How to Play Poker

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Learn the ten basic

   Click here for the "Poker Hands Cheat Sheet"
   - a list by "Hand" and "Description/Example".
   
   See also the "Poker Hands:
   Reference Sheet"
   -- a list of poker hands described in detail with examples and color pictures of hands in a subsection above the "Tips" section near the bottom of the article. , See the "Poker Help" section immediately below here:
   Click on the "Ways to Improve at Poker"
   - a chart of "Advice" and "Explanations"
   
   , "Types of Poker Games"
   - click to enlarge a table/chart showing "Game, Rules, Betting, Examples" in the "Poker Help" section below. , To exit a help sheet use the "Back Button". , Using the standard 4-suits (clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades in no order or rank of suits), 52-card deck with or without jokers/wild-cards, etc.
   -- so there are many variations of games agreed upon before the first card is dealt, and complicates the game.
   
   For example, the ace normally plays high, but you can sometimes agree: on both "aces high and low" to make a hand (to be used as either the highest or the "one-card" in your hand, otherwise 2 is the low card).
   
   A joker or other wild card(s) may be agreed upon.
   
   A single hand can have several rounds of betting, until there are no options, also all have checked/no one betting.
   
   At the end of each hand there can be a showdown, if more than one has not-folded/-discarded nor mucked cards, if so then those players still remaining but all have bet or checked, in that one hand compare their cards according to the hand rankings and card values (explained below). "Suited" cards (all suits are equal) are not used to break ties
   -- but in a tie
   -- if all 5 cards are of one, same suit (a flush) that beats the same cards in an "unsuited" hand, nor are cards used beyond the fifth card (don't draw to break a tie); only the best five cards in each hand are used in the comparison (your 2 hold-cards plus the best 3 of the five community cards on the table in Texas Hold'em make your hand).
   
   In the case of a tie, the pot is split equally among the "tied-winning-hands".
   
   Wild cards introduce an additional hand, the "five of a kind," which normally ranks after the "straight flush" and above the Royal Flush ("ace-high straight-flush").
   
   Jokers may be eliminated as they are in Texas Hold'em.
   
   When a joker is in play, it usually can only be used as (1) an ace or for (2) completing a straight or flush as needed.
   
   So, it is not used as a true wild card for creating other hands. , Become familiar with the names and meanings of poker hands and their variations by value of cards that form it (like a pair of Ks beats a pair of Qs or lower).
   
   The person who wins is the person with the highest-valued hand.
   
   You can't win, if you don't know and say in a timely manner that your hand beats the other to take the pot.
   
   If two players have hands with the same name (e.g. two "full houses" )
   -- or no one has an named-hand
   -- then the player with the highest differing value card in ones hand wins (Ace is normally the highest ). , Place the "ante" (pronounced ant-ee), the agreed "token bet"
   
   "pay to play," to prime the "pot" for each hand (usually the pot is at the center of the table, although you can use a container/pot, if you wish), using whatever your agreed currency (poker chips, coins, bills, items of agreed value,...).
   
   If it is not a cash game, then there is a banker who sells the chips and keeps the cash safe to pay the winner.
   
   Agree on: "No limit.
   
   Buy-in"
   -- You start by buying equal chips.
   
   You can not buy more chips later.
   
   Winner "takes it all" and you can "go all-in"/"risk it all" (no limit to your size of bet, up to your whole stack). "No"
   
   you can not cash-out chips to "take your winnings" nor to "cut your losses".
   
   Players continue until each one "leaves it all on the table" and finally the last one with chips wins it all. "Limit.
   
   No buy-in"
   -- Limiting-bets means: no one can "go all-in" but you can start with unequal chips (start with short stacks against big stacks), then "yes" players also can buy more-/or cash-out-chips at any time to "take your winnings" or to "cut your losses". , Then after each hand the Dealer/Button (last) position passes to the next player to the left.
   
   But, if the dealer is the same person at-all-times, then only the button position passes (instead of the dealer position).
   
   After shuffling ("showing off"), the dealer distributes the cards face down, starting with the player to his or her/or the button's immediate left and continuing clockwise
   -- one card at a time until everyone has five cards
   -- the dealer if playing/or the button is last to be dealt a card in turn for dealing each card.
   
