Online Poker: Terminology, Basic Rules, Hand Ranks and Tips

When gambling went online for the first time, online poker became one of the most popular online casino games. The game gained popularity mainly due to the televised poker tournaments, such as WSOP. However, as online casino players started playing it more frequently, they realized that online poker can be quite rewarding, should you know how to play it and have tips, strategies on how to win big.

Therefore, we will try to sum up everything you need to know about the game so that it would be easier for you to start playing and eventually master it and win big.

Basic Gameplay and Terms

Before you start playing online poker, you need to learn a few terms and know the basic gameplay. Later, if you wish, explore Onlinegambling24.com, and you’ll find out more about it. To start with, you should know that the dealer is the one that deals the cards to players. Blinds are the bets placed by players before cards are revealed and the first round starts.

The first round starts the moment the bets are in place and the dealer gives you two face-down cards. Then, the dealer deals the first three community cards, which are the face-up cards. You then either check and not bet when it’s your turn, you raise or add more chips to the original bet, call or put the exact amount or fold or forfeit your right to continue being part of the pot. The pot is the money you’re competing to win.

Another round of betting starts called the flop. To see the next card, all players must place the same bet. And then the dealer deals the turn, the fourth community card, then another round of betting starts, and finally, the river is dealt, or the fifth community card. The showdown is the final act of poker when everyone’s cards are revealed and the winner is announced.

Hand Rankings in Online Poker

We’ll start explaining the hand rankings from lowest to highest. High card means you have, say, an A, which wins only if no other winning hands are available. A pair is self-explanatory, a hand where you have two same cards. Two pair is when you have two sets of pairs. Three of a kind is a hand when you have three of the same card.

Now, the higher hands begin. A straight is when you have five cards in numerical order. A flush is when you have five cards in the same suit. A full house is a combo of a pair and a three of a kind. Four of a kind is self-explanatory, too, a hand where you have four of the same card. A straight flush is the second-best when your five cards are in numerical order and the same suit. And finally, the top hand is the royal flush, when you have the playing card royals from A through 10 in the same suit.

Tips for Winning

There are three positions on the table: early, middle and late. Consider playing at the late position, since you’ll be able to see the raises and bets of other players and assume their hands. This way, you’re letting other players do the work.

Make sure you know when to fold. This is basically figuring out your odds. Say, on the river, you need a club card. 20 chip is in the pot, and the player before you places their last 20. If you know that your odds of hitting a flush are 4 to 1 and you’d need to pay 2 to 1 to call, the odds are not in your favour, so you should probably fold.

In fact, turn and river are the most critical, and you need to play smart. Unless you are using a strategy, already have the best possible hand or you’re one card short of having it, fold. You need to play smart until you master the game.