For beginners I would advise players to first understand poker combinations, then study poker rules, positions at the gaming table and familiarize yourself with the poker dictionary. It is much easier to learn the rules in this order if you are a beginner player.
There are many types of poker available today, and the rules vary accordingly. The most popular and widespread type of poker is Texas Hold'em. In any casino or poker room you can always find a table for playing Hold'em. Most of the world's poker tournaments are played according to the rules of Texas Hold'em. Therefore, it is best for a beginner to start learning the rules with him.
Poker Rules - Texas Hold'em
Texas Holdem is the most famous and popular type of poker in the world. The world's largest poker tournaments They play Texas Hold'em. Main feature The rules of Texas Hold'em are that you can go all-in at any time and put all your chips on the line.
Poker Rules - Omaha
Omaha is one of the most popular types of poker games. The rules of Omaha are very similar to Texas Hold'em. The main difference is that according to the rules of Omaha, players receive not two pocket cards, as in Hold'em, but four.
Five Card Poker Rules
Stud poker rules
Stud poker rules ( seven card poker) differ from other types of poker in that each player has four open cards and three closed. Which requires good care and mathematical calculations.
Poker rules - Draw poker from 2 to 7
Poker rules - Razz
The rules of Razz are similar in principle to seven-card stud poker. The player needs to make a low five-card hand using seven cards in his hand. The lowest card in Razz is the Ace.
Poker rules - Badugi
Badug rules are primarily distinguished by their combinations. The player must collect the lowest combination from four cards, using cards in your hands, and the cards must be unsuited and not paired.
Poker Rules - Horse
Horse rules include several poker games at once, so it is the most complex game. In simple words it's mixed poker games. The name Horse itself is an abbreviation of the English HORSE.
Getting to know poker begins from learning the rules of the game. This article will discuss the rules of the game of poker, which will be understood even by those who are far from gambling and karts are a person in general. Therefore, we will try to explain each stage of the rules as simply and at the same time in detail.
There are several varieties of poker, the rules of which can vary greatly. However, the most popular today is Texas Hold'em. Therefore, in this article we will look at the rules of playing poker specifically for this discipline.
As usual, let's start with the content:
How to play poker
Poker can be played simultaneously at one table from 2 to 10 people. IN Texas Hold'em used standard deck on 52 cards- from 2s to aces, no jokers.
The goal of the game may differ depending on the poker format, but the main task of each player is get as many chips as possible. To do this, you need to win hands - a game stage during which chips are played.
According to the rules of the game of poker, a poker player can get up from the cash table at any time, taking all your chips. However he cannot leave the tournament- chips participate in the game until the tournament ends or until the player is eliminated from it. If he plays online poker, then in his absence mandatory rates(blinds) will be placed automatically, gradually reducing his stack (stock of chips).
The rules of the game of poker do not limit the duration of tournaments or cash tables. are completed after one participant will take all the chips. Cash games go as long as the participants want to play.
In Texas Hold'em, players are dealt 2 cards face down(face down), they are called pocket. The cards are dealt by the dealer - a casino employee, or by one of the players; these are the rules of poker. In the second case, this responsibility passes in a circle from one participant to another. Even if there is a separate dealer, the dealer's chip (blinds) goes around the circle. This is necessary so that players know sequence of moves and positions from which the blinds are set.
The rules of playing poker for beginners involve studying combinations - sets of cards, the strength of which determines the winner of the hand. Total exists 10 combinations- from the highest card to the Royal Flush. If the game has reached the final stage (showdown), then the remaining players compare combinations. Who has the hand will be older, he will take the bank.
Bidding procedure
When learning the rules of poker for beginners, you need to learn how to place bets at each stage of the hand. As mentioned above, at the beginning of the game, all participants receive 2 cards face down. However, before that two players, occupying positions to the left of the dealer, must place mandatory bids, blinds. Small blind size(first player to the left of the button) usually half the big blind(second player from left).
Poker rules say that the next player after the big blind must go first, and then one by one clockwise. This player has several options for a move:
- Level the bet - call;
- Discard cards - fold;
- Raise the bet - raise.
The rules of playing poker for beginners involve studying the available actions by players during the hand. Bidding continues until all players have equal bets made. If all players simply call the big blind, then the last move remains with the poker player occupying the position of the big blind. In addition to the previous actions, one more action is available to him - check. This term is called skipping a move, when the player does not raise, but remains in the game, because the size of the current rate is equal to the size of his contribution to the bank.
General cards
When learning poker for beginners, you need to know that the first stage is called preflop. Players make bets taking into account the current strength of their pocket hand and the possibility of making certain combinations from 2 cards. Combinations consist of 5 cards, therefore Texas Hold'em provides general cards that are laid out by the dealer on the table in the following order: first three at once, then one and another. There can be a total of 5 community cards on the table.
