Immediately good news for beginners - the rules of poker are so primitive and simple that they are accessible even to those who have never held cards in their hands. The rules of Texas Hold'em are especially easy to learn, which is not surprising, because it is thanks to its simplicity that this type of poker has become so popular in the world and especially on the Internet. This is what is played in all sorts of tournaments that you might have seen on TV. Therefore, it is better for dummies to study the rules of this particular variant of poker, because in 99% of cases, both on the Internet and among friends, you will play this particular game.

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IN Texas Hold'em They play with a card deck of 52 cards, the number of players at one table is from 2 to 10. The winner is the one who collects the best poker combination or remains the only player who has not folded at the end of the current hand.

Poker combinations

Beginner poker players first need to learn poker hands. All of them are shown in the bottom figure and are arranged in ascending order as follows:

1. High card
2. Two pairs
3. Straight
4. Full house
5. Straight Flush
6. Royal Flush

As you can see, there are only 10 poker combinations, but in reality, the most common combinations in the game are 1 to 8. Therefore, remembering poker combinations is very easy.

Each combination is created from 2 cards dealt face down to each player and 5 common open cards laid out in the middle of the table, i.e. 7 cards are used. This way you only see 5 cards, but you have no way of knowing what other 2 cards your opponent has. That's why poker is called a game with incomplete information.

Game process

Poker is played by 2 to 10 people. They take turns and there are several stages in the game, the so-called streets - Preflop, Flop, Turn, River.

To make it more clear for beginners, the article provides, as an illustration, screenshots from the 888 poker room, which makes it possible free game for play chips – “Game for fun”.

Preflop

The first thing the game starts with is that 2 people after the Dealer (D icon) place the obligatory Small Blind and Big Blind bets. From these the initial bank is formed.

Next, all players are dealt 2 face-down cards and it’s the others’ turn to play. Players move clockwise starting with the next player after the big blind.

Although the two dealt cards still provide little information, it is based on it, as well as on your position at the table and the actions of other players that you will need to make a move. The player has 3 options:

1. Fold– Card reset. If you have weak cards (eg 72), then this is practically the only thing you should do. If you fold, you are already out of the game and do not pay any money.
2. Call– You support a bet previously made by others. Let's say you have average cards, a lot of players have entered, and there are no raises. You bet exactly as much as others have bet, in our case 10 chips.
3. Increase/Raise– You are raising the stakes. Let's say you have good cards and you want your rivals to pay you more. Perhaps no one will answer you and you will take this bank right now. Depending on the Hold'em variant, you can raise from 1 blind to all-in.

For beginners, all this will seem a little complicated, but in fact real game after literally a few hands, all this is done simply and almost automatically. And some experienced players can play up to 24 tables at the same time!

Flop

After the preflop betting round has ended, everyone has made bets or folded cards, the distribution of the first 3 community cards out of 5 begins.

After the flop is dealt, the situation in the hand becomes more or less clear. Our player sits in the dealer position (D), and the dealer always goes last. In this hand, we see that our player almost has a flush with diamonds. All the players before him checked and now it’s his turn. He can fold/check/bet:

1. Fold– Card reset. IN in this case there's simply no need for it. Firstly, a good combination is planned, and secondly, no one has made a bet yet, so the next card can be viewed for free in any case.
2. Check– i.e. take no action, just pass.
3. Place a bet / raise– No one has placed a bet yet, so you can do it. If you place a bet, a new round of betting will begin and other players will be forced to also place bets or throw away their cards. It is also possible to receive a raise in response if someone decides to check-raise. The bet size is limited only by your stack, for example, in this case you can bet from 10 to all-in (479.70 chips).

Thorne

After the flop, the next stage of the game begins - the turn. Here the penultimate 4th card of the hand is dealt.

On the turn we still don't have any poker hand and the player from middle position made a bet of 10 chips. According to the rules of the game of poker, now we will not be able to pass as on the flop, and we will have to play Fold / Call / Increase the bet. There are already a lot of chips in the pot, and we have good odds for a flush, so folding is out of the question. Increasing the bet is also not an option, although we may have a flush, but it is far from high, so if it comes up we will have to play it very carefully. All that remains is to support the bet.

