Poker is a modern card game that has Persian, French, and American roots. The game involves a standard card deck. Each player deals multiple cards between each other during the game. You need to create a combination of five cards from your collection or make others surrender to win. Poker continues for different rounds till the owner is decided. With time, this game developed different variations. Some popular poker games include Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven-card stud, five-card draw, etc.
This guide for beginners will provide detailed information about how to play poker in 2024, its strategic gameplay, rules and tricks to win the game.
History Behind Poker
Poker is a card game that has its roots in ancient card games. Some consider the Persian card game As-Nas to be an ancient version of modern poker. Some even consider the German Renaissance-era card game Pochen to be the inspiration. Some people consider the French game Poque to be its origin.
Modern poker started its journey from the US in the 18th century. It started to gain popularity in the Mississippi River region. At that time, people enjoyed both 52-deck and 29-deck poker games. By the year 1850, the flush method was added. The game continued to develop during the American Civil War and later.
Basic Rules of Poker
In poker, the players use a regular card deck as the tool. While some variations have no joker, some variations also use two jokers. The player with the highest hand wins the game.
In poker, there are different wagering methods. The ante method requires each player to consider equal wagering. In the blinds method, the player at the left of the dealer places a small stake. All other players seating left to this player places larger stakes.
The dealer shuffles the card and gives the player two to three face-down cards. The game starts after that.
Players can place their stakes at four points:
Pre-Flop: In the first round after hole or face-down cards
Flop: This happens when the players receive the three face-up cards.
Turn: During the fourth car dealing, stakes take place.
River: Final wagering when the players receive fifth or final card.
In poker, players can use different methods to adjust the stake during the game-
Fold: It is the method of surrendering if you feel you do not have a strong card collection.
Check: If you do not want to place wagers but continue to play, you can place ‘check’. You pass the opportunity to the next player.
Bet: If no other player wagers, you can place 'bet' as a first-person wagering.
Call: When another player has placed the highest stake, and you want to continue playing. Here, you place the same stake.
Raise: When a player (with strong hand) increases the stake and exceeds the current highest.
How to Play Poker Online?
Playing online poker can be fun and thrilling. In addition, you can even hit the jackpot if you are lucky. Here is a simple guideline for online poker for you. This gameplay is based on Texas Hold'em. It is usually universal gameplay. But the game card variation may change depending on the style:
When you open the screen, you will find a virtual table with icons for each player. Here, you need to place your wagers.
After that, each player receives their face-down cards. In this step, you can either check (star wagering), call (match stake of another player) or fold (for each hand). Once the stakes are finalized, all other players must call and place their stakes as well.
In the next step, the players receive face-up cards (two). You can combine your face-up and face-down cards and check the possibilities of creating a strong hand. In this step, you can place your stake again.
Again, another face-down card is given to players. You can again place wagers in this round.
In the final round, the players create the strongest possible hand of their cards. The player with the highest hand wins the game and takes the prize.
Where to Play Poker in India?
In India, there are many online platforms where you can play poker. FUN88 is a genuine and trustworthy platform to play poker. It has a huge collection of games and exciting prizes for the players.
What are the Different Variations of Poker?
The best part about poker is its variations, with more than 15 variations. Most of the games have the basic rule of strong hand winning the game. But the number of cards can vary. Here are a few famous variations that you can try.
Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is probably the most famous variation of poker. In this variation, players receive two private cards or 'hole cards. Each player revives three community cards face up and then recovers one each on two rounds. The player with the best hands wins the round. You can stake your wager at the rounds- pre-flop, flop, turn and river.
Omaha Poker
Omaha holds a striking similarity to Texas Hold'em. But, players get four ‘face down’ cards, three community cards, and two cards in their hands. Players also play till the final round. The wagering rules are the same as Texas Hold'em. While starting the game, the players stake their wager. In the end, the player with the highest hand wins.
Seven-Card Stud Poker
The seven-card stud poker is known for its unique nature. The game can be played between two to eight people. Here, players get two face-down cards (hole cards) and a third face-up card (door card). Each player starts with three face-down and four face-up cards. After each round, the players need to reveal their cards.
Five Card Draw
In five card draw, each player starts with five cards in hand. Wagering is finalized in the first round. Then, players exchange three cards with each other. In the end, the player with the best hands wins the prize.
Razz Poker
It is a unique variation of the standard seven-card poker. Here, the player with the lowest hand is considered the winner. Like seven card studs, here players deal with three face down and four face up. In this variation, the flushes and straights are not counted, and aces have a low value.
Hands in Poker
The game of poker often relies on the hands of a player. It is basically the combination of five cards a player produces at the end of a round. The hands are usually ranked according to their value and rarity of occurrence. In some games, the player with the rarest and highest hand wins. On the other hand, in low poker, like Razz poker, the player with the lowest hand wins. While royal flush is the rarest and highest hand, hands like straight flush, four of a kind or full house are quite common.
Royal Flush: The most coveted hand with the ace, king, joker, queen and ten of the same suit.
Straight Flush: It is also a rare combination where four consecutive cards of the same suit appear together.
Four of a Kind: The hand is made with four cards of the same value from four different suits and a different card. For example, consider the joker card of all four suits with three clubs.
Full House: Three cards of the same rank from three different suits and two other cards of the same rank but different suits. A hand of three jokers (ace, heart and diamond) and two fives(heart and diamond) are considered a full house card combination.
Flush: When five cards of a single suit appear without maintaining sequence. i.e., ace, joker, ten, five and three of spades
Straight: It is a hand containing five consecutive cards of different suits. i.e., nine of spades, eight of spades, seven of diamonds, six of hearts, five of clubs, four of hearts
Three of a Kind: Three of a kind hand contains three cards of the same rank from different suits and two any other cards. For example, five of spades, heart and clubs each, seven of spades, queen of diamond.
Two Pairs: In this hand, two pairs of the same rank but different suits are present with another card. For example, consider a hand comprising five of clubs, five of diamonds, eight of spades, eight of hearts and a queen of spades.
One Pair: Only two pairs of cards of the same rank and three other cards.
High Card: Cards that do not follow any of the above combinations but come in ascending order of value.
Odds and Rewards of Poker
Poker is a great game if you want to win amazing prizes with great possibilities. Those who can produce hands like a royal flush or straight flush often take away the jackpot prize. Besides that, in this game, winning is quite easy if you know the rules. In the case of a regular game, the winner usually wins the wagers of other participants. Hence, the prize depends from time to time. For tournaments or special games, the jackpot prize varies from 30-50% of the prize pool, and players can win anything from 2% to 20% of the prize pool, depending on their position.
Here is the detailed odd calculation related to the possible poker hands:
