How to Play Poker: Start With Basics

Learn How to Play Poker Before Investing Money

Most websites are designed so that occasional poker players can enjoy an hour or two of Texas Hold 'Em without investing anything more than a little time. That's the beauty of most poker websites today.

One of the key benefits of the play-chip tables is the opportunity to learn the difference between a good poker hand and one that isn't quite so good. It may help if the beginner does know something about how to play poker, if only because it's more fun to play and win than to play and lose. Knowing the basic poker hands is essential, of course. In general, the rank of cards runs from the two or "deuce" through 10, then Jack, Queen, King, Ace. A pair is a fairly good hand, the higher the cards the better. Two pair is next best, then three of a kind. It's also good to have five consecutively numbered cards (of any suit) for a straight, or any five cards of the same suit for a flush. A full house is three of a kind and a pair in a five-card hand. In Texas Hold'Em a straight can also be Ace through five, one of the exceptions to the Ace always being the high card.

Another item of basic knowledge that a player new to the online poker world should have is the simple steps of Texas Hold 'Em. This is the game that accounts for a great majority of poker action online and in live casinos, so if you learn this variety you can safely say you known how to play poker. Hold 'Em is a seven-card game. Each player is dealt two cards face down (hole cards) then a round of betting follows. Three cards are dealt face up on the table (community cards or "the board"). Another round of betting takes place. Another card is dealt face up on the table (the turn), followed by betting. Then the last face-up card is dealt (the river). The remaining players bet, then the best hand is determined and winner takes the money in the middle ("the pot"). [More about Pai Gow, Three-Card and other forms of poker later.]

The majority of poker websites allows the play-chip visitor to return to the "bank" on a regular basis to reload with play chips. Some sites limit how quickly a player can restock chips, but this shouldn't be much of a deterrent for someone looking for a little entertainment. For the most part, online poker is about the same as live poker, with a few noticeable differences. If you know how to play poker from sitting at the kitchen table with friends and family, an online poker room should be no problem. Of course, the other poker players aren't there in the room with you. They are represented by avatars (a graphic image that represents the person playing). That is a major difference, and for some who really know how to play poker, this can be a problem because they like to interact with other people face to face when playing. But great technology and good websites make online poker about as realistic as it can be. You can even type in during the game and "chat" with other poker players who also might enjoy a little conversation during the game!

More Great Games

Progressive Jackpots

Quick Poker Tips

"Watch and listen when not involved in the hand – When they don’t have the cards it takes to play, successful players don’t read a magazine or look around the casino for someone they know. They watch the other players, watch the table cards and exposed cards carefully and listen for tells and tips as to the personalities of the opponents."

See more poker tips »