It should be noted that the game can end at any previous stage - before 5 community cards appear. The rules of poker for beginners state that the game ends, as soon as in distribution one participant remains. Thus, you can win preflop without seeing a single community card. To do this, you just need to raise the bet so that no one supports it and all opponents fold.
If the game continues, i.e. If at least two participants are active, then the dealer places 3 cards on the table. With them and their pocket cards, each player makes a combination. Based on the strength of the hole cards, the poker players perform the corresponding actions one after another. This time, the poker player in the small blind position must be the first to bet - these are the rules of poker for beginners. All the same actions are available to him as preflop. However, given that there is no need to equalize the blinds, he can check and skip the move. Then everyone takes turns walking. The round ends when all bets are equal, or if there is only one poker player left in the game - the winner. This stage of the game is called flop.
Next street (stage) - turn. Here the dealer places the 4th community card face up on the table. The order of bets is the same as in the previous stage. All the same actions are available. River- the last street, the 5th card is laid out on the table. All trading and procedures correspond to the previous two stages.
According to the rules of poker for beginners, if at least two people participate in the hand after the river, then the winner is determined by comparing the strengths of the combinations. The player who last raised shows his pocket cards first. If opponents see that their sets of cards are weaker, they may not open their pocket hands.
All-in and splitting the pot
Even when studying poker for beginners, you need to know such a concept as all-in, or all-in. This term refers to a bet on all the chips a player has. Such a bet is made in several cases - in order to force the opponent to fold his cards (bluff), in order to increase the pot (bet on value) and take it away due to the strongest combination, or in order to equal the bet when there are not enough chips.
Poker rules allow you to bet all-in if you have not enough chips to call previous promotion. In this case, a secondary bank is created. The point is that you cannot win more than the product of your bet size and the number of participating players. For example, you bet 100 chips all-in, and the other 3 players bet 200 chips each. If you win, you will take 400 chips. The rest of the money will go to the owner of the second strongest combination.
Very important rules of poker relate to dividing the pot. Situations are possible when not one person wins the bank, but several participants at once. For example, if the players have collected completely identical combinations. Then the bank is divided equally between them, naturally, if each of them invested the same number of chips. If the bets are different (when someone goes all-in), the pot is divided proportionally.
Varieties of Poker
Poker rules vary for different types this discipline. Texas Hold'em can be played with 3 different betting rules. Exists limit, pot limit And unlimited Hold'em.
The most calm and non-dynamic type - with fixed limits. In such poker, each player can increase the bet only by a certain amount, which is agreed upon in advance (in live games) or indicated in the table name (in online games). For example, a table of 2/4 dollars - you can raise bets by 2 dollars preflop and flop, and by 4 dollars on the turn and river.
Poker rules for pot limit Hold'em is regulated by raising the bet by an amount equal to the pot (pot size). Those. Each player can increase the bet by a maximum of the size of the formed bank. This type of poker is much more dynamic than the previous one, because... bets here grow much faster and larger pots are played.
Unlimited Hold'em is the most dynamic and popular variation of Hold'em. Here, from the very beginning of the hand, the bet size is not limited and can reach the player’s entire stack.
It's just brief rules poker This game is so diverse and multifaceted that you can study it throughout your life, learning a lot of new things. This is the main beauty of poker - the opportunity constantly improve and develop.
- A call is an equalization of your bet with the previous one.
- Bet means betting a certain amount of money.
- Check (zero bet) - can only be made if there are no bets in the game. In this case, the turn passes to the next player.
- Passing is discarding cards and exiting the current pot without completing the trade.
- Raise (increase in bet) is an increase in the size of the bet.
Step 8. Some additional information about trading
It is important to remember that the betting round continues until each player matches the highest bid or folds. When the round ends, all bet chips are added to the general pot and a new round of betting begins. As mentioned, the player to the left of the button again starts betting first.
Remember that the blind counts as a move in the pre-flop (first) betting round, that is, the third player from the button makes the first move, since the first and second players are forced to post a blind.
Step 9. What are table limits?
Each poker table has its own set limit. This limit determines the size of the forced bet (blind). In a $1/$2 game, the blind should be $0.50 for the small blind (for the first player) and $1 for the big blind (for the second player). Remember that the blinds vary. Typically the small blind is half the size of the big blind. For example, in a $3/$6 game the big blind is $3 and the small blind is $1.50. This is very important for choosing the right level of play. Think about it - if you have $100, you shouldn't play at the $10/$20 level because you might have to bet all your chips before you get any good cards.