   The remaining deck becomes the "draw-pool" (off the top) and is placed face down in the middle of the table. , Keep them "close to the vest"/secret (if you muck/ or reveal your cards, before the end of the hand, you are out of that hand).
   
   No one has to show cards if there is not a showdown unless "show-one card" is agreed upon.
   
   Some people like to put them in order while looking at them, to remember them more easily.
   
   This is the time to evaluate how strong your hand is.
   
   Tells:
   Players often show the strength of their hand with an involuntary "tell"/signs.
   
   Some tells include if only for a moment or two: shallow breathing, gasping/sighing, nostrils flaring, changing amount of talk or movements, lack of eye contact or more than usual eying others, facial muscle flexes (to relax for covering-up a smile or frown), neck tension, flushing red, eye watering, blinking, tonguing/licking, swallowing more, smacking, rapid pulse seen in the neck or temple, etc.
   
   Successfully deducing/catching these will give you a better chance to know who seems thrilled or disappointed when reacting to cards, or to others' words or bets. , Some players wear large sunshades, a hat pulled low, a neck scarf to cover flushing or muscle tension, and try to have deadpan facial expressions and breathe evenly to conceal reactionary breathing. , The person to get to start the round is usually the player on the dealer's/button's left (or the person who was dealt the first card), progressing clockwise/to the left.
   
   The player-on the spot to act first can decide to:
   Open
   - Place the first bet.
   
   Or, "check" (no bet) and so pass the chance to open to the next player.
   
   If everyone checks, then it is time to draw replacement cards (explained below).
   
   But, once the pot is opened, by a bet (e.g. placing a nickel in the pot), then all of the players, including those who already had their turns have three new options, at their next turn:
   Fold
   - Quit the game by pushing your cards face-down on the table toward the discards, to avoid putting more into the pot; whatever you have put in the pot "stays in the pot".
   
   See/call
   - Stay in the game by betting the current-/running-amount (match it) into the pot.
   
   To call and pay in the current amount as previously bet going around the table.
   
   After they've made their choices in the first round, everyone who hasn't folded may still have those options again plus whatever else comes next, in progress of the game.
   
   Check
   - Means "I'm staying with the bets already paid into the pot in this hand by myself in the previous round and/or earlier in this round, and not paying more right now, until someone raises in their turn"
   
   and you have to match it or fold your hand.
   
   Raise
   - Betting and "sweetening the pot" instead of merely "calling"
   
   by putting in more than the last person put in the pot (to get the others after your position to pay-in that much or more, going around the table, or to fold and wait for the next round of this game). "After the open, call or a raise"
   
   all players still in the hand will have their turn in order to decide whether to (1) call (match and pay that same amount into the pot) or (2) fold, then the next person has his or her turn with the same options. , Once everyone has had a turn and the first round completed with no raise to match (or if everyone checked) get rid of up to three cards (turned face down onto the table and pushed toward the middle), or keep them all.
   
   Discard ones you don't think will help, and have them replaced by the dealer, clockwise in turn.
   
   Be sure no one can see what you had/have (you can not get a card back, if a drawn card is unwanted). , As before, the first player can either open/bet or check, and the checking can continue until someone opens, after which players can see/call, raise or fold.
   
   Players will start folding once they realize their weak hand isn't worth the additional bet. , Everyone who has not folded turns their cards over to see who has the winning hand.
   
   Winner takes all, unless there is an absolute tie, then split the pot. , Learn the "Texas-rules" (Texas Hold’em).
   
   Each player will be dealt 2 secret cards (called your "hold" or "hole" cards).
   
   Then 5 shared community "draw" cards will be in 3 stages be placed on the middle of the table in front of the dealer, for all to see
   -- dealt face up to make your hand.
   
   Players try to make the best 5-card hand possible out of their 7 cards, using at least one of your hold cards.. , Each player takes a turn being the dealer/or button, unless the house furnishes the dealer.
   
   If so, then the button-position is passed around the table to the left, clockwise.
   
   In Texas Hold’em, an amount called the "blind" (half the minimum bet), takes the place of the ante on each new hand, where the "big blind-amount" is the minimum bet for the present hand.
   
