How To Play Poker For Beginners
Poker is a classic card game enjoyed by many across the UK, both in-person and online. If you are new to the game, the variety of rules and hands can feel a little overwhelming.
Whether you want to try poker with friends, or at a UK-licensed online casino, knowing the basics can potentially give you a strong start. Let’s take a closer look at how to get started.
What Are The Different Poker Types?
There are a few main forms of poker, each with its own rules and style of play.
If you play online, you might come across different versions or small rule changes within each main type. It might be a good idea to review the instructions for any new version before you start.
You can try any poker type as a beginner, and most games use a standard 52-card deck unless mentioned otherwise. Once you know the basics, you can decide which style feels right for you.
Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is played at almost every UK poker venue and on most regulated casino sites. Each player is dealt two private cards (“hole cards”), and five “community cards” are placed face up in the centre across several betting rounds.
These rounds include the “flop” (three cards), the “turn” (one card), and the “river” (final card), each with opportunities to bet or fold. You use the best combination of your own two cards and the community cards to make your strongest five-card hand.
The aim is to have the highest-ranked hand at the end, or to encourage your opponents to fold before the final cards are revealed.
Omaha
Omaha is a popular alternative to Texas Hold’em, especially for players looking for a different challenge. Here, each person starts with four private cards. During the hand, five community cards appear in the centre.
Remember, you must use exactly two of your private cards and exactly three community cards to make your best hand. The order of poker hand rankings is the same as in other formats.
Omaha comes in several types, such as fixed limit, pot limit, or no limit, so it could be helpful to check the betting structure before sitting down.
3 Card Poker
3 Card Poker is a quick casino game played against the dealer, not other players. Each player and the dealer get three cards. Your aim is to beat the dealer with a stronger three-card hand.
Hands are ranked from “high card” to “straight flush”, with different probabilities than standard five-card poker. You can place an “Ante” bet (playing against the dealer) and an optional “Pair Plus” bet (which pays if you have a pair or better, no matter what the dealer holds).
Most UK casinos and online sites show clear betting zones and provide paytables so you can see possible returns before playing.
5 Card Draw
5 Card Draw is simple and often played at home. Each player receives five private cards and there is a round of betting. You then choose which cards, if any, to swap for new ones, aiming to improve your hand.
After the draw round, there is a final round of betting before everyone shows their cards to see who made the best five-card hand.
Although this version is less common at UK casinos and online, it sometimes appears in game libraries. Rules can change slightly between sites, so it might be wise to check instructions if you come across a version you have not played before.
Seven Card Stud
Unlike Hold’em and Omaha, Seven Card Stud does not use community cards. Each player receives a mix of face-up and face-down cards over several betting rounds, ending with a total of seven cards each.
You choose your best five-card combination from your own seven cards, following the usual hand rankings.
While not as common as other types in the UK, you can sometimes find Seven Card Stud at specialist venues or on online platforms.
Caribbean Stud Poker
Caribbean Stud Poker is played against the dealer. You place an “Ante” bet, receive five cards face up, and see one of the dealer’s five cards. You then choose whether to fold (ending your round and losing your Ante) or “Call” (continuing by placing a further bet).
The dealer must “qualify” by holding at least an Ace and a King. If this does not happen, your Ante bet pays out by itself. If the dealer does qualify, cards are compared and the higher hand receives a payout according to regular poker rankings.
What Are The Poker Hand Rankings?
Understanding hand rankings can be helpful before you play. Poker hands, from strongest to weakest, are generally ranked as below:
- Royal Flush: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the same suit.
- Straight Flush: Five cards in a sequence, all the same suit.
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank.
- Full House: A Full House is three of one rank plus two of another.
- Flush: Five cards of the same suit, not in order.
- Straight: Five cards in order, any suits.
- Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank.
- Two Pair: Two cards of one rank, and two of another.
- One Pair: Two cards of the same rank.
- High Card: None of the above; the highest card counts.
These combinations are used in nearly all UK poker games and are described in detail in the instructions provided by regulated poker rooms and casino sites.
Which Hand Beats What?
Whenever you are not sure about the strength of your cards, you can refer back to the standard rankings listed in the previous section.
