Poker Game – Play Poker Online India

PokerBaazi, a prominent name in the online poker arena, offers an unparalleled gaming experience backed by its extensive player base. As the leading online poker destination in India, we have garnered the trust and loyalty of over 35 lac players on our platform.

With a wide range of tournaments, cash poker games, and innovative features, PokerBaazi caters to both beginners and seasoned players, fostering a dynamic and inclusive poker ecosystem. The presence of over 35 lac trusted players stand as a testament to PokerBaazi's dedication to delivering top-notch entertainment and competitive poker action in a fair, secure and reliable environment.

Poker is a popular skill based card game that combines skill, strategy with an element of chance. It is played in various formats, but the core concept of a poker game involves players placing bets based on the value of their hand, which is a combination of the cards they hold.

The goal of poker is to win chips or money by having the best hand at the end of a wagering round or by convincing other players to fold (give up) their hands.

This thrilling card game can be played both live as well as online on credible poker apps and platforms of the day. The rules of an online poker game are the same as that of live poker. Although, in recent years, online poker has gained a steady massive traction due to the ease and availability of games round the clock.

The goal of a Poker game is to win the money in the pot. The pot money includes the sum of all the bets made by players in a single hand. This is done by either having the best five card hand as per the hand rankings at the end of the rounds or by convincing other players to give up and fold their hands.

There exists ten hand rankings in live and online poker games that are universal through all poker variations and formats. They range from High cards (lowest value) to Royal flush (highest value). A total of four rounds of wagering occur as more cards are revealed throughout the hand. The winner is typically revealed at the end of all rounds when more than one player goes to showdown.

Poker's journey through history is a tale of evolution and expansion. Its origins trace back to 9th Century China, with a pivotal point being the French "Poque" game in 1400. In the 1700s, poker found its stride in America, incorporating the rounds of raising money into its gameplay. The 1800s witnessed its presence on Mississippi riverboats.

Community cards made their debut in Texas Hold'em during 1925, gaining popularity despite the initial skepticism about the chance versus skill aspect of the game. The pivotal moment in the history of Poker came with the inception of the World Series of Poker in 1970 which catapulted the game into the limelight. Texas Hold'em emerged as the dominant variant in the world series, capturing enthusiasts' hearts worldwide for years to come.

The game's journey into the 21st-century witnessed Chris Moneymaker's transformative victory in 2003, where his million dollar online poker win through a satellite tournament worth $39 ignited global fervour, inspiring scores of poker enthusiasts to test their skills in the realm of online poker and achieve glory.

Online Poker in India

While this global run has been interesting so far, the journey of Poker in the Indian subcontinent has been nothing short of impressive. In India, the digital era supercharged poker's ascent. Once Facebook came into being in 2007, Online poker on Facebook soon amassed 36 million players, while regulatory distinctions between skill and chance games set the stage for controlled growth.

It was the regulated real money gaming sector that marked a turning point for Online Poker. With licensed platforms offering real-money gameplay, except in a few states, and the accessibility of free poker games, India's poker industry has burgeoned, boasting over 30% annual growth. Today, forecasts predict an astounding $7 billion valuation in five years, showcasing poker's remarkable journey into the future.

The poker hand rankings are the basis of any Poker game that decide who wins the pot after playing a certain hand. Here is a list of the poker hand rankings from lowest to highest in strength:

High Card

When a player fails to hit any of the poker hands mentioned below in the rankings chart, it's called a high card.

Example:

One Pair

One Pair hand includes two cards of the same rank and three different cards.

Example:

Two Pair

Two pair hand consists of two pairs of one rank and two cards of another rank and one different card.

Example:

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank and two different cards make three of a kind.

Example:

Straight

5th in strength, a straight is made up of five consecutive cards of different suits.

Example:

Flush

Five cards of the same suit but in no sequential order makes a Flush.

Example:

Full House

A Full House consists of three cards of the same rank and one pair. It is the 4th highest poker hand in strength.

Example:

Four of a Kind

A powerful hand that ranks 3rd in strength, four cards of the same rank and one different card makes Four of a kind .

Example:

Straight Flush

Second highest in strength, a Straight Flush is a sequence of five cards of the same suit. The highest straight flush is the Royal Flush.

