Poker Rules

Ever heard the saying, 'It takes a minute to learn, but a lifetime to master'? Well, get ready to embark on your own epic poker journey, because you've just stepped into the ultimate poker playground!

Here, we're breaking down the game into bite-sized, easy-to-understand pieces. Consider us your poker sherpa, guiding you through the twists and turns of the game with that classic Mr Green smile.

No-Limit Texas Holdem will be our focus game for these rules, it is after all, the crown jewel of the poker world. But hey, we won't leave you hanging—we'll also dip our toes into other exciting variants to keep things fresh.

Among the topics we’ll cover are:

1. How to Win at Poker
2. Poker Hand Rankings
3. How to Play the Poker Step-By-Step (The Flop, Turn and River)
4. Dealer Button and Blinds
5. Tournaments vs Cash Games
6. Variants of Poker

How to Win at Poker

Cash games and tournaments each have their own unique thrill and strategy. In cash games, it's all about stacking those chips, risking your cash with every bet, and raking in the moolah. But in tournaments, it's a battle royale to climb that chip leaderboard and snag those epic prizes. Don't worry, we'll dive deeper into these differences soon.

But whether you're hitting the cash tables or duking it out in a tournament, one thing remains constant: the ultimate goal is to snatch that pot with the best hand at showdown or by bluffing your socks off.

In the end it's all about crafting the perfect five-card hand—from a humble high card to the coveted Royal Flush.

Poker Hand Ranking

Check out the royal lineup of poker hands, ranked from the cream of the crop to the bottom of the deck:

1. 

   Royal Flush: Picture-perfect and oh-so-rare, it's the ultimate dream hand—a straight flush from ten to ace, all in the same suit. A♦K♦Q♦J♦T♦.

2. Straight Flush: Keep the good times rolling with five consecutive cards of the same suit, like a sleek 8♠7♠6♠5♠4♠.

3. 

   Four-of-a-Kind: Go big or go home! Score this monster hand when you wrangle all four of the same suit, like a boss with A♠4♠4♣4♥4♦.

4. 

   Full House: It's a party on the felt! Mix things up with three of a kind paired with a delightful duo, like A♦A♣A♥J♥J♠.

5. 

   Flush: Ride the wave with five cards of the same suit, whether it's diamonds, hearts, spades, or clubs. Dive in with A♥J♥8♥4♥2♥.

6. 

   Straight: Hit the highway with five consecutive cards, like a rebel cruising with 8♥7♣6♦5♦4♠. Pro tip: A-2-3-4-5 is the "wheel," while 10-J-Q-K-A is the legendary "Broadway."

7. 

   Three-of-a-Kind: Three's a charm when you snag three of the same cards, like a poker powerhouse with A♠K♥5♠5♦5♣. And if you've got a pair in the hole and one on the board, it's "a set."

8. 

   Two Pair: Double the trouble, double the fun! Pair up not once, but twice, with a kicker to boot. Roll the dice with A♣K♥5♥K♠5♦.

9. 

   One Pair: Find your match with two of the same cards, like aces in the hole with A♦A♣7♠4♠2♣2.

10. 

    High Card: When all else fails, let your highest card do the talking. Ace-queen high? Not too shabby!

How to Play the Poker Step-By-Step

Welcome to a crash course on playing a hand in poker, where every move can make or break your game. Let’s break down the step-by-step play of a round of No-Limit Texas Hold'em, one hand at a time.

Remember, your final objective is to combine your starting hole cards with the five community cards on the board to form the ultimate five-card hand. It's like solving a puzzle with every round of betting.

The Deal: First up, you and your opponents will get dealt two "hole cards," facedown. Only you can see your hole cards are if you’re lucky, these cards will be the foundation of your perfect winning hand.

Now, let the game begin:

Preflop: With hole-cards dealt the curtain rises with a round of betting before the flop hits the table. No one can see your cards and you can’t see your opponents, how strong is your hand? How strong it theirs?

Flop: All bets placed? The number of players still at the table should have reduced. Boom! Three community cards are revealed, igniting a renewed frenzy of betting. Has your potential 5-card hand improved? Are you close to a strong hand and just need another card or two? Perhaps the flop is exactly what you don’t need, will you keep playing or throw your hand away?

Turn: Keep your eyes peeled as the fourth community card, aka the turn, hits the felt. With two hole cards and four community cards in play, the tension mounts as another betting round begins.

River: The final act unfolds with the fifth and last community card, the river. It's now or never as players make their final bets before the showdown.