River

The moment of truth is coming. By the end of the game, the winner of the hand will be determined on the river.

A lucky card comes out for us and our player collects his flush. The player in front of us makes a bet of 1/2 of the bank. We have to answer. As always, we have several options for answering: Fold, Call or Raise. With a ready flush, it’s tempting to raise, but what’s confusing is that we don’t have a nut flush and a paired board (the possibility of a full house), so we just call.

Show down

Showdown is the final stage in Texas Hold'em and reveals the winner(s), who will take the pot. In our case, it turned out to be an opponent from Australia, who showed a high flush and took the entire pot.

Practice for Beginners

For any beginner, a 1-2 hour session of online poker is usually enough to reinforce the rules of playing poker in their head. The best way to consolidate theoretical knowledge in practice is with friends or at one of the free poker rooms by playing with play chips.

For all poker fans - both beginners and advanced players, we recommend starting your game at Party Poker. The most famous poker room that will not disappoint you at all. Good luck!

Number of players

In one of various types Poker can be played by any number of players from 2 to 14, but most poker players consider the ideal number of players at the table to be between five and eight. Everyone plays for themselves. There are never any partnerships in poker.

Deck

A standard 52-card deck is used, with one or two jokers sometimes added. Poker is played with one deck, but today almost all clubs use two decks of contrasting colors to speed up the game. While one deck is currently being used, the other deck is at the same time being shuffled and prepared for the next deal. The use of two decks is as follows: while the deal is in progress, the previous dealer collects all the cards from the deck that he dealt, shuffles them and puts them to the left. When it's time for the next deal, the dealer takes the already shuffled deck. In many games where two decks are used, the player to the dealer's left cuts the deck from right hand dealer.

It is common practice in clubs to change cards frequently, and to allow any player to request a new deck whenever he wants. When new cards are introduced, both decks are replaced and wrapped in plastic wrap, and the new decks must be unpacked and shuffled in front of all players.

Purpose of the game

The goal of each player is to win the pot, which contains all the bets that players made during the deals of the hand. The player bets in the hope that he has the best hand, or gives the impression that he has such a hand. In most versions of poker, the best five card hand is looked at, then each player's hand is compared, and the player with the best hand wins the pot.

Classic poker betting

Betting is key in poker because the game is essentially about chip management

During each poker hand, there will be one or more betting rounds in which players have the opportunity to bet on their hand. Betting is key in poker because it is essentially a game of chip management. Minimizing losses with bad hands and maximizing winnings with good hands is a fundamental skill required to play poker.

According to the rules of each specific type of poker, before the cards are dealt, an initial payment from each player may be required, which is called an “ante”, and is the deposit of one or more chips into the pot before the cards are dealt.

Each betting round begins when the player takes his turn betting one or more chips. The player sitting to his left, after receiving the right to move, must “call” this bet, putting the same number of chips into the pot; or "raise", which means he bets more than enough chips to call; or "fold", which means that he does not put chips into the pot, but discards his hand and will only participate in the next hand.

When a player folds his cards, he loses the chips he has already contributed to that pot. If a player is not willing to put at least as many chips into the pot as any previous player did, then he must fold.

The betting round ends when all bets have been called, that is, when each player has either put exactly the same number of chips into the pot as his predecessors, or folded his cards. After the final round of betting there is a "showdown", which means that each player who remains in the hand shows his hand front side up on the table. The best poker hand wins the pot.

If a player bets or raises and no other player calls, then he wins the pot and does not show his hand. So there is an element of bluffing in poker, and the best hand of cards does not always win the pot. Bluffing is one of the main reasons why poker is a very popular game.

If the player wants to stay in the game without a bet, then he checks. This means that, in essence, the player does not bet anything. A player cannot check if one of the previous players has already made a bet before him in this round of betting, so he must at least call this bet, or fold. A player who checks can raise a bet that has already been raised by another player. This technique is called “check-raise”, and it is allowed if the rules of the establishment do not prohibit it. If during a betting round all players check, then the betting round is over and all remaining players remain in the game and move on to the next round.