Step 10. Play without limits
This is the most popular version of Hold'em. In No Limit Hold'em, each player can bet or raise at any time by an amount determined only by the number of their chips. When going all-in, he bets all his chips in one go. If someone, even with more chips in the stack, raises it, the first player does not automatically lose, but can only win an amount equal to his own chips. In Limit Hold'em, bets are limited by the blind level. For example, at a $3/$6 limit, the first bet would be $3. A raise would mean betting an additional $3 - no more, no less.
Step 11. Now you are ready to play!
You've read our ten-step guide to the basics of Hold'em. As we said at the beginning, the beauty of this game is its simplicity, but we recommend reading this guide carefully until you fully understand each step.
After you do this, best way further study of the game - participation in it and mastering the main points in practice. You will be surprised how quickly you will get into the game.
To consolidate the material you have covered, we recommend that you register at one of the best online poker rooms, for example, at 888 Poker and play for play money. Website 888 Poker has a Russian version, so you will not have any difficulties. You only need to take two steps:
- fill out the registration form with your data (in Latin letters)
- download and install free poker room software
You will be credited with conditional money, with which you can train. If you lose, you will be awarded more.
Thus, in just 5 minutes you will have the opportunity to sit at such a table and play against real people from all over the world!
Oh yes. We forgot to remind you of the first rule of poker - play for fun!
It's no secret that the rules of playing poker for beginners may seem like an impenetrable "wild" at first. Since there are a lot of terms and a lot of slang words that are very difficult to remember right away. But you shouldn’t try to cover all aspects and nuances; it’s enough to first know a few elements:
- combinations;
- start of the game;
- possible actions of players in trading circles;
- trading circles;
- types of table limits.
Knowing these poker rules, it will be easy for beginners to take their first steps and learn to play competently.
Yes, at first the process will be purely mechanical, and there will be losses, but this is a temporary phenomenon; over time, each poker player develops his own style and begins to apply a certain strategy.
Then you can safely count on your first successes.
Winning combinations in poker
There are exactly ten combinations in poker, which at first glance is a lot, but they are very simple, and learning them is not difficult. In the rules of the game of poker for beginners, it is customary to arrange combinations from weak to strong, so it is easier to remember.
- High card. The most common set of cards that does not have any power. These are just five elements of the deck, not related to each other in any way ( Ace of Diamonds, Jack of Hearts, 8 of Hearts, 2 of Spades, Queen of Diamonds).
- Pair. Two cards with the same value are, in fact, the first combination that has real strength and regularity in its composition. The combination consists of two elements, three more will be in the role kicker – additional cards, which are needed to determine the winner in controversial situations, only their face value is taken into account ( king of spades, king of clubs + 6 spades, 8 diamonds, 10 hearts).
- Two pairs. This is a set of two pairs, that is, two pairs of cards of equal value, and one element as a kicker ( 6 diamonds, 6 clubs, 9 spades, 9 hearts +jack of diamonds, ace of spades).
- Set. Another name is Troika, Triplet. A set of three cards of the same value and two more kickers ( Queen of Clubs, Queen of Diamonds, Queen of Hearts + 5 clubs, 10 clubs).
- Straight. The combination looks quite impressive, but is not located so high. These are five cards collected in strict sequence in nominal order. Important clarification: the cards must be of different suits ( 6 spades, 7 hearts, 8 diamonds, 9 clubs, 10 clubs).
- Flash. Five suited cards of any value. The strength of the combination is determined by the rank of the cards; the suits are completely equivalent and do not provide advantages ( king of hearts, 5 of hearts, 2 of hearts, 7 of hearts, 9 of hearts).
- Full House. Quite a strong combination, despite the fact that it consists of two elementary combinations - Pair and Set. The strength of the combination is determined by the value of the cards from the Three, if they are equal, then by the Pair ( 6 spades, 6 clubs, 9 diamonds, 9 clubs, 9 spades).
- Kare. Opens three “mastodons” among combinations; they are strong, but appear extremely rarely. A hand consists of four cards of the same value plus one kicker ( ace of diamonds, ace of spades, ace of hearts, ace of clubs + 10 spades).
- Straight Flush. Combines two combinations. A set of five cards, in rank order and of the same suit ( 9 diamonds, 10 diamonds, jack of diamonds, queen of diamonds, king of diamonds).
- Royal Flush. In principle, this is a high Straight Flush, but it is customary to separate it into a separate combination. A royal combination that appears extremely rarely and brings 100% victory. This is a set of the five highest cards of the same suit, ranging from ten to ace ( 10 of clubs, jack of clubs, queen of clubs, king of clubs, ace of clubs).
It is with combinations that one begins to learn the rules of poker for beginners; all the additional subtleties, nuances, and controversial situations cannot be displayed in one article.
