newbies
Table of contents
How to Play Poker: Step by Step Guide
While the poker rules might seem a tad overwhelming, this guide on how to play poker is sure to come in handy. How to play a poker game is not really very complicated if you understand the rules, the sets and how to maintain a stoic expression throughout the game.
- A straight flush consists of five cards of the same suit in a row.
- When you have four cards of the same rank (but different suits, of course) and a fifth card of any rank, you have four of a kind (such as 4 aces and a 9). If you have four aces, no one else can have an ace, hence no one can beat you.
- A flush is made up of five cards of the same suit. These aren’t in any particular order or chronology, but they’re all from the same suit.
- A straight is made up of five cards of the same rank from different suits.
- You have three cards of the same rank plus two unmatched cards if you have three of a kind.
- Two cards of one rank plus two cards of another rank (different from the previous pair) plus one unmatched card make up a 2 pair.
- You have two cards of the same rank plus three unmatched cards if you have a pair.
- A flush is made up of five cards of the same suit. These aren’t in any particular order or chronology, but they’re all from the same suit.
- A straight is made up of five cards of the same rank from different suits.
- You have three cards of the same rank plus two unmatched cards if you have three of a kind.
- Two cards of one rank plus two cards of another rank (different from the previous pair) plus one unmatched card make up a 2 pair.
- You have two cards of the same rank plus three unmatched cards if you have a pair.
- When no two cards have the same rank, the five cards are not consecutive, and they are not all from the same suit, the lowest-ranking (called a “nothing”) hand is formed.
Suggested Read: How To Play Bull Poker
5 Basic Rules of Poker Game
The following are the basics of poker rules to be kept in mind while playing the game:
1. One of the most important poker game rules is to understand the type of poker that is being played. Draw Poker and Stud Poker are the most popular forms and the cards are distributed facing down. As the game proceeds in the stud pokers, some of the cards face up so that players get an idea of each other’s hands.
2. Making decisions is a key part of poker. Each deal comprises one or more rounds, giving players a chance to act on their hands. You need to be careful in taking risks if you have poor hands and use your skills to maximize profits.
3. A poker hand has 5 cards and the most preferred hand is a royal flush (A♦K♦Q♦J♦T♦), followed by a straight flush (8♠7♠6♠5♠4♠), 4-of-a kind (A♠4♠4♣4♥4♦), full house (A♦A♣A♥J♥J♠), flush (A♥J♥8♥4♥2♥), straight (8♥7♣6♦5♦4♠), 3-of-a-kind (A♠K♥5♠5♦5♣), two pair (A♣K♥5♥K♠5♦), one pair (A♦A♣7♠4♠2♣2), and high card (A♣Q♦9♥6♣3♦)
4. A button identifies the dedicated dealer if one exists. One of the key poker rules is that after each hand, that button then rotates one position clockwise. The button’s function is to indicate the starting point of each activity – an important poker basics rule to keep in mind.
5. Another important poker game rule is the pot-limit structure. This refers to situations where the maximum amount a player may stake is determined by the size of the pot at the time. Fixed-limit games feature predetermined amounts that participants cannot deviate from when making their moves.
Know about How to Win in Poker
In order to win in online poker game, it is important to understand all the mentioned rules, be well-versed with the poker sequences and be confident before every move.
The Premium Hands are thought to be A-A and K-K. There is an opportunity for players to win the pot if they have that combination in their hole cards.
Following the same logic, A-K, Q-Q, and J-J are all capable players. The borderline hands A-Q, 10-10, 9-9, and 8-8 provide a winning pot. A typical rule of thumb for playing online poker is to fold any hands without a pair as soon as possible.
4 Important Tips and Tricks to Play Poker
1. Understand the Rules and Positions
One of the important poker tips and tricks while understanding the game is that you should devote some time to studying how to rank poker hands. You should not be in the middle of the hand thinking about whether you can beat a straight with your flush or not, losing crucial decision time in the process.
2. Be Familiar with Placements and Rankings
Of course, this is the first and basic poker trick to be well-versed with. While knowing the basics of poker rules is straightforward, you need to spend some time learning how to rank poker hands. You should not be worrying about whether you can beat a straight with your flush in the middle of the hand, wasting valuable decision time in the process.
3. It’s Not Always Fun to be a Bluff Master
Although bluffing might be beneficial at times, it is one of the several poker tricks and tips that could come in handy. This particular Poker Trick will not help you (players who overestimate the force of their hands). Furthermore, if you try to bluff your opponents on a regular basis, professional players will soon pick up on your style and know when you are bluffing.
4. Know When to Fold
This poker advice is crucial for a beginner poker player. This is because most newcomers believe that if they have already placed a significant amount of money into the pot, they must stay in regardless of how excellent or horrible their cards are. This is incorrect reasoning since you cannot win a pot by simply throwing money at it. If you know you’re going to lose and there’s no way to enhance your hand to be the best, you should fold right away. The money you’ve already put into the pot is no longer yours, and you won’t be able to retrieve it back just by playing a hand through to the end.
After understanding how to play poker for beginners, it’s time for you to indulge in this game. You can download the Winzo app to have a fun-filled poker experience. You also get a chance to win real cash with all your wins.
Variants of Poker Card Game
Texas Hold’em Poker is considered to be the most played poker, but it is not the only variant of the game. The following are the popular variations of the poker game:
1. Pot-Limit Omaha Poker
Pot Limit Omaha, also known as PLO, is known for its giant hands and greater draws. The limit applies pre-flop, but this doesn’t make the game less exciting. It is an ideal variant for new players and revolves around forming unique poker hands. In this game, all players are dealt four cards initially, ensuring an easier approach to form incredible draws. You can expect to witness some mind-blowing combinations in this game.
