Interested in playing online poker? Well, you came to the right place! Poker is one of those games that is loved around the world and by most players, and now that you can play online poker from the comfort of your own home, it’s hard not to want to play poker.
So, let’s get started, and remember, whether you are new to poker or a pro, tips are always welcome!
Is There More Than One Poker?
There are more fantastic variations of poker to choose from, but instead of naming all of them, we can group them into four main types of games namely; Community Card Poker, Draw Poker, Straight Poker and Stud Poker.
- Community Card Poker: Can be referred to any poker game using community cards, cards that will be dealt face up in the smack centre of the table for all players to share. The players are also dealt an incomplete hand of private cards, also known as hole cards. So, players use the community cards as well as the private cards to make a hand.
- Draw Poker: With Draw Poker each player is dealt 5 private cards (face down), then players need to make a bet before they can change any of the private cards dealt. The five-card draw is one of the most popular poker variants today.
- Straight Poker: Each player is dealt five private cards (face down), bets are placed in a single round, meaning no new cards can be drawn.
- Stud Poker: The first card is dealt face down, the following four cards will be face up, and betting taking place between the rounds of dealing.
Poker Hands
If you are new to poker you need to know the different hands, also known as traditional high poker hand ranks, they are as follows, Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, High Card, One Pair, Royal Flush, Split Pot, Straight, Straight Flush, Three of a Kind and a Two Pair.
- Flush: Five non-consecutive cards of the same suit makes a flush. The suit you are holding is not important if it’s from the same suit. The rank of the cards will only be important when you are playing against someone with a flush as well.
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank and one card from another rank is known as Four of a Kind. If more than one player has a hand with four of a kind, the hand with the highest rank wins.
- Full House: Three of a kind plus a pair makes a Full House.
- High Card: If you do not have any of the other hands, then the highest card amongst the card in your hand will be considered the High Card.
- One Pair: If you have two cards in your hand with the same value, that is considered one pair.
- Royal Flush: A Royal Flush consists of five cards of the same suit and a straight, from ten to ace.
- Split Pot: The players who reach showdown and all hands are of equal value, in such cases, the pot is split, and each player gets an equal amount.
- Straight: A straight is five cards that are consecutive, it does not have the be of the same suit.
- Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards and of the same suit makes a Straight Flush. If two players have a straight flush hand, the highest card wins.
- Three of a Kind: Three of a kind is when you have three cards in your hand of the same rank, this is also known as a set or trips.
- Two Pair: If your hand consists of two pairs then you have a Two Pair. Ranking with a Two Pair is important as the biggest rank wins.
General Poker Rules
Now you know the different hands, but what do you do when you have selected your Poker Game, how do you start? You have selected your game and you made your bet, now you need to know if you should Call, Check, Fold or Raise!
- Bet: To make a bet during the rounds.
- Call: If a player equals the amount wagered by another player who raised the bet.
- Check: A player can check by passing up on his/her option to bet.
- Fold: If a player thinks he is going to lose and thinks his hand is not good enough, so not to wager any further, the player can lay down his cards, so by folding the player won’t give up any additional chips.
- Raise: If a player thinks he has a good hand or pretending so the other players can think he has a good hand (poker face), so when the player increases the wager, the player is raising.
Betting continues with each round until each player can either match the bets or fold. Each round end by players checking. Both hidden and visible cards will be dealt after each betting round finishes to better the players’ hands if they don’t fold.
Showdown
With the final round of betting, after the players have placed the last bet, either raised or called, the players remaining must now show (declare)
the cards in their hands and the player or players with the best-ranked hand wins the game. More than one player can share the winnings, but how will depend on the game rules.
Strategy Considerations
- First Decision as New Poker Player: First, the player needs to decide if he wants to play for money or for fun. To play for money takes a lot of time and devotion. So, keep this in mind with your first couple of games. Deciding beforehand if you want to play for fun or money will make your way forward much easier to prepare for.
- Good Decisions: Do not expect to win every single time, some of the best players do lose now and again. Just make the best of each hand and stay focused, by making good decisions as you are a beginner, will pay off as you improve your game. Just stay focus on your own playing, give your best every single session, your results will better in the end.
- Maths of Poker: If you think of it, Poker is a mathematical game of some sort. Every time you select which starting hand to play, if you have the bests hand more often than none, you will win more times than your fellow players does.
- Starting Hands: Your starting hand is utter important. You must master starting hands, and you need to learn how to change by your position at the poker table. Then your next step should be to make the best with the rest of your hand. It is known that professional players do play better than their fellow players after the first round, this gives them a clearer view after the starting round decisions were made.
- Tilt: Some players make emotional bets by the emotions or expressions of their opponents, and players will use this against you. Making bets in this manner can end up having you, making poor decisions and it can end up costing you a lot of money. Rather just focus on your hand and to better it without the influence of the other players!
- Avoid to Call to Much: Newbies like to call rather than to make a bet, because they don’t really know what they have and if what they have is good, so newbies will rather call than bet. But it’s preferred to rather bet than call, you can win the whole pot without even showing your cards if you bet rather than call. Rather put your trust in a bet rather than call, even if you don’t think so at the time.
Tips to Win Playing Small Stakes
Last, but not least, some final tips on how to win a hand or two while having fun small stakes with Online Poker
- Get Ready for Long Games: Low buy-in games normally take a couple of hours to complete, so be sure to be in for a long sit!
- Variance in Small Stakes: Because of the total number of opponents you will have to go through, making Small Stakes tournaments huge. Sometimes it will literally be impossible to put a hand on, playing against many opponents. Another possibility when playing with a large field, the players can call your raises. This makes the outcome of the game more unpredictable, adding more excitement to the game! This option will be the more favourable option, in the long run, in the short term it will feel like you are worse off. For this option, we recommend you have a decent bankroll to fall back on to!
- Simple is Best: It’s best to keep the game simple by playing normal poker. Do not try to “Poker Face” effect, changes are, players are only interested in their own hands. Each player’s goal at the end of the game is to get to Showdown and be the winner.
- Bet to the Max: Make sure to get the maximum value from the cards in your hand. With small stake poker games, you are more often to get away with higher betting.
Make sure to visit one of Wisegamblers amazing online casinos to visit the different poker rooms!
