Online poker can be an incredibly rewarding and strategic game, but starting out can feel overwhelming. The most popular version played globally is Texas Hold’em. This guide covers the basic rules, hand rankings, and essential starting strategies you need to jump into your first game.
1. The Basic Rules of Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is played with a standard 52-card deck and typically involves 2 to 10 players. The objective is to make the best possible five-card poker hand using any combination of your two private cards (known as hole cards) and five community cards dealt face-up on the board.
The Betting Rounds:
A single hand of poker proceeds through four main betting rounds, each separated by the dealing of community cards:
| Round | What Happens | Action Starts With |
| Pre-flop | Each player is dealt two private hole cards. Small Blind (SB) and Big Blind (BB) bets are placed. | The player to the left of the Big Blind. |
| Flop | Three community cards are dealt face-up. | The player to the left of the Dealer Button. |
| Turn | A fourth community card is dealt face-up. | The player to the left of the Dealer Button. |
| River | The fifth and final community card is dealt face-up. | The player to the left of the Dealer Button. |
Player Actions:
In any betting round, you have five options:
- Fold: Give up your hand and forfeit any chips you’ve already put into the pot. You take no further part in the current hand.
- Check: Pass the action to the next player without betting any chips (only possible if no one has bet before you in the current round).
- Call: Match the amount of the previous bet placed by an opponent.
- Bet: Place the first chips into the pot during a betting round.
- Raise: Increase the amount of the current bet, forcing subsequent players to call the new, higher amount or fold.
2. Understanding Poker Hand Rankings
To win, you must have a better five-card hand than your opponent(s) at the showdown (after the river betting round). Knowing the rankings is non-negotiable.
| Rank | Hand Name | Description | Example |
| 1. | Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit. | A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥ |
| 2. | Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards of the same suit. | 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ |
| 3. | Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank. | A♦ A♥ A♠ A♣ 9♠ |
| 4. | Full House | Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. | 8♣ 8♦ 8♥ 4♠ 4♥ |
| 5. | Flush | Five cards of the same suit (not in sequence). | K♣ 9♣ 6♣ 4♣ 2♣ |
| 6. | Straight | Five consecutive cards of any suit. | 7♥ 6♠ 5♦ 4♣ 3♥ |
| 7. | Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank. | 10♦ 10♥ 10♠ 7♣ 2♦ |
| 8. | Two Pair | Two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. | A♠ A♥ K♦ K♣ 5♥ |
| 9. | One Pair | Two cards of the same rank. | Q♠ Q♥ 9♦ 6♣ 3♥ |
| 10. | High Card | None of the above; the highest card wins. | A♠ 8♦ 6♣ 4♥ 2♦ (Ace High) |
3. Essential Beginner Strategy: Tight & Aggressive
The single biggest mistake new players make is playing too many hands.
- Play Tight: Be selective with your starting hands. Only enter the pot with a relatively strong hand (a “tight” range). This keeps you out of difficult situations post-flop.
- Strong Starting Hands (Always Play): High pairs (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT), Ace-King suited (AKs), Ace-Queen suited (AQs).
- Marginal Hands (Play Cautiously): Small to mid-pairs (99-22), two high cards (AJ, KQ, QJ, suited connectors like 89s, TJs).
- Play Aggressive: When you do enter a pot, enter it with a bet or a raise, not a call. This forces opponents to make tough decisions, builds the pot when you have a good hand, and gives you more ways to win (by having the best hand or by making everyone else fold). This style is called Tight-Aggressive (TAG).
4. The Importance of Position
Your position at the table (where you sit relative to the Dealer Button) is crucial.
- Late Position (Button, Cut-off): You act last on the Flop, Turn, and River. This is the best position because you get to see what your opponents do before you act, giving you valuable information. You can play a wider range of hands here.
- Early Position (Small Blind, Big Blind, UTG): You act first or near-first. This is the worst position because you have no information on your opponents’ intentions. You should play a very tight range of hands from these spots.
5. Bankroll Management
Always adhere to responsible gambling practices:
- Play Within Your Means: Only use money you can comfortably afford to lose.
- The 20-Buy-in Rule (Guideline): A common recommendation is to have at least 20 times the maximum buy-in for the game you are playing. For example, if you play $10 buy-in tournaments, your bankroll should be at least $200. This protects you from the natural variance (bad luck streaks) that happens in poker.
