How to Play Poker: Guide for Beginners

There is an old saying about poker “It takes a minute to learn, but a lifetime to master.” To effectively learn how to play a poker game, it is only right that we go through the different rules involved to maximize our wager and improve our knowledge. Here are some of them:

1. Getting the best five-card hand or persuading others that you really do is typically the goal
2. You have three options each round when the "action" is on you: place a stake, call or raise any existing bets, or decide to fold (sliding your cards forward/away face-down and no longer taking part in that hand)
3. You can choose to fold at any time when it's your turn to bet
4. There is a "showdown" in which the players who have remained in the game through the end of the last betting round expose their cards. The player with the best hand is considered the winner
5. Even if you haven't reached the "showdown, "you still win that hand if everybody folds their cards when you wager or raise the stakes. Herein lies the excitement of "bluffing", as a cunning player can pretend to hold better cards than they truly do

According to the game's regulations, poker players build hands, which are sets of 5 playing cards. The pot's winner is assessed by comparing each hand's rank to the ranks of the other hands taking part in the showdown. The highest-ranking hands win in high games like Texas hold 'em and seven-card stud. Below are the poker-hand rankings from the strongest rank to the weakest:

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  Royal Flush

  As the better hand in poker, the royal flush is ranked at the top. It has five identical cards in a row, numbered from 10 to ace, and all of the same suits.

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  Four of a Kind

  All four suits of the same card. The card with the greatest value among those on the table or in your hand completes a five-card hand.

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  Straight Flush

  A straight flush is any combination of five consecutive cards with values from the same suit that is not a royal flush. A royal flush or another straight flush with higher-ranking cards is the only hand that can defeat it.

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  Full House

  A hand that consists of a distinct pair of the same rank cards in 2 distinct suits as well as the same value card in 3 distinct suits (three of a kind). The hand with the greater or highest value three of a kind wins when more than one player has a complete house.

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  Flush

  Five cards in any combination with the same suit. When two players both hold flushes, the poker hand that will win is the flush with the highest-valued card.

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  Straight

  Five cards with sequential numbers and more than one type of suit. In most cases, an ace can only rank as high (above a king) or low (below a 2) on the same hand.

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  Three of a Kind

  This poker hand consists of three identical cards but in three distinct suits. The hand is completed by the two highest cards remaining in addition to the three of a kind.

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  Two Pairs

  Two distinct sets of two cards with the same rank are called “Two Pairs”. The hand is completed by the highest-ranked card still in play.

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  Pair

  A pair of cards with the same rank but various suits. The three top-ranked cards in the deck help make up the remaining cards in the hand.

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  High Cards

  The weakest of all the hands. Your "best hand" is the highest card you possess. It is the king of clubs in this instance.

In this descending order of strength, it is important to know that a hand's strength increases with the value of the cards in it. For instance, a straight that reads 7-8-9-10-J beats one that reads 5-6-7-8-9, and two Aces beat two Queens.

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  The Pre-Flop Stage

  In the first stage of the game, the player on the dealer’s left will put in the small blind, and the other player who is on the left of the small blind will put in the big blind when both players have placed their forced bets in front of them.

  All players get two cards to face down, one at a time, starting from the small blind. When players have their cards, the round where players can either fold, call or raise the stakes starts.

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  The Flop Stage

  Three community cards are dealt face-up on the table during the game's Flop stage. Any player can combine these cards with their hand to create their greatest possible five-card poker hand.

  Another round of betting begins, and the player in the small blind will initiate play and continue doing so until the end of the hand.

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  The Turn Stage

  Another community card joins the table in the Turn stage, increasing the number of face-up cards to four. The third round of betting begins after the fourth card has been dealt.

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  The River Stage

  The fifth and final community card will be made public during the last phase, referred to as the River. Players must choose whether or not to proceed to "the showdown" with their hand, as this is the final betting round.

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  Showdown

  The Showdown begins following the conclusion of the final betting round. The player with the best five-card poker hand is then named the game's winner when the cards are put on the table.

  The fifth and final community card will be made public during the last phase, referred to as the River. Players must choose whether or not to proceed to "the showdown" with their hand, as this is the final betting round.

There are hundreds of variations of poker; you can play it for pennies or matchsticks in a social setting or for thousands of dollars in a professional setting. Playing poker online is very simple and depends on learning a few tricks. After going through our detailed guide, you are now one step away from enjoying yourself.