The higher your combination ranks, the stronger your position in a showdown. For ties, the highest cards in the combination are compared to break the deadlock.
What Are The Rules of Poker?
Poker starts with a standard 52-card deck and can be played by as few as two players or as many as the table allows. Each poker type has its own rules (see earlier explanations), but in every case, players are aiming to put together the highest five-card hand or to outlast others through betting.
A round includes dealing cards, betting in turn, and sometimes showing your hand at the end (the “showdown”). Actions include calling, raising, folding, or checking, which are explained shortly.
If you join an online casino or poker room, you’ll find clear guides and game rules. These might be useful for any new or unfamiliar poker version.
All poker games are random because of the way cards are dealt—you cannot know what cards are coming next, or control the result. Possible winnings are never fixed or promised.
What Are The Different Poker Betting Types?
Betting structures add an extra layer to poker strategy and can affect how much is staked each round. The most common types are:
- Fixed limit: Betting amounts are set and do not change during a hand.
- No limit: You may bet any or all of your chips when it’s your turn, leading to bigger pots.
- Pot limit: You can bet any amount up to the current size of the pot.
Blinds and antes are explained in-game, as they help start each pot and keep betting active. UK regulated casinos and poker sites show all betting options and maximum or minimum limits in pounds before you join.
Check
To “check” means you choose not to bet when it’s your turn and no one else has placed a bet during that round. This lets the action pass to the next player while you stay in the hand.
You can only check when no bets are on the table for that round. Buttons or options to check are always visible at regulated UK tables, both online and in person.
Call
Calling is when you match the highest bet made in the round to stay in the hand. If, for example, another player bets £2, you put in £2 to call.
If no one has bet yet, the “call” option is not available—refer to the earlier “Check” section in such cases. Calling lets you keep playing without increasing the total at stake.
Raise
A raise increases the amount that all other players must match to continue in the hand. So if someone bets £2 and you raise, you add more to the pot (for example, £2 more, making the total £4), and others have to match this or fold.
Minimum or maximum raise sizes are set by the game’s betting rules (see “What Are The Different Poker Betting Types?”).
Fold
If you fold, you give up your cards and stop playing that hand. You can fold at any point before the showdown if you feel your hand is not strong enough to compete.
Once you fold, you lose any amounts you have already bet in that round, but you do not risk any more. Folding can potentially help limit your losses and is a regular part of poker.
What Is The Best Poker Strategy?
No single tactic can guarantee a win in poker—outcomes are always based on a mix of skill and chance. For beginners, focusing on these areas will might games easier to manage:
- Learn the basic rules of your chosen poker variant.
- Study the hand rankings and betting actions.
- Pay attention to how players act—some bet often, others are cautious.
- Set yourself clear limits for time and money, using casino tools such as deposit or loss limits if needed.
- Practise by joining low-stake games or using “play money” tables online before betting real pounds.
FAQs
Can You Play Poker With 2 People?
Absolutely. This is known as “heads-up” poker and works well with versions like Texas Hold’em and Omaha. The process stays nearly the same, but one player posts the small blind and the other the big blind, so betting continues in order.
UK casino sites often have tables just for two, and all you need for a home game is a deck of cards and something to use as chips. The pace picks up with only one opponent, and the betting becomes a bit more personal.
How To Play Poker Without Chips?
Chips are handy for tracking bets, but you do not need them. Coins, buttons, scraps of paper, or even small sweets all work as substitutes. Just agree on the value of each item before starting.
If you want to play for fun rather than money, you could even keep score with a pen and paper—just record each win or total points per hand.
The main thing is clear agreement on what’s being used, so everyone knows how to bet and keep track during play.
What Is a Rake In Poker?
The “rake” is a small fee taken by casinos or poker rooms to run the game. In cash games, it usually comes out of each pot—a set percentage with a maximum cap (often between £3 and £5 in the UK). In tournaments, the rake is added to your buy-in (for example, a £10+£1 tournament means £10 for the prize fund and £1 as the rake).
Every online platform may have slightly different rake terms, so it could be helpful to check the details for the table you’re joining. The rake does not affect the outcome or fairness of the game, but it’s something to keep in mind when working out your total returns as a player.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.