Poker Guide
Poker Rules

Poker is a well-renowned card game that involves a combination of skill and strategy. The basic rules of poker vary depending on the specific variant being played, but the most common variant is Texas Hold'em. Here are the basic rules of Texas Hold'em:

• The game is played with a standard deck of 52 cards.


• Each player is dealt two cards facing down, which are called hole cards.


• The first round of betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind (the forced bet that starts the game). Players can either call, raise, or fold.


• After the first round of betting, three community cards are dealt face-up on the table. This is called the flop.


• Another round of betting takes place, starting with the player placed to the left of the dealer button.


• After the second round of betting, a fourth community card is dealt face up on the table. This is called the turn.


• Another round of betting takes place, starting with the player sitting to the left of the dealer button.


• Finally, a fifth and final community card is dealt face up on the table. This is called the river.


• A final round of betting takes place.


• A showdown occurs if two or more players are left in the game after the final round of betting. The player with the best five-card hand made up of their hole cards and the community cards wins the pot.

To win at Poker you need to understand the basics of the game really well, remember the rules of hands when to call, when to raise, and when to fold. Poker demands more from the players every time they play, and that is why it is important for a poker player to keep an eye on the moves his/her opponents are making. Doing so will give the player a better understanding of what is on the plans and what are the potential outcomes of that particular pot.

Another important thing you need to win at Poker is to keep your finances in check, make sure you spend wisely and pick the right moves to make the earning. Do not mix up emotions and ego, rather stay calm and composed. This will serve you well in the longer run. Last but not the least, practice and grind hard at understanding the game. Even though it’s an old game but only you can reinvent and strategize it better for a positive outcome.

In poker, the ranking of hands from highest to lowest is:

1. Royal Flush : A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit.


2. Straight Flush : Any five cards of the similar suit in sequence. The highest possible straight flush is the Royal Flush.


3. Four of a Kind : Four cards of the same rank, such as four Kings.


4. Full House : Three cards of the same rank, plus a pair of cards of another rank, such as three Kings and two 5s.


5. Flush : Any five cards of a similar suit but not in sequence.


6. Straight : Any five cards in sequence, not of a similar suit. An Ace can be high or low, so A, 2, 3, 4, 5 is the lowest straight, while 10, J, Q, K, A is the highest.


7. Three of a Kind : Three cards of a similar rank, such as three Jacks.


8. Two Pair : Two cards of one rank, plus two cards of another rank, such as two 8s and two Queens.


9. One Pair : Two cards of the same rank, such as two 5s.


10. High Card : If no player has any of the above hands, the player with the highest card wins. If two or more players have the same high card, the next highest card is used to break the tie, and so on.

Blinds and antes are two forms of forced bets that are used in some poker games to create action and build pots.

• Blinds : In a game with blinds, there are two players who are required to place a small bet before the start of each hand, called the small blind and the big blind. The player to the left of the dealer button (the person who is dealt last) places the small blind, and the player to their left places the big blind, which is typically two times the size of the small blind. The blinds ensure that there is money in the pot before any cards are dealt, and they rotate around the table in a clockwise direction after each hand, so each player takes turns posting the blinds.


• Antes : In a game with antes, all players at the table are required to place a small bet before the start of each hand. The ante is usually a small percentage of the size of the big blind, and it is used to create a pot that the blinds then add to. Antes are typically used in tournaments and in some cash games to encourage action and prevent players from simply folding until they have a good hand.

Understanding the basic rules of the particular poker game you are playing on will guide you better on how to play the game. However, there are a few basics that remain the same when you join any poker game. Let us quickly have a look at them:

• First and foremost you need to understand the hand rankings and the values that make a winning or a losing hand.


• Depending on the type of poker game you might have to bet a small amount of money to start the game or like any typical poker game, the game will start from the left of the dealer with a fixed pot amount collected by each player.


• The cards will then be dealt to each of the players on the table, a total of two cards will be dealt to the player, which are known as the hole cards. Make sure the card's value remains known to your eyes only.


• After the cards have been dealt, the players then start with the first round of betting, the player sitting next to the left of the big blind starts the proceedings.


• Now that the first round of betting is done, the dealer will then deal three community cards facing upside down on the table. These cards are often called ‘flop’.


• The second round of betting starts after the community cards have been dealt to the players on the table.


• The dealer again deals a community card, known as the ‘turn’ face up on the center of the table, which is followed by the third betting round.


• The dealer then deals the final community card known as the ‘river’ and the final betting round takes place.


• In case, there are two or more players still left in contention after the final betting round, then there is a showdown where players reveal their hole cards. The player with the best hand wins the pot.

In a game of poker deals a complete hand. The deal move in a clockwise direction, once a hand is complete the dealer button is then passed on to the player sitting left of ther dealer. An indicator or a disc usually is used to indicate who has the dealer button, thus determining who is the active dealer and the next one in line.

A Bling is the amount of money that the players have to put into the pot before the actual round of betting begins. Generally there are two blinds, a small and a big but there can be zero or three blinds as well. Once the cards are dealt, the player sitting left to the dealer has to play the small blind while the player sitting next to the small blind has to place the bif blind.