Poker Rules Online
Learning poker is not the difficult bit, mastering it is. The simplicity of learning the rules of poker is what makes so many people love this game. As a complete newbie you might get overwhelmed navigating poker rules, here’s a basic guide to help you learn the basics of Indian poker rules. Starting with these poker rules you can scale up to play on top online poker sites
- Here’s what we’ve got covered:
- The basics of Texas Holdem rules
- The basics of Pot Limit Omaha Rules
- Other common poker rules
- Poker rules to follow while playing online poker for free
- Here’s what we’ve got covered:
- The basics of Texas Holdem rules
- The basics of Pot Limit Omaha Rules
- Other common poker rules
- Poker rules to follow while playing online poker for free
The Basics of Texas Holdem Poker Rules
When the poker community says you have to learn the rules of poker, they are referring to a guide to play one of the most popular variants of the game. Implies, “learn the basics of Texas Holdem poker rules, the most popular variant referred to learn poker rules.
One needs to understand that poker rules are of two natures when it comes to poker variants.
1. Common poker rules: These poker rules include hand strength, hand ranking, wagering rounds and action.
2. Uncommon poker rules: Pot size, number of cards dealt, strategies, starting hand ranges.
Let's have a quick look at Texas Holdem rules
One needs to understand that poker rules are of two natures when it comes to poker variants.
1. Common poker rules: These poker rules include hand strength, hand ranking, wagering rounds and action.
2. Uncommon poker rules: Pot size, number of cards dealt, strategies, starting hand ranges.
Let's have a quick look at Texas Holdem rules
| Game | Texas Hold'em |
| How many Players | 2-10 |
| Poker Rules | How to Play Texas Holdem Poker? |
Whether you play it in the form of a tournament or as a ring-game, the basic poker rules and the hand rankings don't change.
The Basics of Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules
The second-most popular poker variant is Pot-Limit Omaha Poker. The rules of this game vary slightly from Texas Holdem rules while the common rules govern a larger section of the game.
| Game | Omaha Poker |
| How many Players | 2-10 |
| Poker Rules | How to Play Pot Limit Omaha? |
Other Common Poker Rules
The Value of Poker Hands
A common poker rule is poker hand values. Be it game of texas Holdem or pot limit Omaha, the value of poker hands remain the same. Here a look at the value of poker hands for both texas Holdem rules and pot limit Omaha rules.
As per poker rules when a hand reaches a showdown, the player with the highest rank card wins the pot. Another common rule of poker followed in all it’s variants.
Poker Hand Rankings
One can win a hand in poker only in two ways:
1. Have the best possible five-card hand combination at showdown or
2. You bluff and force your opponent to fold by only representing a stronger hand.
The objective is to make the best five-card poker hand combination. To make the best combination, one must be aware of the poker rule of hand ranking. Hand rankings are another common rule shared by Texas Holdem and Pot-Limit Omaha rules.
1. High card: If no combination is formed as per the rules of poker, then a player’s hand is valued at the highest single card. If two players have the same high card, the second card or the (kicker) comes into play and breaks the tie with its value.
2. One Pair: A pair is formed when you have two of any of the same cards.
3. Two Pairs: A two pair is formed when four out of your five cards are two pairs. If two players have two pairs, the highest pair wins.
4. Three of a Kind: When you have three of the same cards, you’ve formed three of a kind or a set as per poker rules.
5. Straight: A straight is a five-card hand consisting of running cards regardless of suits. Ex: 6♦ 7♠ 8♠ 9♦ 10♥. If two players have a straight, the higher straight wins. In this case, 8-9-10-J-Q will beat the hand in the example.
6. Flush: All five cards of the same suit is called a flush. The player with a superior value flush wins when two players have a flush.
7. Full House: When a player has three-of-a-kind(set) and a pair in their five-card combination it is called a full house. Ex: 6♥ 6♦ 6 ♣ J♥ J♦.
8. Four of a Kind: A powerful hand with the odds of hitting it of course! If you have four cards of the same value, you have four of a kind.
9. Straight Flush: As the hand rankings increase, so does the odds of hitting it. A straight flush is the combination of a straight (running cards) + flush (same suit). So if your five-card hand combination has a running sequence and the sequence of the same suit, you’ve hit a straight flush!
10. Royal Flush: The golden hand of poker is the Royal Flush. A royal flush is a straight flush that runs to Ace, making it the undefeatable hands. This is what royal flush glory should like on your felts: 10♥ J♥ Q♥ K♥ A♥. We’d like to add that the poker odds of hitting a Royal Flush as per the rules of poker is 1 in 650000 hands!
1. Have the best possible five-card hand combination at showdown or
2. You bluff and force your opponent to fold by only representing a stronger hand.
The objective is to make the best five-card poker hand combination. To make the best combination, one must be aware of the poker rule of hand ranking. Hand rankings are another common rule shared by Texas Holdem and Pot-Limit Omaha rules.
1. High card: If no combination is formed as per the rules of poker, then a player’s hand is valued at the highest single card. If two players have the same high card, the second card or the (kicker) comes into play and breaks the tie with its value.
2. One Pair: A pair is formed when you have two of any of the same cards.
3. Two Pairs: A two pair is formed when four out of your five cards are two pairs. If two players have two pairs, the highest pair wins.