In each betting round, the player who goes first is determined according to the rules of the particular game. The betting line always moves from player to player to the left (clockwise), and no one can check, bet, or even fold until it is their turn.

When should a player place a bet?

Poker hand rankings are based on mathematics. For example, a player should not expect to make a straight flush, since it comes once every 65,000 hands, but he can expect to make two pair, which happens approximately once every 21 hands. If a player does not plan to bluff, then he should not bet unless he has a made hand and he does not think he can improve his hand. No poker player can make a smart bet if he doesn't know what he's doing. good hand and a bad hand.

Chips

Poker was almost always played with poker chips. To play with seven or more players, at least 200 chips must be used. Typically, a white chip (or another light colored chip) is a unit or low value chip that is used as an ante or minimum bet; a red chip (or a chip of some other color) is worth five white, and a blue chip (or some other dark color) is worth 10 or 20 or 25 white, or two, four or five red. At the beginning of the game, each player buys a certain number of chips. Usually all players buy the same amount.

Banker

One player should be designated as the banker, who holds the supply of chips and records how many chips were given to each player or how much money the player paid for his chips. Players cannot enter into private transactions or exchanges between themselves; a player with an excess amount of chips can return them to the banker and receive credit or cash for them, while a player who wants more chips must only obtain them from the banker.

The easiest way for beginners to learn how to play poker is to print out the poker rules for beginners and then play poker for free in one of the poker rooms. Once you've played a few hands, the rules will become much clearer to you, and all poker rooms allow you to practice your poker skills at " play money» as much as you want - you have there is no obligation to play for real money.

In just a few hours of playing this guide, you will immediately move from beginner to experienced player. In addition, on the Internet you can find poker rules for beginners in pictures and videos, which is very convenient for understanding the information for the first time. Also, the rules of playing poker for beginners with pictures can be printed out - this will help you quickly navigate the materials when playing. Some poker rooms even have special tables for beginners, and entire sections of the room's websites are dedicated to learning how to play poker.

Poker combinations for beginners

In this section you will learn which combinations win in poker, in order from highest to lowest.

Royal Flush- T, J, Q, K, A all of the same suit.

Straight Flush- Five cards in a row of the same suit, but without Ace.

Kare— Four cards of the same rank, for example, KKKK.

Full house— Three cards of the same rank plus a pair, for example, KKKAA.

Flash— Five cards of the same suit, but not in a row.

Straight— Five cards in a row, for example, 56789.

Troika— Three cards of the same rank, for example, KKK.

Two pairs- Two pairs, for example, KKAA.

A pair— Any two cards of the same rank, for example, KK.

High card- If none of the players has one of the above combinations, then the highest card wins (Ace is the highest, and then in descending order).

Note: Beginners are sometimes confused as to whether an Ace is considered the lowest card (i.e. as a "1") or a high card (i.e. as an "11"). Ace can be considered as high card, and a low card for straights, but not both at the same time. For example, A2345 and AKQJT are straights, but 23AKQ is not a straight. Beginners also tend to overestimate the strength of one ace - having one ace in your starting hand is not that uncommon, so don't make the common beginner mistake of playing every hand with an ace. Read below for more information on starting hands for new poker players.

Classic poker betting rules for beginners

Most types of poker can be played with limit betting, pot limit betting and no limit betting. In the game with limit bets the amount you can bet at any time is determined in advance, and you cannot bet more or less than this amount. The bet is usually doubled when a certain betting circle is reached. For example, in a $1/$2 limit Texas Hold'em game, the amount you can bet when you first see your cards is $1. The amount you can bet after seeing the next three cards (the “flop”) is also $1. But the amount you can (and should) bet after the fourth card (the turn) is $2, and the amount you can (and should) bet after the fifth card (the river) is also $2.

In the game with pot limit the amount you can bet, equal to the amount of money in the bank and thus the pot becomes larger, so the amount you can bet increases. For example, if there is 1 dollar in the bank, then you can bet up to a maximum of 1 dollar, if there is 20 dollars in the bank, then you can bet up to 20 dollars and so on.