Example:

Royal Flush

Royal Flush is the highest and unbeatable of all poker hands. It is made of the top five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Example:

Chips

Poker Chips are the currency that represent different denominations of real money and are used to place bets during a hand in a poker game.

Pot

In live and online poker, the "pot" refers to the collection of chips or money that players contribute to during a hand by placing various bets. The pot grows in size as players make bets and raises throughout the rounds. This means it is essentially the prize that players are competing for in a given hand. The player with the best hand at the showdown or the last player remaining after others have folded, wins the pot.

Blinds

Before the beginning of each hand, the first two players seated on the dealer's left posts a fixed amount of forced bets in the pot, known as poker blinds. The first person on the dealer's left is called the Small Blind and the second person is called the Big Blind. As per the stakes of the Poker game, the amount placed by the Big Blind is always double the Small Blind.

The value of the blinds are determined at the start of the game and the small blind is usually half of the big blind. So, if the Small Blind places a bet of ₹3, the Big Blind must place a bet of ₹6.

Hole Cards

After the blinds are placed in the pot, the dealer distributes a certain number of hole cards to each player on the table (depending on the variation of Poker). The cards are dealt one by one from left to right starting with the small blind and ending with the dealer. Two hole cards in Texas Hold’em and four hole cards in Omaha Poker are dealt to each player in the game.

Community Cards

Community cards are the cards that are dealt on the table which can be shared by all players to form their best five card hand in a poker game.

The action in every round of a Poker game starts with the dealer who is marked by the letter 'D' in online poker games and a ‘Dealer Button’ in live poker games. This mark on the table moves in a clockwise direction after the completion of each hand. Once the dealer is chosen, the blinds are posted by the two players on the dealer’s left. Following this, each player is dealt a specific number of hole cards (2, 4 or 5 depending on the poker variation you play). Once the players receive their hole cards, the first round begins.

The gameplay of Poker essentially consists of four rounds namely, Pre-flop, Flop, Turn and River; wherein players take turns to act based on the strength of their cards and their poker game strategy.

In any poker game, players can take five different actions in these rounds namely- call, fold, check, raise and all-in. Depending on the strength of their poker hand, players either decide to bet their chips and stay in the game. Or if they think their hand is not strong enough, they can fold their cards and forfeit their chips and any claim to the pot.

How to Play: Actions on the Poker Table

Once the blinds are placed and the hole cards are dealt, the players on the table can choose to take either of the five actions during a hand. These actions are:-

Fold

Fold means to exit the current hand without putting in any more chips. This action is used when you feel your cards are not strong enough to play the game.

Call

Call means to match a bet in a Poker game. So, if a player before you bets 5 chips, you also have to put 5 chips in the pot to call or match his bet if you wish to stay in the game.

Raise

Raise means to increase the bet by putting more chips in the pot. In the preflop stage, the raise has to be a minimum of twice the big blind.

You raise when you feel your cards are really strong or to force your opponents to fold their cards.

Check

Check means to pass the action to the next player without placing any bets. You can only check if the player/s before you have not made a raise.

All-in

You can choose to put all your remaining chips in the pot during any stage of the game. This action is called going "All-in".

In each hand of a poker game, a total of four rounds occur as the hand progresses. These rounds are Pre-flop, Flop, Turn, River and Showdown. Let’s discuss them one by one.

Pre-flop

Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the dealer's left, place the forced bets called Blinds. After this, the hole cards are dealt one by one to each player in a clockwise direction. Poker Action starts with the player to the left of the big blind. Players can fold, call or raise the big blind. The Pre-flop stage ends after the first round of action.

Flop

Once all the active players during pre-flop have placed their bets, the second round begins. The dealer deals three community cards together, known as the Flop, face-up at the centre of the table.

Action in the Flop round begins with the first active player to the left of the dealer button. Players can check, raise, call or fold.

Turn

Once all the active players have placed their bets, the fourth community card, called the Turn, is dealt face up on the table. Players continue to bet or fold their cards as per the strength of their hands.

River

After playing on the Turn, the fifth and the final community card called the River, is dealt face up on the table. Following this, the last round occurs and players continue to act as per the strength of their hands.

