How to Play Poker: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

What Is Poker?

Poker is a card game where you aim to build the best hand or outsmart opponents into folding by blending tactics and a bit of bluffing. It is loved in casinos, living rooms and online platforms, with Texas Hold’em being the most popular format due to its simple rules and huge appeal, thanks to events such as the World Series of Poker. This guide provides tips especially for beginners on how to play poker.

Understanding the Basics

Objective of the Game

In Texas Hold’em, the main goal is to win the pot, which is the collection of poker chips bet by players during a single game, known as a hand. You can achieve this in two ways: by having the strongest combination of cards when everyone reveals their hands at the end, called the showdown, or by strategically betting chips to convince other players to fold and abandon the hand early. This mix of skill, strategy and sometimes bluffing makes the game exciting, as you’re not only relying on good cards but also on outsmarting your opponents to claim the pot.

Table Set-Up

A poker table features two to 10 players, creating a lively, social atmosphere similar to a friendly card game. A dealer, either a professional in a casino or a player in a casual game, distributes the cards, with a dealer button marking the position in home games. To start the pot, the two players to the left of the dealer place forced bets: the small blind which is a smaller amount, and the big blind, usually twice as much. These blinds ensure there’s always something to play for, setting the stage for the betting and card action that follows.

Poker Chips & Betting Rounds

Poker chips act as money, with colours showing values, such as white for $1, red for $5 or green for $25, for example. For six to eight players, 200-300 chips keep things smooth. Texas Hold’em has four betting rounds, pre-flop, flop, turn and river, where you act based on your cards and strategy.

Skill versus Luck

Poker balances skill and luck and is a game of wits with a twist of fate. Skills such as reading your opponents and managing bets lead to long-term wins, but luck affects the cards each player is dealt. Beginners can grasp basic poker rules and build expertise with practice.

Poker Hands

Your hand’s strength decides the winner, ranked from rare to common. Here’s a quick look, with a table for details.

• Royal Flush: 10, J, Q, K, A, same suit (e.g., 10♥-J♥-Q♥-K♥-A♥).
• Straight Flush: Five cards in a row, same suit (e.g., 5♠-6♠-7♠-8♠-9♠).
• Four of a Kind: Four same-rank cards (e.g., 7♣-7♦-7♥-7♠).
• Full House: Three of a kind, one pair (e.g., 8♠-8♣-8♥-K♦-K♠).
• Flush: Five cards, same suit (e.g., 2♥-4♥-7♥-9♥-Q♥).
• Straight: Five cards in a row, mixed suits (e.g., 3♣-4♥-5♠-6♦-7♣).
• Three of a Kind: Three same-rank cards (e.g., J♠-J♣-J♥).
• Two Pair: Two different pairs (e.g., 9♦-9♠-4♣-4♥).
• One Pair: Two same-rank cards (e.g., K♣-K♦).
• High Card: No matches, highest card counts (e.g., A♠).

 

How to Play Poker Step-by-Step

Texas Hold’em is easy to play. Here’s how a hand unfolds:

• Set-up: Each player gets two private hole cards, and five community cards come later, face up.
• Pre-flop: After blinds, you get your hole cards and then bet based on their strength, starting left of the big blind.
• Flop: Three community cards are dealt, followed by a betting round.
• Turn: A fourth community card appears, with another betting round.
• River: The fifth community card arrives, then a final betting round.
• Showdown: Players left reveal their hands, the best five-card combo, using hole and community cards, wins the pot.

Player Actions & Bets

Types of Plays and Bets

You’ve got these choices when betting:

• Check: Pass if no one has bet yet, like holding steady.
• Bet: Add chips to the pot to raise the stakes.
• Call: Match the current bet to stay in.
• Raise: Increase the bet, pushing others to decide.
• Fold: Drop your cards and exit the hand.

Forced Bets

• Small Blind: A mandatory bet by the player left of the dealer, often half the big blind.
• Big Blind: A larger mandatory bet by the next player, setting the minimum bet.
• Ante: A small bet all players pay in some games to boost the pot.

Poker Rules

Texas Hold’em has clear poker rules for beginners: use two hole cards and five community cards to form your best five-card hand. Bet over four rounds, choosing to check, bet, call, raise, or fold. The pot goes to the player with the strongest hand at showdown or the last one standing if others fold.

Betting Limits

• No-Limit: Bet any amount, up to all your chips, common in Texas Hold’em.
• Pot-Limit: Bets can’t exceed the pot size, often in Omaha.
• Fixed-Limit: Bets are fixed amounts, used in stud poker.

Poker Terminology

• All-in: Betting all your chips.
• Blinds: Required bets before cards.
• Burn: Discarding the top card before community cards.
• Buy-in: The fee to join a game.
• Cold Call: Calling a raise without prior chips in.
• Straddle: An optional bet, usually double the big blind.
• Dealer Button: Marks the dealer, rotates clockwise.

Poker Tips for Beginners

• Start with low-stakes games to learn how to play poker comfortably.
• Play strong starting hands such as high pairs or suited aces, to gain confidence.
• Watch opponents’ bets and learn to read their strategy.
• Manage your chips carefully and avoid big risks early on.
• Practice online to sharpen your skills before live games.
• Understand poker ranges and use them to gain an advantage over your opponents.

Poker Etiquette

Good poker etiquette makes the game enjoyable: act in turn, keep cards visible, avoid talking about active hands and be respectful whether you win or lose. 

Common Mistakes in Poker

Beginners might chase weak hands or bet without a plan but learning basic poker rules and practising helps you avoid these errors.

Poker Variants

Besides Texas Hold’em, try Omaha, using two of four hole cards, or Seven-Card Stud, with no community cards. Texas Hold’em is the easiest poker variant to play. 

Playing Poker Online

Online poker is accessible, with platforms such as Bet365, PokerStars and 888poker offering Texas Hold’em for all levels. Choose sites with secure payments, UK licensing for safety and free-play modes so you can practice how to play poker.