IN unlimited game you can bet so many chips How much do you have, at any stage of distribution.

Poker Options for Beginners

• Fold: Stop participating in the giveaway and lose all money already deposited into the pot.
• Check: do not place a bet, but reserve the right to remain in the hand. You can only check if none of your opponents have made a bet yet.
• Beth: put money in the bank. The amount you can bet depends on the betting rules of the game.
• Call: Equating a bet made by another player (or players) to remain in the hand.
• Raise: Put extra money in the pot on top of the amount required to “call.”

Rules for playing Texas Hold'em for beginners

One player is the dealer, and the two players to the dealer's left make forced bets of an agreed upon amount, called " small blind" And " big blind"(the small blind is usually equal to half the amount of the big blind).

Each player two cards are dealt face down (their name is “ hole cards" or " starting hand") and the betting round begins. Three cards are then dealt face up to the middle of the table (“ flop") and all players can use these three "common" cards with your hole cards to make the best five-card hand. Betting continues and two more community cards are dealt face up (“ turn" And " river") with a betting round after each one.

Last player to make a bet that was not called or the player with the best five card hand the bank wins. Players can use both, one or none of your hole cards, to collect your final hand, and if several players collect the same combinations, then the pot is divided between them.

Starting hands for beginners

Many newbies at first playing too many hands. Get used to it fold all but the best hands, and play with these hands aggressively- A classic mistake newbies make in poker is calling with strong hands rather than raising. Here is a list of the best hands in Texas Hold'em, the most popular version of poker for beginners.

• Tall couples: AA, KK, QQ, JJ;
• Two high rank cards: AK (especially strong hand), AQ, AJ, AT (suited best);
• Middle pairs: TT, 99, 88, 77, 66 - Be prepared to fold this hand if you miss a set on the flop or if there are overcards.
• Little couples: Pairs below sixes can be played if you can see the flop cheap - if there is a lot of action preflop, then fold these hands.
• Suited connectors: For example, JT suited should only be played from late position, and only if you can see the flop cheaply. Beginning poker players often overestimate the value of suited cards - it is indeed a good hand if the right suit comes up, but this does not happen as often as many beginners think. Having a suited Ace is preferable because if you hit a flush, you will have the largest possible flush. Many newbies lose big money by making the second best flush!

Omaha poker rules for dummies

The rules of Omaha are very similar to the rules of Texas Hold'em, except that in Omaha each player is dealt four hole cards(face down) instead of two. Bets are made according to the same scheme, as in Texas Hold'em. One significant difference between these two forms of poker is that in Omaha you must use two and only two of your four hole cards to collect a combination.

Rules for playing poker Seven Card Stud for Dummies

Each player pays the agreed upon ante and gets two cards face down and one card face up(the latter is called " road map"). This is followed by a betting round in which the player with the lowest door card is forced to open " bring-in rate» (agreed amount that is less than the ante). Other players on the left can then top up the bet to the full amount. After the first round is completed, you should three more rounds: All players who are still active are dealt face up cards, then the last card face down. After each card is dealt, a new round of betting follows. In all rounds after the first, the player with the highest face-up card starts betting.

Too difficult? Everything will become clearer if you play several hands - just play poker for free in one of the poker rooms, whom you can trust. Play it out strong starting hands and play them aggressively, and you'll go from newbie to experienced player in no time.

The best poker rooms for beginners

PartyPoker is an ideal choice for beginners as they have created special poker tables for beginners, which can only be played (for real money) by new players. You can play at these tables within 45 days after making your first deposit at PartyPoker - after 45 days you are no longer considered a newbie and therefore will no longer be able to play at the beginner tables (you will have to join the big boys at the main tables). Betting levels at beginner tables fluctuate from $0.02 to $0.50. To play, simply create a real money account at PartyPoker, then in the lobby select the “ tab Real money", then - " Beginners" This will display all the available tables for beginner players - simply click on the table you want to sit at and then click on an empty seat at the table.