2. Omaha Hi And Lo Poker
It is quite similar to Hold’em poker and features four rounds of action. The pot in Omaha Hi or Lo is split 50-50 at the showdown, with the low and high hand each receiving an equal share. Apart from featuring two ways of winning, the four hole cards create more probabilities for combinations compared to the usual two cards.
When playing Omaha Hi and Low, the positions are identical to Texas Hold’em poker. You will encounter two mandatory contributions, the small and big blinds, and can expect to play within the pot limit or fixed limit formats.
3. Razz Poker
For a broader understanding, Razz is just the lowball variant of the Seven Card Stud, as the flow of proceedings in the game is quite identical. The game has gained popularity over the years due to its playing style, especially for those who like to put in bigger amounts. If you like indulging in international championships, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP), then Razz can be a perfect escape for you. Although it is a lowball game, the rankings of the hands would not be identical to lowball games, including 2-7 Triple Draw poker.
4. 2-7 Triple Draw Poker
Another popular variant of the poker games, 2-7 Triple Draw involves a lowball hand ranking criteria. Here, the players can even discard cards from their hand and exchange them with deck cards. In this game, the draw comes thrice before the different rounds and this gave it the name, Triple Draw.
In the easiest manner, you can understand that it is a lowball format in which the worst hand wins and there are unique ways that determine a lowball hand.
Suggested Read: Similarities & Differences Between Texas Hold’em and Omaha Poker
4. Badugi Poker
Badugi is a variant that revolves around the draw. In draw variants, players may discard cards from their hand and replace them with cards from the deck. The draw typically occurs before each round and at least three times in this game. Here, you can say that the worst hand wins, though, they have various categories to decide it. To win the game, you need to form the lowest possible hand that belongs to different suits.
5. Short Deck Hold’em Poker
With more international tournaments highlighting this game, Short Deck Poker has gained popularity over the previous years. It has an exclusive deck setup and a few unique rules, unlike the traditional Texas Hold’em poker game. The game purveys opportunities that bring in thrill, along with bigger hands.
6. Pineapple and Crazy Pineapple
Pineapple and Crazy Pineapple poker games have a unique twist which makes it different from the traditional Texas Hold’em poker game. In Pineapple poker, each challenger gets three cards, out of which one is discarded right before the first round. The structure is quite similar to the Texas Hold’em game. While playing Crazy Pineapple poker, all the players continue to discard until they reach a flop.
Poker Dealing Cards and Rounds
Dealing Cards
When it comes to the dealing of cards in poker, there are two types of cards dealt, depending upon the variant that you are playing. The following are the types of cards used in this game:
Hole Cards and Community Cards
When you play a usual poker game online, you are required to form the best poker hand, using five cards that have an unbeatable combination of hole cards and community cards. In poker, the Hole cards always remain concealed and only the player holding these cards knows it. The hole cards are revealed only during the showdown, as that’s the time when all the players display their cards facing upwards and claim to be the best hand. On the other hand, the Community cards are discarded on the board facing upwards and can be picked by any of the challengers.
Different Game Rounds
Usually, there are three rounds of action in online poker games. The games that follow a blinds system feature the first round commencing with the player at the left of the big blind. Once that player initiates the action, each player gets a chance to act. In these rounds, players can opt between four actions. The following are the actions:
- Call – When a player chooses to match the amount of the previous stakes.
- Raise – When a player wishes to raise the amount of the open stake.
- Fold – If a player pushes their cards in between and surrenders to win the hand.
- Check – Whenever a player chooses to pass the action to the subsequent challenge.
Suggested Read: Challenging Online Card Games for Real Money
Poker Hands Rankings
Forming a worthy poker hand is the prime goal of the game. However, these hands are ranked as per the combination they are showcasing. The following are the popular Poker hand rankings, starting from the strongest combination:
- In poker, the royal flush combination is considered to be the best hand. This combination comprises five consecutive cards of the same suit, and possesses the value from the ten to ace.
- The straight flush is the combination of five cards featuring the successive values of the same suit, apart from those considered as the royal flush. Here, the hand with higher ranking cards is declared as the winner.
- Four of a kind, refers to the same value card, belonging to different suits. The hand of five cards is completed with the highest one in your hand.
- A full house in poker is a combination of three cards that features the same value. There is also an add on of a different pair of same rank cards, belonging to two different suits. Here, the hand with higher ranking cards is declared as the winner.
- Flush in poker is a combination of five cards that belongs to the same suit. The hand that has the higher ranking cards is declared as the winner if more than a player claims flush.
- The combination of five cards having consecutive numerical value cards that belong to more than one suit is called Straight.
- There are also two pair sets that have two cards of the same rank but different suits. The hand that has the higher ranking cards is declared as the winner if more than a player claims to have two pair sets.
- A player can also claim a pair of cards that feature the same rank and belong to a different suit.
- The High Card in poker is referred to as the lowest-ranked hand available. In this, the highest card in your hand is the best hand.
Further Read: Know about Teen Patti Games
Frequently Asked Questions about How to Play Poker
Q) What is a Poker Game?
A) Poker is played using a 52-card deck between 4 and 8 players. You must create the finest five-card poker hand possible using the standard poker hand rankings.
Q) How to play poker for beginners?
A) WinZO has got just the perfect poker online game for you to get started. Understand all the poker basics, rules, tips and tricks to get started.
Q) Is Online Poker Legal in India?
A) Since Poker is a skill-based game, it is legal in India and permitted by the Indian government.
Q) Is Poker a skill or luck-based game?
A) Poker is a skill-based game. A skilled player will still be able to turn the game in his favour with tactical moves.
Q) Can You Win Real Money in an Online Poker?
A) Online poker is a real money game and hence, you can win a substantial amount of real money. You also need to make sure that you follow all the basic poker rules to be unbeatable in the game.
