Online poker for beginners

Poker is one of the oldest and most traditional casino games around, in which it’s hard to believe it’s just as popular today as it was decades ago. Today, it is estimated that more than 120 million people across the globe play online poker, as new and continually evolving technologies have made it possible for more people than ever to access poker and other strategy games.

What’s more, the introduction of new technologies has meant that online casino games, and in particular poker, have become more interactive and innovative than ever before. While still maintaining the way the game is played itself, online poker now has so much more to offer in terms of the way players can socialize and interact with each other, the themes available, and the mix of physical and virtual worlds.

While there are a few different variations of poker across the globe, online poker takes a little while to learn, even for those who are seasoned poker players. With the online version being much more fast-paced than games in brick-and-mortar casinos, it pays to do some research and have a solid online poker playing strategy in place before you dive in.

Below, we’ll cover all the essentials you need to know for getting started with online poker as a beginner.

The different types of poker

Free Man in White Suit Jacket Sitting Beside Brown Wooden Table Stock Photo

(A dealer, dealing cards at a poker table in a casino)

Before you learn how to play poker, the most basic starting point is to learn the different variants of poker and understand how they differ. Let’s take a look at the five popular variants of poker below.

Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em is a classic poker variant and quite possibly one of the most popular poker variants around today. The game revolves around 4 stages:

  • The Pre-flop – Each player is dealt two cards face down
  • The flop – Three community cards are then dealt face up
  • The turn – A fourth community card is dealt
  • The River – A fifth community card is dealt

The aim of the game is to have the best five-card poker hand out of the seven cards that are available. There are times when two players are left in the game with the best hand, which becomes the showdown. During the showdown, one player will have the best hand and win, however usually, one player will be left to fold and walk away with the jackpot.

Omaha

Omaha is similar to Texas Hold’em but with a slight variant in the game. In Omaha, you receive 4 cards during the pre-flop rather than two. The player with the best high hand at the showdown usually wins the game.

Seven card stud

Seven card stud was most popular before Texas Hold’em took over, in which it involves a little more skill than other variants of the game. The aim of the game is to get the best five-card hand from the seven cards dealt.

Bear in mind that there are two to eight players in this game and there are no flop or community cards. We recommend giving this variant a go once you’ve had a little practice.

Five card draw

This is one of the more beginner-friendly variants as players must work with the cards they are given, although you can begin to work a little strategy into the game too. This variant of the game is where your bluffing needs to be on point.

High Low Chicago

Similar to seven card stud, high low chicago revolves around the highest and lowest hand. In this game, there are often two winners who split the jackpot and it again requires a little strategy, meaning it’s best left for when you’ve got some experience under your belt.

Where to find resources to level up your poker skills

Free stock photo of adult, asians, at home Stock Photo

(A group of mixed-gender people playing poker around a dining table)

With there being so much advice and an abundance of resources online, it can be difficult to know where to get started with playing online poker. However, there are some resources that are great for getting started as a beginner.

Watch poker tournaments

By watching past and present poker tournaments, you’ll begin to get familiar with how the game is played while starting to pick up some tips and tricks from the pros. Some of the best channels for watching these games include YouTube and various poker sites that allow you to stream them.

Play online

There’s no better way than diving right into the game on Windows and getting some practice firsthand. Just be sure to choose a game where the stakes are low so that you don’t lose too much and put yourself off straight away.

Be sure to choose a site where there are sign-up bonuses and promotions, including no deposit sign-ups so that you can trial the game and walk away to another site if it doesn’t suit you.

Overall, learning to play online poker can seem like a challenge when you are first starting out. However, with a little experience and some hours dedicated to researching your strategy and becoming familiar with the terminology, you’ll begin to feel more confident in no time at all.