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how to play poker (with pictures)

Hello there! Are you looking to learn the basic and the most popular poker rules? Poker is an excellent and famous game. Playing poker is very simple to learn, But hard to master. It does not matter if you are an amateur or a professional because we will break the poker rules into a simple step-by-step guide. If we went to google search and looked for poker, we would find many variations of poker. However, the most known and famous poker is the Texas Holdem poker. There are different rules for each variation of the poker game, but the basic rules of poker always stand the same. All things you have to do is master the poker rules and then start developing your winning poker strategy! Don't worry. We will guide you to be a professional player.

Texas Holdem Poker Hands

10 Basics 5-card Hands and their ranking

10 Basics 5-card Hands and their ranking


Learn about the ten essential 5-card poker hand rankings types: it doesn't matter which hand you are playing. Just familiarize yourself with the different hands so you can recognize them. Here are the winning poker hands, from the highest to the lowest:
  • Royal Flush: This hand includes five cards, the 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of the same suit, one kind. A royal flush can not be beaten by the royal flush of another poker player's suit but just tied.
  • Straight Flush: It comprises five consecutive cards from the same suit.
  • Four of the same suit: you have four cards from the same rank, from different ranks, and the fifth poker card is from another rank. However, if the four cards are Aces kind, no one can have a card from the Ace kind. So the royal flush no more exists.
  • Full House: means you have three matching poker cards of the same rank and two matching cards from another rank.
  • Flush: it contains five cards from the same suit. These can be from different ranks.
  • Straight: On the opposite of the Flush hand, this hand has five cards, consecutive in rank, but of various kinds.
  • Three of a kind: this includes five cards. Two unmatched cards and three cards from the same suit.
  • Two pairs: contains two cards from the same rank, two others from another rank different from the first, and an unmatched card.
  • Pair: means you have two cards from the same rank and three unmatched cards.
  • High card: this is the lowest poker hand ranking, also known as nothing, which means your hand doesn't match any of the poker hand rankings conditions.

Place Blinds

Place Blinds



The poker game always starts with the starting bets. In Texas Holdem, the player next to the dealer is typically the first to place a small bet, which is half the usual minimum bet. The player next to him from the left places a big bet, at least the minimum starting bet. However, each player can ante up and place a starting bet, the minimum starting bet. 

Look at the two cards

Look at the two cards



after placing the bets in the pool, it's time to start playing. In poker, burning a card means putting it out of play. The dealer will put one card out of play from the top of the deck. Then, they will pass out two cards to each player at the table. Look at the two cards to see what you are holding.
  • Every dealing round of the poker game, the dealer will burn a card from the top of the deck. That makes the poker game harder and more of a gamble.
  • While playing, the dealer consistently will distribute the cards in a clockwise direction. 

Raise, call or bet after each round is dealt

Raise, call or bet after each round is dealt



Every time the dealer puts out a new card, you will make a new bet, with the first bet being mad, based on the two cards from the player's hands. The betting happens in a circle, so if it is your turn to bet, you have some options. Meanwhile, you con:
  • Place a bet if no one had placed it.
  • Avoid betting by saying check.
  • Match the bet that someone else made by saying call.
  • Add more money to the betting pool by saying raise. If you say raise, the other players will go around in a circle and choose to either fold or call your new bet.
  • Withdrawal, if a players place a bet and you don't want to match their bet. If so, turn your cards into the dealer face-down, so you don't give your opponent any advantages.

Look at the Flop to see your hand

Look at the Flop to see your hand



After the first round, where you place a bet in the pool, the dealer will burn the top card of the deck. After that, they will put three cards face-up on the table, called the Flop. These are the community cards. Each player can use them to build their hands. Match these cards with the cards in your hand, then raise, call, or fold.
  • In total, you will have seven cards to build your hand. The dealer will reveal five cards, and in your hand, there are two cards. Your luck may help you win the game, But you must analyze and take your time after Flop.
  • Depending on the place you are playing in, you can draw replacement cards for your hand. Drawing the replacement cards may do this during or after the betting round.

Look at the turn card after the second round

Look at the turn card after the second round



After the dealer puts the top card from the deck out of play, they will place one face-up card near the Flop cards. This card is called the turn card. Decide if you want to raise, call or bet after checking all the cards in your hand with the turn card.
Look at the Flop to see your and check the turn card after the second round after the dealer burns the top card from the deck, they will place an extra face-up card next to the Flop cards, called the turn card. Check this card and the flop cards, and match them with what is in your hand, then decide to call, bet, or raise.
  • This is not usual, but your game may allow you a card exchange at this point. However, card exchange is not allowed if you play poker as a professional.
  • Always think about the other player's hands. For example, if all four cards on the pool are spades, the player with a spade card in his hand will have a Flush. As we described before, a Flash is to have five cards from the same suit. Similarly, If there are 2, 3, 4, or 5 cards on the table, any player with 1 or 5 cards in their hand will have a straight.
  • If you have nothing in your hand and look like an easy hand, and the table, like those mentioned before, you may want to fold. However, it is better to Fold because another player will have the winning cards in his hand. 

Check the river card to decide on your best 5-card hand

Check the river card to decide on your best 5-card hand



After the dealer puts the top card on the deck out of play, they will put a card called the river card next to the turn card. Decide your best 5-card hand by checking the community cards and your hand. After, call, bet, or fold.
  • Depending on the rules you are playing with, you may be able to exchange your hand one time after or before the betting.
  • Check the river card to decide on your best 5-card hand. 

Each player reveals his hand clockwise in the showdown

Each player reveals his hand clockwise in the showdown



In the last round, after each player bets, calls, or folds. The remaining players should participate in the showdown. Starting by the dealer's left, the players will reveal their hand cards face-up in the clockwise direction. Then, everyone compares his hand with the others to see who has the highest value hand. He will win the entire pot.
  • If somebody has a tie, he will split the pot.
  • If you don't want to reveal it, then Fold your hand.
  • If you wish to play the cards on the table only, call playing the board. However, it is a common option, so it is not the best strategy. 

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