   The dealer assures that 1/2 the minimum is paid into the pot by the player immediately to the left of the button-position.
   
   That person is called the "small blind" for the hand, and the next person toward the left who is the "big blind" pays the full minimum
   -- before the deal of the cards.
   
   The dealer then deals each player 2 cards face down, one at a time, starting with player to the left of the big blind position around to deal to the button and deals the blinds last.
   
   The other players besides the blinds can choose to fold rather than pay the blind-amount or call or raise to begin the wagering after looking at their 2 hold cards.
   
   Neither blind gets to wager on their hold cards until the rest of the table get to decide and wager or fold going clockwise, and then it comes back around to the blinds to bet or fold after the button gets to decide on the hand or not. , It is called playing the "pre-flop" round, betting on your hold cards if you like.
   
   Play begins with the first player to the left of the big blind.
   
   That player either "calls" and pays in the big blind (the minimum bet), or raises and pays the blind plus more, or folds/discards/mucks the hold cards face down pushing them toward the center of the table.
   
   Play will continue around the table, with each player having to match the previous bet, raise, or fold.
   
   But, if no one raises the minimum, the big blind can check or raise before the next round. , After the first round of pre-flop betting has been settled, the dealer deals the first 3 community cards placed face up on the board, called the "flop"
   
   as the first stage of the game.
   
   But first the dealer places the top card off the deck face-down (called the burn card, placed in the discards) by rule.
   
   Those next three cards from the top of the deck are displayed face-up, side-by-side, so you can all see them.
   
   Each player now has 2 cards in their "hold" (personal hand) and 3 community cards to consider to bet upon.
   
   This round of betting begins, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. , After the second round of betting (the flop), again the dealer burns (discards) the top card and then deals the 4th card of the hand to the table display, called the 'turn" or "4th-street".
   
   The remaining players bet again, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. , After the third round (the turn) of betting, the dealer burns the next card and then reveals the 5th and final card of the hand called the "river"
   -- or "5th-street".
   
   Players bet on their hands as usual for the round, and the winner takes the pot.
   
   If a player bets, but the rest fold rather than risk more into the pot, then the winning/remaining player does not need to show his or her hand/hold, but may show either card or both for effect.
   
   As if to say, "See, I play good cards; oh, but sometimes I bet to see whether I can get lucky."
   
   When you’re starting your initial round of betting, it’s important to know whether or not the hand you have is worth playing.
   
   In Texas Hold’em, you have two cards to start, and you’ll need to decide if you should play them or fold.
   
   Hands to raise:
   Pairs of tens, face cards or Aces are almost always a good hand to raise with.
   
   An Ace and a King or an Ace and a Queen are strong hands as well.
   
   If you have these hands, bet before the flop to raise the value of the pot.
   
   Hands to call pre-flop:
   An Ace with a face card, or two consecutive face cards of a different suit are strong hands to call with.
   
   Two consecutive non-face or face cards of the same suit can work in your favor.
   
   Low pairs should call to see the flop to see you luck to make two pair, a high kicker, or a full house, but not raise (they give less value, less likely to win, on average than higher pairs). , The key to being successful at poker is knowing when to fold your hand and accept a smaller loss, or when to hold onto it and risk a larger loss knowing that you have a good chance to win the pot.
   
   If the flop comes and you’re holding a hand that doesn’t play, check and fold.
   
   You don’t want to keep betting money at a hand that won’t win.
   
   If the flop comes and you have a strong hand, bet at it.
   
   This will force weaker hands out and raise the value of your pot.
   
   If your hand could play if the right cards come up, then you’ll want to determine if it’s worth holding out for them.
   
   Calculating pot odds can go a long way towards helping you make these decisions.
   
   Pot odds are calculated by determining the percentage chance that you have to draw the card you need.
   
   To calculate them, count the number of outs you have.
   
   These are cards that will improve your hand.
   
   Multiply the number of cards times two, then add 1 to get the percentage.
   
   For example, if there are 10 cards in the deck that could improve your hand, you have about a 21% (10 x 2 + 1) chance of getting a card you need.
   
   Next, you’ll need to determine if it is worth betting.
   
   Calculate the pot+bet, which is the pot total plus the bet to call.
   
   So if the pot is $120, and the bet to call is $20, then the pot+bet is $140.
   