Showdown- Determining the Winner of a Poker Hand

Once the final round is complete, all remaining active players reach the final stage of the hand, known as the Showdown.

Showdown is the stage of the poker game that determines the winner of a hand. All the active players reveal their hole cards and compare their five card poker hand. The player with the best hand wins all the chips in the pot.

In case, if all players but one, fold their cards before reaching showdown, that one player wins the chips in the pot without contest.

On the PokerBaazi app, you can play five awesome variations of online poker all day long. Let’s check them out!

Texas Hold’em

This is perhaps the simplest of all variations to learn in online poker games.

Each player is dealt two hole cards and five community cards are dealt face up on the table. Players need to bet chips or real money according to the strength of their hand. The goal is to make the best five-card hand out of these seven cards and win the money in the pot.

The game is called No Limit Hold'em because at any stage of the game, players can put all their chips in the pot. This action is called going All-in. Texas Hold’em is the easiest variation to learn and start your online poker run.

Super Hold’em

Super Hold’em is PokerBaazi’s brand new and exciting variation of online Poker that you can play exclusively on our app. The rules of Super Hold’em are similar to Texas Hold’em with one exception. Instead of two hole cards, players get three hole cards in Super Hold’em. You can use one, two or all three hole cards to make the best five card hand!

This means variance is way more frequent in Super Hold’em than any other variation of poker since you are free to use all three hole cards to make the strongest hand. Also, while in the regular variant, you may or may not use any hole cards. However, in Super Hold’em, you must use at least one of the three hole cards to make your best five card hand.

Pot Limit Omaha 4

Pot Limit Omaha or PLO 4, is yet another exciting variation of online poker that ranks second in popularity worldwide. All the rules and actions are similar to Hold’em poker. The only exception is the presence of four hole cards in Omaha instead of two or three in Hold’em variations.

Players can only use two out of four hole cards in combination with the community cards to make their best five card hand. If you have played Texas Holdem, the transition to Super Hold’em and PLO variations become considerably easier.

Pot Limit Omaha 5

PLO 5 is a step up to the regular Pot Limit Omaha poker variation. The basic rules of PLO 5 are similar to PLO 4 with the exception of the number of hole cards. As the name goes, players are dealt five hole cards instead of two.

The goal is to use not more than two out of five hole cards and combine them with the community cards to make the best five card hand. Like all online poker games, the intention is to win the money in the pot.

Pot Limit Omaha 6

Another fun cousin of Pot Limit Omaha poker is 6 Card PLO or PLO 6. Here, players receive six hole cards instead of four dealt in regular PLO.

The gameplay is similar to standard Pot-Limit Omaha, wherein the rounds and actions occur as per standard poker rules. Players still aim to create the best possible five-card hand using exactly two of their hole cards and three community cards.

Poker is a multi-dimensional game that teaches you many real-life skills. So, choosing to play poker online can help you learn and adapt a wide range of skills that you apply in all walks of life.

Here are some of the core skills you can learn by playing online poker games.

Poker Enhances Your Math Skills

Maths is an important aspect in a poker game. The maths in poker is simple, and easy to understand. There is nothing to worry about as you already have a basic understanding of maths. With continuous practice, you'll be able to master this aspect and do the calculation at your fingertips and get better at calculations in your professional realm.

Poker Enhances Risk Management Skills

Poker is about risk management that teaches you about the risk vs reward principle. When you play poker online, you need to take calculated risks to win money on the felts. You assess the changing dynamics such as your hand strength, board texture and your opponent's actions to calculate your possible rewards.

Likewise, Poker teaches you how to read different situations in life and take calculated risks instead of acting blindly with incomplete information.

Poker Teaches Discipline

Poker teaches you how to master this crucial life skill. When you play online poker games, every move you make in the game demands discipline. You learn the importance of game selection and table selection in order to make more profit. You learn how to size your bets in each round and maintain your calm when caught in a spot.

Successful players exercise high levels of discipline in poker. When you play poker games online every day, the discipline you apply at the poker tables shall automatically reflect in your daily endeavours.

Improves Your Observation Skills

When you play online poker games, you need to observe your opponent's moves and reactions carefully. Only by understanding the behaviour of your opponents can you figure out their strategy and beat them in their own game.

