For many, poker is the quintessential casino game. No other game elicits such feelings of excitement and romance, it’s synonymous with Hollywood films and iconic characters like James Bond.
If you want to try your hand and poker, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed when first starting out. The various different versions, rules, and etiquette standards can be confusing and difficult to get your head around. We’ve put together a guide with three tips for beginner poker players. Check it out below.
Learn About Different Versions of Poker
Poker is an old game, thought to have originated in Asia around 1,000 years ago. It will come as no surprise to learn that the game has gone through numerous changes over the intervening years, different versions have formed and broken off, creating a broad spectrum of different games that all fall under the poker umbrella.
While all of these games follow the basic poker principles, they will have specific rules and methods of play which means each requires research and practice to play properly.
Some of the most well-known types of poker are Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw, 7 Card Stud, and 5 Card Draw.
However, by far the most popular version is called Texas Hold’Em. In this version, each player receives two cards, while five community cards are shared among the players and used to make five-card hands. The first three community cards are overturned after an initial betting round, with the final two overturned after subsequent betting rounds.
If you’re planning to visit a casino to play poker, you will undoubtedly come across Texas Hold’Em, so it’s essential that you read up on the rules.
Learn the Lingo
When learning how to play poker, you’re going to come across a lot of strange terms, new concepts, and foreign words. Poker essentially has its own language, with special phrases used to describe aspects of the game and how it’s played.
We could be here all day discussing poker lingo, so we’ve listed a few key terms and their definitions to give you a foundation of knowledge that you can build upon as you explore the world of poker.
Ante: The Ante is a small bet that all players need to make before any cards are dealt. This is to start building up the pot and ensure there is something there to be won.
Blind: Blinds are bets made after the ante but before any cards are dealt. The player directly to the left of the dealer will bet what’s known as the Big Blind, while the player to their left will bet a smaller amount known as the Small Blind.
Fold: If a player doesn’t feel confident in their cards and doesn’t want to continue betting, they can fold. This means forfeiting their cards and exiting the round. Knowing when to fold is crucial and can prevent you from making losses.
Have Fun
At the end of the day, poker is about having fun and enjoying yourself. While the game can get serious, in professional tournaments there is a lot of money at stake, as a casual player it’s all about spending time with your friends and having a poker night to remember.