Another good choice is Bet365 Poker. This may seem strange, since this poker room is one of the few that does not offer play money tables. However, the reason why this room is a good choice is simple - they have one of the most generous deposit bonuses, which means that while learning to play poker you can play with Bet365 money rather than your own. You can also deposit very small amounts of money to start the game. While the tables at Bet 365 seem too aggressive for a beginner, your opponents may be prone to playing loose and sloppy poker, which is great for those players who are willing to be patient and only play with strong starting hands. Discipline and playing only with strong hands is key factor for training beginners.

Classic poker is one of the most common card games. Refers to the so-called games with “incomplete information” (opponents do not see each other’s cards). The goal is to collect the strongest combination and break the bank. From 2 to 10 people can take part in a party. The game uses a standard deck of cards without jokers (52 pieces). The seniority of cards is determined depending on the type of poker. The game consists of a certain number of circles, at each of which the participants can continue to fight or give up.

Card combinations in classic poker

Below are the “winning” card combinations in classic poker, in descending order:

• Royal flush . Consists of a sequence of cards of the same suit: starting with 10 and ending with an Ace.
• Straight flush . Includes 5 cards of the same suit arranged in ascending order.
• Kare . 4 cards of the same value.
• Full house . A combination of 3 cards of one rank and 2 cards of another rank.
• Flash . 5 cards of the same suit of any value.
• Straight . Includes 5 cards of any suit in ascending/descending order.
• Set . 3 identical cards regardless of suit.
• Two pairs . 2 pairs of cards of the same value.
• A pair . 1 pair of cards of the same value.
• Kicker (high card) . It comes to the rescue if players fail to collect any of the poker combinations. Determines the winner from two owners of combinations of equal strength. Whoever has the highest card in his hands wins.

In classic poker, winnings do not always go to the owner of the most “trump” combination. All players have the right to bluff and the opportunity to hit the jackpot thanks to the favor of fortune.

Trading, betting and bluffing in classic poker

All bets made by players are collected in a pot, which then goes to the strongest or luckiest player. The procedure and nature of placing bets is determined by the type of game. According to the rules of classic poker, a certain number of betting rounds are completed in one game.

Each round is completed in the following cases: the highest bet is answered or other participants leave the game. If two or more players remain at the table at the showdown, the owner of the strongest poker combination is determined. It is he who gets the prize, but sometimes the pot is distributed among several winners.

Available actions during trading:

• Beth . The first bet is if no one has entered the game before this moment.
• Call . Calling your opponent's bet.
• Raise . Raising your opponent's bet.
• All in . Play with all available chips.
• Fold . Exit from the hand (pass).
• Check . Skipping a turn.

When playing classic poker You should always keep a cool head. And most importantly, you should not forget one simple rule: you can only play with the amount of cash that was taken to the table.
Depending on the size of the bet and limits, there are several varieties of classic poker: limit (bet and the amount of increase are predetermined), pot-limit (you can bet the size of the current bank), no-limit (no restrictions).

Basic strategy for playing classic poker

A strategy for playing classic poker that is suitable for all occasions does not exist and cannot exist. Plus, the possibility of summing up a common denominator significantly complicates the right of each player to bluff.

In order to stay in the black over a long period of time, professionals recommend focusing on the probabilistic approach and the method of mathematical expectation of probability. Calculating the pot odds and then improving your cards in the next hands helps ensure a positive balance.

The essence of the fundamental theorem of poker, formulated by professional players David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth, can be formulated as follows: “in the game, it is necessary to give primary attention to the analysis of possible cards in the hands of opponents and make decisions taking into account the current situation.”

In any situation at the table, it is necessary to maintain the ability to soberly analyze the situation and try not to take rash actions.

As you know, the game rules are the starting step for any novice poker player. This is the foundation, the basis, without which a successful poker game is simply impossible. Therefore, our next article will be devoted to such a moment as the rules of classic poker.

In fact, when you hear the phrase classic poker rules, it most often means Texas Hold'em, as the most popular variation of this wonderful game. Today we will look at the basic rules and combinations in classic poker, which will help you become a successful player in the future (with the proper level of patience and proper training).