4. Three of a Kind: When you have three of the same cards, you’ve formed three of a kind or a set as per poker rules.
5. Straight: A straight is a five-card hand consisting of running cards regardless of suits. Ex: 6♦ 7♠ 8♠ 9♦ 10♥. If two players have a straight, the higher straight wins. In this case, 8-9-10-J-Q will beat the hand in the example.
6. Flush: All five cards of the same suit is called a flush. The player with a superior value flush wins when two players have a flush.
7. Full House: When a player has three-of-a-kind(set) and a pair in their five-card combination it is called a full house. Ex: 6♥ 6♦ 6 ♣ J♥ J♦.
8. Four of a Kind: A powerful hand with the odds of hitting it of course! If you have four cards of the same value, you have four of a kind.
9. Straight Flush: As the hand rankings increase, so does the odds of hitting it. A straight flush is the combination of a straight (running cards) + flush (same suit). So if your five-card hand combination has a running sequence and the sequence of the same suit, you’ve hit a straight flush!
10. Royal Flush: The golden hand of poker is the Royal Flush. A royal flush is a straight flush that runs to Ace, making it the undefeatable hands. This is what royal flush glory should like on your felts: 10♥ J♥ Q♥ K♥ A♥. We’d like to add that the poker odds of hitting a Royal Flush as per the rules of poker is 1 in 650000 hands!
How to Make These Poker Hands
As per the texas Holdem rules, players are dealt two hole cards face down. Besides, five community cards are revealed in three phases. The hole cards can be used in any combination with the community cards to form the best five-card poker hand. If the game reaches a showdown after all the rounds of wager, players show their cards and the player with the highest-ranking wins the pot.
Blinds
Among other common rules of poker, blinds are seen in most poker variants. A blind is a forced wager two designated players need to put forth before the cards are dealt. Commonly known as the small blind and big blind, the position rotates during gameplay with all players taking their turn being the small and big blind. The big blind is double the amount of small blind.
The Action
The action that follows in a game of poker and is crucial to learn as a part of poker rules. The action refers to the next gameplay in a round of poker. When the action is on you, you are provided with the following poker actions (depending on your position):
• Check: Decline to wager
• Fold: Withdraw from the hand
• Bet: Place a wager on the table
• Raise: Match your opponents bet with an additional amount.
• Call: Match the bet of your opponents to continue to play the next street.
• Check: Decline to wager
• Fold: Withdraw from the hand
• Bet: Place a wager on the table
• Raise: Match your opponents bet with an additional amount.
• Call: Match the bet of your opponents to continue to play the next street.
The Wagering Rounds
The wagering rounds in poker also known as streets in poker rules play out as follows:
• Preflop: The wager made before any community cards are dealt
• Flop: The wager made after the first three community cards are dealt
• Turn: The wager made after the fourth community card is revealed
• River: The last and final street is the wager made after the fifth community card is revealed.
• Preflop: The wager made before any community cards are dealt
• Flop: The wager made after the first three community cards are dealt
• Turn: The wager made after the fourth community card is revealed
• River: The last and final street is the wager made after the fifth community card is revealed.
Table Stakes
Table stakes is another poker rule shared by different poker variants. Be it online, offline, texas or PLO, table stakes remain the same. Table stakes refer to the wager amount you have on the table at the beginning of the hand and players are not allowed to add anything more till the hand plays out.
Showdown
A showdown occurs at the end of all the wagering rounds where players reveal their card and the highest hand as per the rules of poker wins. The pot gathered is what the winner makes and the dealer button moves before the next hand. This is a common poker rule followed in both texas Holdem and Pot Limit Omaha poker.
Here are a few other rules you need to know about a showdown:
• If all players have checked, the player to the left of the dealer button still in the hand is the first to reveal his/her cards. Followed by the remaining players in the hand as per gameplay.
• If your hand doesn’t beat the first player’s hand, you have the option to ‘muck’, meaning dispose your cards face down and not expose this information to the opponents.
• If someone wagers and then gets called, the last aggressor – the player who wagered last, will reveal their cards first.
• While these are the rules for a showdown, a player often reveals their cards out of showdown order when they know they have a winning hand. This is also acceptable in the rules of poker.
Here are a few other rules you need to know about a showdown:
• If all players have checked, the player to the left of the dealer button still in the hand is the first to reveal his/her cards. Followed by the remaining players in the hand as per gameplay.
• If your hand doesn’t beat the first player’s hand, you have the option to ‘muck’, meaning dispose your cards face down and not expose this information to the opponents.
• If someone wagers and then gets called, the last aggressor – the player who wagered last, will reveal their cards first.
• While these are the rules for a showdown, a player often reveals their cards out of showdown order when they know they have a winning hand. This is also acceptable in the rules of poker.
Other Uncommon Poker Rules:
Limit vs. No Limit Poker Games
The limits as per the rules of poker are of two kinds. Games that allow No Limit means a player can wager as much as they want at any point in the hand, including going all in. Other games that allow a pot-limit means there are limitations to how much a player can wager during the hand. The amount a player can wager in hand is determined by the pot size during that point of the game. The pot size is the upper limit or the maximum a player can wager during that point in the games as per Pot Limit poker rules.
Poker Rules to Follow While Playing Online Poker For Free
Since you have a basic understanding of the rules of poker and can always refer back to this guide, it’s time to practice playing poker online. Begin without real money and look for free online poker games. Test the basic rules of poker on these felts as they teach you the real-world skills you need to conquer real money poker games.
