If you want to learn the guide to playing poker quickly, easily and profitably, you’ve come to the right place. PokerMyr has set you up with the ultimate beginners start-up guide to how to play poker against your friends at home or at a live or online poker room.
1. Know the Rules of the Games
Honestly, the game play itself isn’t all that complicated compared to betting strategies, knowing your table position, etc. (more on those later).
That said, you should know how Texas Hold’Em works before you get yourself into a game. Rather than doing so at length here, I encourage you to check out this good intro on the rules and game play.
If you’re going to learn just one poker game you should make it No-Limit Texas Hold’em. It’s one of the easiest poker games to learn how to play but it’s also fun, challenging and rewarding.
Here’s how a basic poker game works:
The dealer deals everyone two cards starting with the player on his left and ending on himself/herself. The player on the dealer’s left is the first player to act and they have a choice to:
- Bet (this is No-Limit Hold’em so they can bet ANY amount they want)
- Check (doing nothing basically).
If anyone decides to bet then the rest of the players have the option to:
- Call (Match the amount of the raise into the pot)
- Fold (Give up the hand and all the chips they’ve already put in the pot)
- Raise (Put even more chips into the pot)
This continues until everyone has called or all the chips are in the middle.
Once the first betting round in complete the dealer deals three cards face-up on the board. These are community cards that anyone can use. This is called the flop.
Once again everyone still in the hand gets a chance to bet and consequently raise or fold. Once that betting round is complete he dealer puts a fourth card on the table that anyone can use. This is called the turn.
Again everyone gets the chance to bet/check/raise/fold. The dealer puts a fifth card on the board that anyone can use. This is called the river. For the final time everyone gets a chance to bet/check/raise/fold.
If more than one player is still left in the hand after the final betting hand the cards are exposed and the player with the highest ranked hand wins the pot.
2. Get Familiar With the Hand Rankings
One of the things new players struggle with the most when learning the guide to playing poker is knowing which hand of cards wins. Between pairs and straights and flushes, it can get a little confusing. Reference the chart below to familiarize yourself with how the hands rank.
In many cases, a pair or two pairs will take the pot. In my house games, I’m not sure we’ve ever seen better than a full house; the hands above that are extremely rare.
3. Be Mindful of Table Etiquette
Pay attention
- While chit-chatting is fine, don’t make a habit of launching into loud stories where everyone has to stop and pay attention. Also, watch for who’s betting first after the hole cards have been dealt.
- People often mistakenly think it’s the person to the left of the dealer, but the blinds cover the first two’s initial bet, meaning it’s the third person to the left of the dealer who actually acts first.
Leave your cards on the table and in sight
I’ve been a violator of this rule many a time. The point is two-fold:
- It helps the dealer know if you’re still in the game. If you’re hiding your cards in your lap, you might get passed over when it comes to betting, which messes up the flow of the game for everyone.
- It ensures you’re playing on the up-and-up and aren’t partaking in any funny business and trying to cheat. The standard protocol is to leave your cards on the table with a chip on them to indicate that you’re still in that hand.
4. Position is Very Important in Poker!
What’s position, you ask? That’s the order in which players are forced to bet/check. After the flop the order always starts with the player on the left of the dealer.
Generally it’s always best to go last because you get to see what everyone else in front of you is going to do. Here are the four biggest reasons to play in position:
Four Biggest Reasons to Play in Position:
- When it’s your turn to act, you have more information than your opponents.
- Position gives you “bluff equity,” meaning simple, cheap and effective bluffing opportunities.
- Acting last lets you make more accurate value bets.
- Having last action gives you control over the final pot size.
That means you might want to make a few more bets when the dealer’s button is in front of you since everyone else will have to go before you after the flop.
5. Practicing Online — Most Important Guide To Playing Poker
When I tell people I’ve been practicing poker online, I often get a scoff and a look like, “You’re one of those guys?” But I can honestly say, without a doubt, it’s made me a better player.
While you won’t learn much about betting strategy — it’s awfully hard to do so when players are working with fake money — you’ll gain insight into most other parts of the game. You’re playing other people after all, not just a computer that’s making pre-programmed decisions.
When talking about live casinos in Malaysia, Shenpoker is the most popular name on the list. No doubts. With various exciting type of games, stringent anti-cheating system, which is usually missed in many casinos, Shenpoker has very good reputation in this industry.
What tips do you have for not looking like a newb when you’re playing poker and for ensuring a good combination of fun and winning? Feel free to share with us at the comment section below!