The rules of classic poker are quite simple and easy to learn. There is nothing supernatural here that could make your brain boil. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of such theoretical materials. In the end, it's all for your own good. By learning to play, you are actually investing in your future. Well, it’s worth starting with game combinations in classic poker.

What combinations are winning in classic poker?

The rules of poker, in its classic form, suggest that the game bank will be taken by the participant in the game who can collect the highest combination of game cards in his hands. According to the rules of classic poker, there can be 10 possible combinations. We will look at them in order of increasing strength of the combination.

• The most modest combination is "High Card" . When none of the participants managed to collect a combination, this 1 highest card is used. Whoever has it higher wins the hand;
• The combination is slightly more powerful "Pair" . In essence, it consists of two cards of the same value, which differ only in suit;
• "Two pairs" - this is already a combination of 4 cards. To collect such a combination, you need to form two pairs in your hands at once (each of them contains 2 identical cards);
• "Set" or “Troika” - a combination in which 3 cards of the same rank are collected at once, but different in suit;
• "Straight" - a combination in which the player collects 5 cards that go in order (for example, from 8 to Queen. Cards can represent any suit;
• "Flash" - a combination of 5 cards of the same suit;
• "Full house" - a very interesting combination, which includes both “Troika” and “Pair”.
• "Kare" - one of the strongest combinations in classic poker, which is represented by 4 cards of the same rank;
• "Street Flash" - this combination is identical to a regular flush with the exception of one small but very important nuance. Here the player must collect 5 cards in order and of the same suit;
• "Royal Straight Flush" - the strongest combination of classic poker, in which the 5 highest cards of the same suit are collected in order.

Classic poker: rules of the game for beginners

It's time to dwell in more detail on the game rules of classic poker. So how many players can participate? Classic poker is played by 2 to 10 participants. Each participant at the gaming table receives 2 cards.

After the cards are dealt, trading begins, which is carried out in several stages. The two players to the left of the dealer need to place their mandatory bets (called blinds). They are done before the start of trading, in order to stimulate participants to play more lively. This is part of the game, which is enshrined in the rules of poker.

In a situation where you are a beginner, taking a later position would be ideal for you. This will give you the opportunity to observe your opponents' decisions. This should not be taken as poker rules, this is closer to game tactical moves.

Following the setting of the blinds (mandatory bets of the first two players), the first stage of trading begins. The game rules assume that the participant will perform certain game actions during the game. Such actions also have their own characteristics and specific names:

• Bet. In Russian it sounds like “put”. Essentially, this term means that the player is making a bet;
• Call. In Russian this can be described as “answer.” The idea is that you call by betting the same amount as your opponent;
• Raise. This is upping the ante. That is, to raise is to raise the bet (hence, to make a larger bet than your opponents);
• Fold. Fold cards. This decision means that you exit the given hand by discarding your cards;
• Check. Skip a lap. The player has the opportunity to skip his turn during bidding if he has already made his bet earlier, or his opponents have not made bets.

Thus, the betting round at the gaming table will be completed at the moment when each of the participants at the table does not make a bet or folds their cards.

Following the first round of betting, if there is still more than 1 player in the hand, the game continues. Here, the rules of classic poker provide for the so-called flop - 3 common open cards are laid out on the gaming table, which players will need to use to form their own combinations.

In a situation where after such a round the game continues (more than 1 participant remains in the game), then 1 more community card is added to the gaming table - the so-called turn. As with the flop, after the turn is dealt to the gaming table, another round of betting takes place at the gaming table.

If at this stage there are still 2 or more participants in the hand, then after the turn another community open card is added. This moment is called the river. There is also always a betting round after the river. If here too two or more participants remain in the game, then the cards are shown.

In accordance with the rules of classic poker, game combinations must be formed from two hole cards and 5 community cards. If all bets are made and there are 2 or more participants left in the game, then they take turns opening their cards. Whoever has the stronger combination wins this hand.

2 main ways to get a game bank

• Collect the strongest combination that your opponents cannot block. Then you will deservedly become the winner of the distribution;
• Take a risk and make a bet that your opponents will not be able to call and will fold their cards.