How to Play Poker Game
Poker is more a game of skill rather than luck. All you need to win is complete knowledge of poker basics and a bit of concentration. Let us have an overview of basics of poker for a beginner!
Beginner’s Basic
- Poker is played with seven total cards out of which player has two of them. The remaining five cards can be played off by everyone. The aim is to create the best five-card hand from the seven available cards.
- Many players can play at the same time, but it is advisable that not more than ten players should play at one table to make the game more manageable. Initially, a dealer is selected at random who deals the cards.
- Starting with the player to the left of dealer, cards are dealt and each player get two cards (also called hole cards) face down including dealer being dealt last.
- List of Winning Hands (weakest to strongest)-
- High Card – this may be in your hand or on the table
- One pair
- Two pair
- Three of a kind
- Straight (highest straight wins)
- Flush (highest flush wins)
- Full House (also called a set or boat; highest three of a kind wins)
- Four of a kind
- Straight flush
- Royal flush
Betting rounds-
- The rounds of betting starts with the dealer. The bets are firstly placed by two people (left of dealer). The person sitting next to the dealer plays call the small blind, while the person to the left of this player plays the big blind. The small blind is half of the big blind.
- During the first round of betting namely flop, the betting level is all set. The game starts by placing one card face down (also called burn card) followed by three community cards played face up in the middle of the table. The players have following options.
- They can call the amount of the big blind.
- Raise the amount of the big blind.
- Check.
- Or fold.
- The small blind person only has to call the highest bet being played at the time. If no one has bet higher than the big blind, they only have to play the difference in the amounts. The person who is the big blind is the last person to bet this round.
- After this, the second round of betting namely preflop commences. The first person to bet in this round is the one who made the small blind initially. The game goes so on with the dealer being the last to bet. Some players opt to fold in the very first round; game skips them and continues on to the next person (in clockwise direction). A player can opt for check if s/he do not want to bet anymore.
- The Betting keep on going in the same fashion for the third round (turn) and fourth round (river) are played. The game reaches to the final betting when all five community cards are played. Once all bets have been made the winner is selected who has the best hand.
- If two or more players have the same hand i.e. equal rank cards, then the prize money (pot) is split equally between them.
All-in
When a player puts all his/her poker chips into the pot, s/he is said to be all-in. That player is not eligible to win any money from the excess of the pot after the final bet has been matched.
When to make-
Call- making a call is good option just in case if either a player thinks that there are chances of his/ her winning or wants to take the game to the next level.
Raise- Raising should be done if a player has got very strong hands to play.
Check- Doing a check is best when a player wants to stay in the hand, but not interested in betting any more.
Fold- Doing a fold is right when a player is not having enough strong hand to play. So it is better to fold and pass the cards (face down) back to the dealer.
Some usual poker terms you should know-
Hole cards- Those cards which are dealt to a player in the beginning of game are called hole cards or even pocket cards.
Small blind- It is the smallest amount of the two forced bets made in the beginning of the game. It is half of the big blind.
Big blind- It is the larger of two forced bets made in the beginning of the game to ensure action in every hand. This amount is twice of amount in small blind.
Burn cards- Those cards which are removed from the deal to prevent cheating in the game.
Pot- The amount of players that all players wagers during the game play.
Some helpful poker tips-
- Even if have got the best hand still do not take the risk of betting too much at an early stage.
- Bluffing is the weapon to defeat your opponents. When it is done well, you can win big pots.
- Try to stay for long in the game as the more time you will play with same people, the better you can learn their playing styles and tricks!
- Go through all the rules & make sure you understand them.
- Always remember that in poker the game continues in clockwise direction so will be the direction of flow of money. so choose your seat at the poker table accordingly.
- Observe your opponent’s move carefully!