Now, let's put theory into practice with a quick example:

Picture yourself in a €1/€2 No-Limit Hold'em game. You are dealt your two hole cards A♦K♣. You raise to €6 (3x times the big blind). Some may fold but most call your raise ending the preflop betting round.

The flop comes down, revealing a tantalizing A♣5♠6♥, giving you a pair of Aces.

Big Blind acts first and decides to Check, basically passing their turn on to you without betting since they are making the first move. You open the betting by betting €10, a small increase on your raise in the preflop.

Other players fold, they perhaps fear you have the Ace, or perhaps a King – which you do.

Play goes back to the Big Blind and since they checked, now they must decide to either fold, bet or raise. The Big Blind calls your bet, matching your bet of €10, with all chips going into the pot.

Its time for the Turn and the dealer places a K♦ on the table. That’s now two pair for you making your best hand A♦A♣K♣ K♦6♥. The Big Blind Checks again, it’s either a sign of weakness or you’re being tested to see if you have any tells and the strength of your hand.

You decide to bet €25 (over 2x your bet during the flop). The big blind calls your bet once more. The player either thinks you’re bluffing or is confident in their hand… what could that player have in this situation that could beat your hand, and think about the odds of actually having it.

With all bets matched, the chips are added to the pot and the dealer reveals the River card, a 2♣ and completes the 5 shared community cards A♣ K♦5♠6♥2♣.

Your opponents checks for a third time, you open the final round of betting with a €100 bet which the Big Blind once again Calls, putting €200 into the pot.

All betting rounds are complete, its showdown time and you and your opponent reveal your cards to see who the winner is. Remember, your opponents who folded earlier will have watched your play, making a note of how you bet, raised, your play speed and confidence and now they will know if you bluffed or had the nuts.

Your two pair, A♦K♣ plus the A♣K♦6♥ on the board, clinches the win against your opponent who reveals an A♥Q♠.

Victory is yours!

Dealer Button and Blinds

In the official realm of land-based casino poker, a dedicated dealer will take the reins, orchestrating every deal and shuffle. But in the cozy confines of home games, players will each take turns being the dealer.

The position of the dealer during each hand of poker is represented by the dealer button. This little token of power dictates who's in charge of the deal, making its grand entrance at the start of each hand. After every hand, it hops from player to player in a clockwise direction around the table.

The action always starts with the first person left of the dealer button called the small blind and immediately to the left of the small blind is the big blind.

Now, why all the fuss about blinds, you ask? Well, these compulsory bets at the beginning of the hand keep the game sizzling, ensuring that the prize pot already has chips to win from the get-go. Without blinds, we'd be in a world of waiting for aces and all-in showdowns—talk about a snooze fest!

Tournaments vs Cash Games

When you step into the arena of poker, you've got two main showdowns waiting for you: tournaments and cash games (also known as ring games). Each comes with its own set of rules, adding an extra layer of excitement to the game.

Sure, the basics are the same for both formats, but here's where the plot thickens with four key differences:

1. Blinds: In the cash game corner, blinds stay put, never budging from their fixed values (think €1-€2 or €2-€5 small and big blinds). But in tournaments, the blinds are like a ticking time bomb, increasing at regular intervals to keep the action sizzling and ensure the showdown wraps up right on cue.
2. Duration: Cash games are like an open road, letting you buy-in and cash-out whenever you please. Tournaments, on the other hand, are a marathon—not a sprint. You're in it for the long haul until a glorious champion emerges victorious.
3. Chips: In cash games, chips equal cash. But in tournaments, chip denominations are like almost like Monopoly money, with no real-world value attached. It's all about building your stack and climbing the ladder to glory.
4. Antes: While they're more common in tournaments, occasionally they'll make a cameo in cash games too. Unlike blinds, antes sweeten the pot before the action even begins, adding fuel to the fire and giving players more reasons to go all-in.

On some occasions there is also the "button ante" or "big blind ante". The idea is that instead of every player chipping in, one player foots the bill, saving precious time and keeping the game on track—especially handy in tournaments where every second counts.

Variants of Poker

Texas Hold'em may be the reigning king of the poker realm, but it's not the only game in town. The world of poker is a vast and diverse landscape, teeming with a myriad of variations that are giving Hold'em a run for its money.

If you fancy learning a little more about these Hold’em alternatives, click the useful links below to find out more:

• Pot-Limit Omaha
• Omaha Hi/Lo
• Razz
• 2-7 Triple Draw
• Badugi
• Short Deck Hold’em
• Pineapple & Crazy Pineapple