Poker is a game where players use the cards they’re dealt to create the best five-card hand possible – or to win without making the best hand by bluffing!
How to Play
How to Play
Poker is a game where players use the cards they’re dealt to create the best five-card hand possible – or to win without making the best hand by bluffing!
Poker card rankings
Poker positions
The position you’re in when it comes to action-based turn is relative to who’s dealing the cards.
A Button is used to site your position for every deal, with play proceeding left-to-right around the table.
Position awareness is one of the skills to master to become a good poker player. Players who act last will generally have the advantage since they will have the luxury of seeing how their opponents act before they act themselves.
Basic poker rules
Show the strongest five-card hand, or win without showing by betting and making your opponent(s) fold.
You can bet, call or raise any existing bets to continue playing the hand, or fold (sliding your cards away face-down, and taking no further part in that hand) and give up.
If at least two players are in the hand when the final betting round is over, players will reveal their cards and the player with the best hand will win the pot.
Poker Actions
When it’s your turn to bet, you can usually do one of the following things:
- Check – decline to bet until the action is back on you.
- Fold – give up on the hand and lose anything you’ve already put into the pot.
- Call – match the highest bet made at the table and continue with the hand.
- Raise –increase the amount of the previous high bet.
Common Poker Variations
Texas Hold’em
- Players are dealt two ‘hole cards’
- Five ‘Community cards’ are dealt into the middle
- Players make their strongest five-card hand using both their hole cards and the shared community cards.
Omaha Hi
- Players are dealt four ‘hole cards’
- Five ‘Community cards’ are dealt into the middle
- Your hand is made of two ‘hole cards’, plus three community cards
- Players make their strongest five-card hand using any of their two ‘hole cards’ and the shared community cards.