Poker Basics
Poker is a popular game worldwide, so it is hard to find a person who has yet to hear about poker, even if they have yet to play it for themselves. There are a few reasons why over 100 million poker players worldwide make poker more popular than some sports like tennis or golf, and this article explains some of those reasons and covers the basic rule of poker.
What if I am New to Poker?
No worries, you can learn with this guide the basic rules of poker that will give you the confidence to participate in a game. It is not hard to learn how to play poker, and after learning the basics of the game, you will soon move to online poker sites that offer a full range of games to enjoy.
What Makes Poker so Popular?
- Online poker is convenient and accessible even though you might not get the same type of thrills when you play at a physical poker table. However, live online poker games are close to the real thing as you play in real-time with a human dealer and other players. You can even chat with other players in between games via a live chat feature on your screen.
- Another reason that poker is so popular is that it relies heavily on skill rather than luck which means it is perfect to practice any poker strategies you have studied.
- Poker is an exciting and competitive game with a solid motivation to win. Highly social, you play poker with other people who might be strangers, family or friends.
The Very Basics of Poker
The most popular poker variation is Texas Hold’em, which you can find at every online poker site and many online casinos. However, this variant is just the tip of the iceberg. This article will focus on the most popular poker game: Texas Hold’em.
How to Play Texas Hold’Em
The most popular poker game Texas Hold’Em is also called the Cadillac of Poker as it is the game you will repeatedly return to.
- In a game of Texas Hold’em, each player is dealt two cards face down (the hole cards).
- Over the following betting rounds, five more cards are dealt face-up in the middle of the table.
- The face-up cards are called the community cards, and each player can use the community cards in combination with their hole cards to eventually build a five-card poker hand.
The five community cards are dealt in three stages;
- The Flop: is the first three community cards dealt.
- The Turn: is the name for the fourth community card.
- The River: is the name for the fifth and last community card.
In Texas Hold’Em, you construct your five-card poker hand using the best available five cards out of the total seven on the table (two hole cards and five community cards).
- Use both hole cards with three community cards.
- Use one hole card in combination with four community cards.
- Use none of the hole cards if the cards on the table lead to a better combination.
If the rounds of betting cause all but one player to fold, the remaining player wins the pot without having to show their cards, the rule means that players can bluff to get others to fold better hands.
If two or more players make it to the showdown after the last community card is dealt, and all the betting is complete, then the player with the highest-ranking five-card poker card will win the pot.
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