How To Play Poker
Poker is one of the most popular casino games in the world - both in land-based and online casino venues so, if you’ve never played it before, you may want to learn how to play the game prior to taking a seat at one of the many poker tables we have to offer.
Whether you’re new to Poker or just looking to learn something new, we’ve gathered up all the most important rules that comprise the game in order to give you a good idea of what exactly characterises this live casino smash hit. Maybe you’ll even want to learn more about how to play afterwards, but for now, you can read on for our introduction to Poker.
What is the Aim in game of Poker?
If you were to walk into a brick-and-mortar casino, the likelihood is you would want to know what your goal of a certain game is before you sit down and play it. Whether it’s playing another live casino game or online slots, there is an outcome for each game that players will need to come to. So, knowing what your goal is as the player simplifies the game to make it easier to learn more about the rules as a beginner.
On that note, if you were to approach a Poker table, would you know what the objective of the game was? If your answer is yes, great! You’re ready to find out more about the rules, betting options and strategies, and game variants. If your answer is no, then this is the first thing you should learn before you commit to playing.
You’ll be pleased to know that the aim of Poker is just to end the round with the strongest hand - or bluff your opponent(s) into thinking that you have the strongest hand. Understanding this is the first step to learning how to play poker, and all of the rules and guides you need to play.
The Basics of Live Poker
Before you play a hand of poker, players will need to learn the basics of how to play and depending on the variant of poker you choose to play these will be different. Three Card Poker and Five Card Studs have very different starting bets, hands and outcomes.
Initially, players will be dealt a set number of cards depending on the version, and they may have to place ante bets or side bets before a hand commences.
Once these initial things have happened, a round of the chosen poker game can begin, and players may need to place additional bets as the game is played out.
After all of the players have concluded and the hands are shown, the winnings we be awarded to the player with the best hand.
Poker Hand Rankings: There is a clear hierarchy to the possible hand outcomes - and it’s important to remember this when analysing your cards as this can be the difference between winning and losing. The best possible hand that can occur in Poker is a Royal Flush (10-A in the same suit) but this is also the rarest combination. Closely behind is a Straight Flush (5 cards of neighbouring values in the same suit, e.g. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6). There are plenty of potential hand outcomes so it’s worth your while to clue yourself up on the ranking order of these.
Popular Poker Variants
Three Card Poker: This is a fast-paced variant that is perfect for players that just want to be able to try out the gameplay of Poker without the long-winded gameplay. Rounds are short but potential payouts are high, making this a brilliant beginner-friendly option.
Caribbean Stud Poker: This variant of Poker found stems from five-card Poker. The main difference between Caribbean Stud and other games is that this is played exclusively against the house and not other players.
Live Poker at Pink Casino
Now that you’ve read our introductory guide, you’re clued up on most of the basics. You can learn more about how to play Poker over at our casino blog if you would like, or you can start playing live Poker right here at Pink Casino and test out the gameplay. Poker is one of the few casino games where experience really does help with understanding how to play, so you can head over to our live casino page if you do want to start playing alongside other Poker players at your leisure.