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Poker is a card game that’s seen a major rise over the course of the last century to become a casino staple. With its combination of random chance and degree of player decision-making, it’s small wonder that Poker has drawn such an audience. The so-called Poker boom of the early 2000s also certainly helped!
For anyone looking to play a game of Poker in an online casino, read on for our guide on how to play this classic card game online.
Choose the right online platform
Before you can join a game of Poker, first you need to decide which is the right online casino platform for you. There are plenty of different options out there, so a lot of this will come down to personal preference.
It’s important to do some research to see whether a platform offers the type of Poker you’re looking for, along with any reviews from other players. Consider things like the user interface as well, as this can make a big difference to the visuals when playing.
Also check for the licensing of any online casino site, as reputable platforms will hold a valid license from a recognised authority such as the UK Gambling Commission.
Decide on a Poker format
After deciding on the platform, consider which variety of Poker you’re interested in. There are a few major varieties of Poker on offer online, along with plenty of smaller variations with different rulesets.
The most common variants of online Poker are:
- Texas Hold’em– Definitely the most common variety both online and in land-based venues. Players are dealt two private cards at the start of the game, with five community cards revealed over the course of play. The goal is to create the strongest five-card hand.
- Omaha– Instead of two cards, here, players are dealt four private hands. They must use exactly two of those cards to make a five-hand with the community cards.
- Stud – This variant involves a combination of face-up and face-down cards dealt to players, with no community cards at all.
All these variants play differently, so it’s important to figure out which best suits your tastes before picking a game.
Poker hand rankings
Something that different Poker variants have in common is the rankings of their hands. These are particularly important to know when making decisions during the game, so you understand the relative strength of any hands you might make.
These are the hands you can make in a game of Poker, ranked from weakest to strongest:
- High Card – a single card like an Ace, King or Ten
- One Pair – two matching cards of the same rank
- Two Pair – two pairs of matched cards
- Three of a Kind – three cards of the same rank
- Straight – five consecutive cards of different suits
- Flush – any five cards of a matching suit
- Full House – a combo of three of a kind and a pair
- Four of a Kind – four cards of the same rank
- Straight Flush – five consecutive cards of a matching suit
- Royal Flush – an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of a matching suit
Knowing which hands to look out for is essential for playing online Poker.
There are plenty more details that we could go into, but these basics should give you an idea of how to go about playing Poker online.
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