Playing poker can be a really great pastime or hobby. Of course, for some people the game becomes much more serious than playing for fun or having a good time. There are some persons who play poker not only for the enjoyment but for money. The latter are serious about their play and dedicate time and money to give them selves the best shot at winning. Those just starting out, however, may have no idea about their own goals as it relates to the game. Some people will just want to learn the game so that they are able to play with their family members and/or friends. Others will end up being much more ambitious and will want to join the ranks of the world famous poker professional. Whatever ones goals are, they will first need to learn the basics. This article will provide readers with just that.
The first thing that a person just starting out needs to know is that there are many variations of poker. Some of the rules which govern these games will be very similar but not always. There are some very real and pronounced differences. Therefore, it will be extremely important for persons to determine which game they want to learn and then dive into that particular game. Once that has been mastered, then is it fine to start learning others. If an individual starts out trying to learn each poker variation at once (which would be very difficult), there is little doubt that they will just end up getting confused. Find one, “master” it, i.e., learn the rules and get a feel for the game and then move on to another game.
Understanding hand rankings is extremely important in poker games. Without a proper knowledge of them, a person will be unable to tell whether or not they have won. The highest ranking 5 card hand is a Royal Straight Flush. Following this hand in terms of ranking hierarchy is a Straight Flush, Four of A Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair and a High Card. Below, we will look at these hands in a little more detail.
A Royal Straight Flush is a hand that is made up of a 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace with each card being from the same suit. A Straight Flush includes cards from the same suit, all in order, for example 5,6,7,8,9, of Spades. A Four of A Kind hand is one that includes four cards that are identical to each other. An example of this would be 77773. A Full House includes three of a kind in addition to a pair and could look like this, 8,8,8,3,3.
A player has a Flush when all five of the cards in their hand are from the same suit but not in consecutive order, for example 3,5,7,9, J of hearts. A Straight is a hand made up of cards that are in order but from different suits. An example of this would be 2 (spades), 3 (hearts), 4 (diamonds), 5 (clubs), 6 (diamonds).
A Three of a Kind is a hand where three of the cards have the same rank or number. A Two Pair is made up of two pairs and a One Pair is a hand with just that, one pair (ex. KK, 2, 4, 6). When a person has a High Card hand, they have the highest ranking card at the table.
Another very important part of poker is what is known as Antes and Blinds. Before a game begins, money will first need to be added to the pot. These can be accomplished either by way of antes or blinds.
Not every game will have an ante. However, when one does, each player will have to add a certain amount of money to the pot prior to each hand. This typically isn’t a significant amount. This is not a wager. It just helps to build up the pot.
Blinds are actual bets. They are forced bets and occur before the cards are dealt. Generally the two players sitting to the left of the dealer will place the blinds. The first person immediately to the dealer’s left will place the little blind and the person to their left, the big blind. In most cases the little blind will be half of the big blind which is often times the game’s minimum bet. When a game requires blinds, everyone must bet the first round. This isn’t true when just an ante is utilized.
There are different types of poker games. Most people are familiar with No Limit and Limit but these are the only two. Spread Limit and Pot Limit games are available as well. In a No Limit game, there are no restrictions on the amount of money that can be wagered. In a Limit game the amount of money that can be wagered or raised is fixed for each round of bets. For example, if a game is a $5-$10 fixed limit game, an individual is only allowed to wager or raise $5 for the first two (or few) rounds and $10 for the latter betting rounds.
Spread Limit games allow players to wager whatever the want but with restrictions. Persons are able to place bets within a certain range. For instance, if the spread limit range was between $5 and $10, a player could only place a bet (or raise) between $5 and $10. The minimum would be $5 and the maximum $10. Also, in Spread Limit games each person must raise at least as much the last amount raised. For example, sticking with the above example, if someone raises $7, another person can not raise $5 (the minimum), they have to raise at least $7.
Individuals getting started playing poker would be wise to spend an adequate amount of time learning the rules before participating in any paid games. Hopefully, the information provided in here, will give individuals at least some of the knowledge needed to get started playing this very popular and exciting game.