   Multiply your percentage of your outs with the pot+bet.
   
   In the previous example, a 21% chance with a pot+bet of $140 would look like
   0.21 x 140 =
   29.4.
   
   This means you should call bets lower than %29 of the pot, or around $40.
   
   Working out the pot odds is only a guideline and doesn’t take a lot of variables into account.
   
   Use it as a basis to judge the worthiness of a hand. , Playing your opponent is arguably more important than playing your cards in poker.
   
   You have to be able to read what your opponent is doing, as well as trick them into not knowing your plan.
   
   Don’t let emotions cloud your judgment.
   
   You will lose hands, it’s guaranteed.
   
   Don’t let setbacks affect your attitude and playstyle.
   
   Change up your pace.
   
   If you’ve been playing your cards close, and not betting wildly, start bluffing a bit more.
   
   If you’ve been bluffing, go back to playing tighter.
   
   Switching often will keep opponents from being able to predict your actions and guess your cards.
   
   Read your opponent.
   
   Adjust your playstyle to your opponents’.
   
   Look for players that are betting carelessly, and try to trap them.
   
   Learn to see the tells, which can give you an estimation of their hand.
   
   Some basic tells: a hand over the mouth is usually concealing a smile; shaking hands is nervous, but that could be a good nervous or bad nervous; if a player glances at his or her chips when the flop comes, they probably have a strong hand; if a mediocre player is staring at you, he or she is likely bluffing. , Don’t get bogged down with systems, react to situations as they arise.
   
   Every poker situation is different because of the human factor. , When you are learning, you should never invest more than what you would consider “fun” to lose.
   
   Don’t add to your bankroll after losing everything you’ve invested.
   
   Wait until you are comfortable losing that amount again.
   
   When you start winning on a regular basis, adjust your bankroll to maximize your earning potential.
   
   The general rule of thumb is you should be able to afford to lose 200 bets at the highest limit.
   
   So if the limit is $5 bets, then your bankroll should be $1000.
   
   Track your wins and losses.
   
   This will help you figure out if you are winning or losing in the long run.
   
   Also, depending on where you live, you may have to pay taxes on your gambling income. , It is a common misconception that this is harder to get than any other set of 5 cards of one suit. ,:
   Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight, there is actually a big gap).
   
   The straight can't wrap around the end of the suit to line up lowest to the highest numbers. ,,,, Can't contain a King and a Two in the same hand (e.g.
   
   J-Q-K-A-2). ,,,, Straight poker
   - Five cards are dealt to each player with a round of betting after each.
   
   The best hand wins the pot. 5-card stud
   - This is similar to straight poker, where you are stuck with the cards that you are dealt except, in this variation, four of the cards are dealt face up for all to see.
   
   The person with the best hand wins the pot.
   
   The dealing goes as follows:
   One card is dealt face down (the hole card) to each person, then one card is dealt face up to each player and there is a round of betting; there are three subsequent rounds where another card is dealt face up to all who have not folded and this is followed by a round of bets.
   
   Once the final bet is made, the hole card is revealed and the person holding the best hand takes the pot. 7-card stud
   - Your goal is to make the best 5-card hand possible.
   
   In 7-card stud, players are given two face-down cards, then one up before the first round of betting.
   
   Another three rounds of one card face up go to each remaining player (who has not folded) with a round of betting after each dealing.
   
   The final card goes face-down followed by the final round of betting.
   
   In stud, the cards dealt face down are called "hole cards." Lowball
   - The goal is to get the hand with the lowest value.
   
   Omaha
   - Four pocket cards are dealt face down, betting ensues, and then five community cards are dealt face up.
   
   A player must make a winning hand using two of the pocket cards combined with the three community cards.
   
   Pineapple
   - Dealt three hole cards, discard one before the flop, play like Texas Hold'em.
   
   Crazy Pineapple
   - Dealt three hole cards, discard one after the flop, play like Texas Hold'em.
   
   Cincinnati
   - Four hole cards and four community cards with four rounds of betting.
   
   Dr.
   
