Poker started out as a game for the elite and the rich in the early 20th century. Today, it is much more universal, being played both professionally and with amateurs. Thousands of people tune in to watch the world-series tournaments which are an exciting show of skill, luck and extravaganza at the poker table.
If you want to learn to play poker, look no further than this article. We present to you a short guide to the most popular types of poker you can play at Canadian Casino. By the end of this article, you will have the knowledge necessary to try your hand at one of the online casinos that offer poker.
Your main goal
There are several different types of poker. Regardless of the differences, the main goal is the same in all the games – make up a 5-card hand that is stronger than your opponents’ hands.
Which type?
STRAIGHT POKER – the oldest type of poker. A complete 5-private-card hand is dealt to each player, then a single betting round follows.
STUD POKER – each player will be dealt 2 cards facing down (private) and 1 facing up (to be seen by everyone), followed by a betting round. Then, 3 more up-cards will be dealt (with a betting round after each card) and 1 more down-card (with a final betting round following). The players can use any of their 7 cards to form their individual hands.
DRAW POKER – complete hands of 5 cards are dealt face-down to each player. After the first round of betting, players may choose to discard up to 3 cards and be dealt new ones.
COMMUNITY CARD POKER – players are dealt an incomplete hand of private cards and some face-up community cards are dealt to the table. Players must use the community cards, in conjunction with their own private cards, to make a 5-card hand. Texas Hold’em is the most popular form of community poker.
Texas Hold’em
Now let’s have a more in-depth look at No-Limit Texas Hold’em, which is the most popular variant of poker. Knowing how to play Texas Hold’em is a good starting point for beginners.
No limit means that players can bet as high as they want. This game type has a fixed betting interval, for example 1$ and 2$. This means that the small blind will be 1$ and the big blind $2. At the start of each round, the player left to the dealer posts a small blind and the one left of them posts a big blind.
- Players are dealt 2 private cards, followed by an initial betting round. Each player has a choice to either call the 2$ initial bet, to fold (give up their cards and skip the round), or to raise the bet.
- 3 community cards are dealt to the table, followed by a betting round (This round is called The Flop).
- 1 more community card is dealt, followed by a betting round (This round is called The Turn).
- The final 5th community card is dealt, followed by a betting round (This is the River).
- If at least 2 players are remaining, then we go to Showdown – the remaining players reveal their hands and the strongest 5-card hand wins.
That’s all there is to it! The rest could be called strategy. Here are a few tips on how to strategise in poker:
- Make sure you have a good knowledge/a reference of all the poker hands and the way they are ranked.
- Other players will indicate to you the strength of their hands by either checking, raising or folding. Play wisely and try to recognise a playing style in other players. If you do, it will be easier to predict the flow and outcome of the round.
- You and other players can bluff. Be cautious.
- At the 1st stage of the round (pre-flop), think of the possible outcomes for your hand with your 2 private cards. It is very important to judge your private cards in the beginning and decide whether you’ll take part in the round or not. This way you will be sure to only play at the best odds.
- During the flop and after it, think not only of your personal odds but also of those of your opponents and bet/check accordingly. This can take some practice to get up to speed but is essential to any player.
- Do not bite off more than you can chew. A common mistake for beginners is splashing money only to be beaten by more experienced players. Avoid high-risk wagering if you’re a beginner.