If you play online poker passionately and regularly, you can easily assess the playing habits of different opponents. Not to mention, observation is a skill that helps you pay attention to detail, communicate better, think critically and enhance your emotional intelligence.

Keep a Better Check on Your Emotions

When you play poker online, you cannot react carelessly and give in to the situation lest your opponents figure out what cards you may have. Your job is to keep them guessing. Maintaining a poker face is a virtue you learn well from this game.

Consequently, playing poker online helps you to keep a check on your emotions, refraining you from getting disturbed easily. It helps you to achieve emotional maturity by maintaining calm under stressful circumstances.

PokerBaazi offers you a bunch of perks you don't want to miss out on if you love to play poker games online.

India's biggest Poker Platform

By joining PokerBaazi, you join 30 lakhs+ poker players from all across India and share the celebration and glory of the game. With a variety of tournaments, game variations and exciting new formats, no matter which table you choose to play, the action stays on round the clock. Not to mention, ours is a trusted gaming ecosystem that ensures honest gameplay.

The Convenience of Play

The ease and convenience of gaming are the major features that our users love about the PokerBaazi app. You can directly play on the desktop while working side by side or download the app on your smartphone and get gaming instantly.

RNG Certified and Fair Play

Ours is a trusted gaming ecosystem that ensures honest and fair gameplay. The PokerBaazi app is RNG certified by iTech Labs to ensure complete randomness and unpredictability in the generation of card and game outputs. This allows all players an equal chance to win.

Trusted Gaming Eco-System

We are also certified members of AIGF and IAMAI. The former is India’s apex industry for online skill gaming in India and IAMAI represent India’s digital services industry. AIGF ensures globally best practices in the online gaming ecosystem via effective self regulation of its members that includes player protection and responsible gaming.

Multiple Variations, Unlimited Games

We host several variations of online poker games round the clock. These include various Freerolls across variations, cash tables and tournaments arranged in different formats. The choices are limitless. Even if you are busy during the day, you can still play after hours and have a good time.

Private Tables

PokerBaazi lets you create your own online poker room and handpick who you wish to play with. You get to set the stake limits, minimum and maximum buy-ins and choose a game variation along with the number of players. You can send exclusive invite codes to your friends and play together.

Year-Round Promotions & Offers

PokerBaazi never misses an opportunity to give back to its players. Feel free to enlist in different promotions and enjoy numerous perks along your poker journey. From Referral bonuses to year-round promotions such as the famous Cash Royale, the more you play and refer, the bigger your returns on PokerBaazi.

Instant Deposits and Withdrawals

Never wait to get your winnings credited to your registered account or pause your online poker game due to lack of funds. Get KYC verified on the PokerBaazi app to enjoy immediate deposits and withdrawals. We offer multiple payment options, such as American Express, Paytm, OLA money, Mobiwik, and Net Banking to ease transactions.

Responsible Gaming

Our Responsible Gaming tools help users to play the game in moderation and keep their funds in check. It allows the alleviation of any potential effects that comes from excessive online gaming. Feel free to check our amazing set of tools and features to regulate and monitor your game sessions in real time.

Betting and gambling are placed in Entry 34 of List II (“State List”) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. As such, the Indian Constitution permits state legislatures to enact laws to regulate betting and gambling within their respective territorial jurisdictions.

Several states in India have their own legislations conforming to the erstwhile Public Gambling Act of 1867. Accordingly, majority of state legislations have an exception, which classifies ‘games of skill’ outside their ambit. It is to be noted that Poker has been held as a “game of skill” in judicial pronouncements made by various Hon’ble High Courts of India.

The legislations of a select number of states prohibit games being offered for stakes and do not make an exception for games of skill. These states are the states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Odisha, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. Currently, residents of the aforementioned states are not allowed to play poker for real money on PokerBaazi. That said, players can still play free poker games and tournaments without stakes for leisure.

Players from all other states in India can follow their passion and continue playing online poker for stakes on credible poker platforms on PokerBaazi. This has led to the rise of many prominent poker players in India who have made a name for themselves in this spectacular game of skill.

Here is a list of the brightest poker minds in the world from the Poker Hall of Fame. These poker sharks are worldwide sensations across generations that you may choose to follow and stay inspired.