   Pepper
   - Five card draw with 10s, 2s and 4s wild.
2. 2

   Step 2: five-card hands of poker: (1) "Royal flush" or called "Ace-high straight flush")

3. 3

   Step 3: (2) "Straight flush"

4. 4

   Step 4: (3) "Four of a kind"

5. 5

   Step 5: (4) "Full house"

6. 6

   Step 6: (5) "Flush"

7. 7

   Step 7: (6) "Straight"

8. 8

   Step 8: (7) "Three of a kind"

9. 9

   Step 9: (8) "Two pair"

10. 10

    Step 10: (9) "Pair"

11. 11

    Step 11: (10) "High card" (called a nothing-/or junk-hand

12. 12

    Step 12: no name).

13. 13

    Step 13: See the subsections .

14. 14

    Step 14: Find kinds of poker information just above the "Tips" section near the bottom of the article the following: See the various kinds of poker "Variations" - names and a description of each of some differing kinds of poker.

15. 15

    Step 15: Choose a miniature of a help sheet and click.

16. 16

    Step 16: Learn the basics of poker using 5-card hands.

17. 17

    Step 17: Print or write out a ranking of the poker hands and memorize the hands: Review often

18. 18

    Step 18: deal yourself several hands to compare values

19. 19

    Step 19: or play to apply the things you memorized

20. 20

    Step 20: starting in a penny-ante

21. 21

    Step 21: friendly game for fun is safer.

22. 22

    Step 22: Chip in.

23. 23

    Step 23: Choose the first dealer.

24. 24

    Step 24: Look at your cards.

25. 25

    Step 25: Keep your usual "poker face"; don't show a response: Or instead

26. 26

    Step 26: be active

27. 27

    Step 27: shifty

28. 28

    Step 28: unpredictable

29. 29

    Step 29: saying what others may have

30. 30

    Step 30: changing faces

31. 31

    Step 31: smiling

32. 32

    Step 32: laughing/entertaining continually

33. 33

    Step 33: acting differently from minute to minute.

34. 34

    Step 34: Take turns shuffling and dealing

35. 35

    Step 35: unless the house furnishes the dealer.

36. 36

    Step 36: Draw cards.

37. 37

    Step 37: Go through another round of betting after the draw.

38. 38

    Step 38: Showdown: Expose your cards only when there is no more reason to bet.

39. 39

    Step 39: Understand the basics of draw poker first.

40. 40

    Step 40: Begin betting the first round.

41. 41

    Step 41: See the "flop" after each player makes a pre-flop check or bet -- possibly betting to force each following player to call or fold.

42. 42

    Step 42: See the "turn" (4th card).

43. 43

    Step 43: See the 5th card.

44. 44

    Step 44: Know your starting hands.

45. 45

    Step 45: Know when to hold and when to fold.

46. 46

    Step 46: Understand the psychology.

47. 47

    Step 47: Think on your feet.

48. 48

    Step 48: Plan your bankroll accordingly.

49. 49

    Step 49: Royal Flush (10

50. 50

    Step 50: King and Ace

51. 51

    Step 51: all of the same suit) - Most valued because it's most surprising when received.

52. 52

    Step 52: Straight Flush (five cards in numerical order

53. 53

    Step 53: all of the same suit) - Can't contain a King as high card and a Two as the low number card in the same hand (e.g.

54. 54

    Step 54: Four of a Kind (four cards of the same number and any other card) - ties are broken by the higher four cards of a kind.

55. 55

    Step 55: Full House (a three card set with the same number and two card pair with the same number) - ties are broken by the highest value card in the three of a kind.

56. 56

    Step 56: Flush (all five cards from the same suit) - Numbers and order don't matter except the best high card wins

57. 57

    Step 57: when someone else also has a flush with a lesser high card.

58. 58

    Step 58: Straight - (all five cards in numerical order) - Suit doesn't matter.

59. 59

    Step 59: Three of a Kind (three cards with same number

60. 60

    Step 60: two other random cards) - but If the other two cards are a "pair"

61. 61

    Step 61: it's a full house (see above).

62. 62

    Step 62: Two Pair (two different pairs plus a random card) -- ties are broken with the highest 5th card.

63. 63

    Step 63: One Pair (two cards with the same number

64. 64

    Step 64: the rest of the cards are random).

65. 65

    Step 65: Below are the variations.

Detailed Guide

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