Their understanding will come over time, while playing at the table, and in addition, online establishments have adopted a system of hints that will help explain certain situations that arise in the round.
Start of the game
Poker rules for dummies should be considered using an example Texas Hold'em - the most popular direction, this is where most players start. The bank draw adopted here is used in the vast majority of disciplines; if there are any differences, they are extremely insignificant, and it will be very easy to deal with them.
After all players are seated at the table, the dealer announces the start of the drawing. The two participants to his left must place big and small blinds, these are the special bets that make up the original pot. The fight will be for him. Opponents must do them in turn; to determine the order, a special chip is used, which moves away from one player to another with each round played.
After this, all participants are dealt two cards (four in Omaha, five in draw poker). Players must watch them and decide whether to continue fighting or not, followed by the first round of bidding, called preflop. Everyone can discard received cards and leave the drawing, bet an amount equal to the big blind, raise the money at stake, or equal the bet of the previous opponent. All these actions in the rules of the game of poker for dummies have their own designations, which came from English terms. It is necessary to know them, since they are the only ones used at the table; a detailed explanation is in the next chapter.
What can a player do in betting rounds?
At any stage of trading, the player has the right to make several actions, they are designated by the following terms:
- Fold. It means leaving the fight with the complete discarding of cards, in this case the player loses only the amount that he has already managed to bet. If he didn’t bet anything, then the participant remains with his own, provided that it was not his turn for the small or big blinds.
- Beth. Literally “put”. When a participant is ready to continue to claim the pot, the poker rules for beginners state that he can bet any amount of money. The only condition is not to go beyond the established limits, more about which a little later.
- Raise. Increasing the current rate. For example, the previous participant bet $10, the player can raise it to $20. All active opponents at the table must either equalize the bet (call) or raise it further (reraise).
- Call. Means that the player has called the opponent's previous bet. If there are not enough chips for this action, then all available chips go to the stake, and the participant will no longer be able to make any moves. He will have to wait for the end of the drawing.
- Check. The player has the right to skip a move and not put anything into the pot if all participants before him did the same. In this case, the next round begins without changes.
- All-in. That is, all-in. A player, when he is one hundred percent confident in his abilities, puts all his chips on the line. The rest must call the bet or fold. Sometimes a participant simply bluffs, forcing his opponents to quit the fight.
These are the actions that are described in the rules of playing classic poker for beginners. These terms refer to most of the functional buttons in online rooms, so it is better to learn them by heart so as not to accidentally lose a large amount of money.
Poker trading circles
Trading circles in poker are the stages of the game when participants take various actions to increase the bank and get the maximum win. There are 4 rounds in total. About the first of them - preflop– described above, players trade immediately after receiving two cards in their hands. The following steps follow.
Flop
The round is immediately preflop. Three community cards are laid out on the table, players can now make combinations from them and from two pocket elements. Each participant can take the actions described above.
Turn
In this round, one more card is added to the three cards on the table. The players' actions are the same; they can equalize, bet, raise the bet, or skip a move.
River
The last stage. The last fifth is laid out on the table general map. Players have one last chance to have their say. If there are several active participants left in the game, then they move on to the final touch of the drawing.
Showdown
Means the reveal of the cards remaining in the game of the participants. The principle of determining the winner is simple: whoever has the strongest combination celebrates the victory. In order not to confuse anything, it is recommended that you print out the rules of the game of poker for beginners with pictures and keep them next to you at first.
After these rounds are completed, a new hand and a new round of betting begins.
Table limits
It is customary to play Texas Hold'em and Omaha and other types of poker in several versions of the table limit.
- Limit. Best option for beginners. In such tables a certain limit is set, beyond which no one has the right. For example, a limit of $10 means that you can bet a maximum of this amount in any betting round. Thanks to this rule, novice players will not immediately lose their bankroll.
- Unlimited. The toughest option, suitable only for professionals. In this case, players are not limited in their bets in any way, everyone can bet any amount in the betting circles, the rest are obliged to support him or fold their cards. At first, it is not recommended to sit at such tables, so as not to become easy prey for experienced players and lose your entire deposit.
- Pot-limit. A balanced option in which the betting limit depends on the current bank. If $50 is at stake, then the bet size cannot exceed this value. It is obvious that with each round of trading the bank grows, and the limit grows accordingly. Such tables can no longer be recommended to beginners, but not yet to professionals.
Each type of limits is widely represented in all online rooms. You should choose a type of table where you are sure not to lose large sums. You should be especially careful with unlimited options.
Final word
It is impossible to cover all the nuances in one article; theoretical lessons must certainly be accompanied by practical exercises. poker table. First, you can play on free simulators that do not require a deposit. And only then move on to commercial projects and try your hand at real money.
