If you were to ask anybody who is in to gambling what their favourite game is, they are very likely to reply that its poker. One of the games that has seen a major rise in its popularity in the past few years, poker has become a fan favourite for a lot of people, and for good reason also. Depending upon the type of game that is being played, poker can continue for days. However, most people generally keep a ceiling on the pot, or the number of bets that can be placed. Otherwise, a lot of people are just content with playing until everybody folds out of the game, hence leaving the winner behind.
If you are interested in playing online poker, here is a brief guide on how to play:
Note: In this guide, we are using the 5 Card Draw playing method.
First of all, you need to know that poker is generally played with a standard 52 card deck. The ace can either play high or low, depending upon the players. Those who have winning hands usually get an equal division of the pot. Those players who remain must compare their hands as per the ranking system at the time of show down. Also, you should know that you cannot use suits to break ties. The winner is usually the one who has the hand with the highest value. In order to begin, you need to place a token bet, along with every other player. The token bet is an equal amount. The winner takes the whole pot.
Once the cards have been shuffled, the dealer will then distribute five cards to each player. In online poker, you can also see the deck placed in the middle of the table. All cards are given face down, which means that other players cannot look at your hand. Now, the game is usually played in turns, so when your turn arrives, you can either ‘open’, which means to place an initial bet, check, which means to pass on your turn. If you decide to place a bet, the other players whose turns have already passed have a couple of choices:
They can either ‘see’, or ‘call’, which is equivalent to placing a similar amount in the pot. Or, they can just ‘fold’, which means quitting the game. They do not get their investment back. Those players whose turns still remain then get three choices. Two of these are the same as mentioned above, while the third is the ‘Raise’ option, which means that they must put more than what the last person placed in the pot. As you know, upon raising, all the players who have had their turns must ‘see’ or fold, and this is how the game continues.
You can also draw, which allows you to get rid of up to three cards that you think won’t help you in winning. After betting, the game will reveal your cards as well as other players’ on the screen, and you can see whether you’ve won or not!