Your Ultimate Guide to Online Poker in 2023

The history of poker is incredibly complex and rich, with roots stretching back several centuries. While the exact origin of poker is highly debated, there are some factual events that give us a rough outline.

Poker’s story began in the 16^th century when it was far from its modern variant. It had the form of various card games that were popular in Europe. The card games were very similar, with elements of bluffing and betting. The French called this precursor to poker “Poque”, while the Spanish called it “Primero”.

The game evolved over time and hit the shores of North America in the 18^th century, courtesy of French settlers. It spread rapidly among American colonists, with several variations emerging from the melting pot of America.

The 19^th century saw an explosion in poker’s US popularity. The game became widespread in gambling houses, saloons, and especially riverboats. This is where several betting formats that we know and love today developed.

The American Civil War was instrumental to the rise of poker as it was played by soldiers in their downtime. This is also where the game of "Draw Poker" can find its roots.

As the 19^th century rolled to a close, poker became more standardized, with specific hand rankings and rules emerging. The concepts of a “straight” and a “flush” appeared.

The game simply picked up steam in the 20^th century, with the 1970s seeing the start of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. This incredible event has been bringing the very best poker players from around the world together. Note that their poker variant of choice is Texas Hold 'em.

Poker has never been as big as it is today, which is mostly thanks to the prominence of online casinos. There are countless poker websites and tournaments out there, with a recent shift into the exciting worlds of VR and AR gaming. While Texas Hold ‘em and Omaha reign supreme, you never know what the poker rounds of the next few years will look like.

You simply cannot compete in an environment such as a poker table unless you are familiar with the various terms and phrases that poker players use. We recommend that you check out the following breakdown and ensure that you are never left scratching your head.

• Blinds - These bets are forced upon the two players that sit left of the dealer. The small and big blind, as they are called, are paid before the start of each poker round. They help start pots and get the betting going.
• Bluff - A deceptive or misleading action or statement that creates false impressions regarding the strength of your hand. It requires a great deal of observation to execute flawlessly.
• Buy-in - This is the entry fee that a punter has to pay in order to partake in a poker game or tournament.
• Community Cards - These are cards that are dealt face-up and in the center of a poker table. They are shared among all players and used to form winning combinations.
• Hole Cards - Occasionally referred to as hole cards, these are given to each punter. They form winning combinations when combined with community cards.
• Flop - The second round of community cards in games such as Texas Hold 'em and Omaha. It sees three cards being simultaneously revealed after the first round of betting.
• Flush - A poker hand comprised of five cards of the same suit that do not bear a sequential order. A great example would be five hearts marked as 2-5-8-J-Q.
• Pair - A pair on poker is comprised of two cards of the same rank, such as two Kings or two 7s. Most poker variants consider a pair to be a basic winning hand.
• Pot - This is the sum of all wagers that have been placed in any given poker round. The punter with the best hand at the end of a hand wins the entire pot.
• Rake - This is a small percentage of each pot that the casino or poker room takes as a hosting fee.
• River - The fifth and last community card in games such as Texas Hold 'em and Omaha. It appears after the fourth round of betting, and it completes the community card lineup.
• Round of Betting - A phase in poker where players take turns calling, raising, checking, or folding. You can expect several such rounds of betting per poker game.
• Royal Flush - The highest-ranked poker hand that is comprised of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the same suit. It is very rare and completely unbeatable.

If you want to have a truly incredible poker gaming experience, you need to know exactly what the objective, gameplay, and card rankings of poker are like. While the game requires some getting used to, it is an unforgettable adventure that everyone should partake in.

The primary objective of any poker game is to win chips or money from other players by either bluffing your way to victory or having the best hand during the showdown phase. Speaking of poker phases, check out the following breakdown of gameplay.

• Poker is usually played with a standard deck of 52 cards, with at least two and up to 10 players. Note that these facts depend entirely on the poker variant at hand.
• Players are given face-down or hole cards, while the table is also populated by face-up or community cards. The number of these also depends on the variant at hand.
• The game is played in rounds, with each round consisting of betting and checking. These actions are followed by the reveal of community cards and additional betting rounds.
• Punters can freely fold, check, bet, call, or raise. However, if the player before you has raised, you are forced to call or fold. Note that excessive raising can annoy your fellow punters.
• Betting continues until active players either fold or call the highest bet.
• Once the final round of betting is over, players reveal their hole cards, and a winner is determined. Different titles handle ties differently, with most simply splitting the pot or adding another community card to the table.

Hands can be unintuitive, especially if you have never played poker before. We have, therefore, prepared the following handy breakdown of poker hands from the highest to the lowest.

• Royal Flush - The highest-ranked hand in poker consists of an A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit.
• Straight Flush - Five consecutive cards of the same suit, such as 8-9-10-J-Q or hearts.
• Four of a Kind - Also known as “Quads”, it consists of four cards of the same rank, such as four Aces.
• Full House - Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as three Kings and two 7s.
• Flush - Five cards of the same suit, regardless of order.
• Straight - Five consecutive cards of different suits, such as 4-5-6-7-8.
• Three of a Kind - Also known as “Trips” or “Set”, it consists of three cards of the same rank, such as three 9s.
• Two Pair - Two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as two Jacks and two 6s.
• One Pair - Two cards of the same rank, such as two Queens.
• High Card - When there are no pairs or better, the highest card determines the winner. If two players have the same high card, the next-highest card wins, and so on.

You will inevitably come across poker strategies when researching this amazing casino game online. We want you to be prepared by showing you the various poker strategies that you might encounter. Moreover, we will give you an objective look at their effectiveness.

Starting Hand Selection

There is no point in retaining weak or undesirable hands unless you are a master of bluffing. While you can always choose to play them for fun, they have small chances of actually winning.

Bluffing

You cannot play poker without bluffing at last once. Bluffing can be great if you know how to do it in moderation. Too much bluffing can make you completely untrustworthy and even an annoyance.

Table Selection

A beginner should not dive head-first into high-stakes tables and other high-end competitions. He or she should stick to lower-stakes tables that have room for learning and garnering experience.

Game Selection

Not all poker games are made equal. Explore your casino’s game library and be very selective with prospective titles. There are plenty of simple games for beginners, such as Texas Hold ‘em, and complex ones, such as HORSE. Note that the latter is a mixture of Fixed Limit Hold 'em, Fixed Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz (Seven Card Stud Low), Seven Card Stud (High Only), and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, so it is notoriously difficult to play.

Aggression

Aggressively betting and raising instead of being passive and calling can help you push your fellow punters into unpleasant situations. However, it can also make you the primary target of the entire table.

Varying Gameplay

Do not stick to one betting pattern. Always mix up your gameplay with unconventional or even odd bets. While this can lead to some losses, it will help you trick your opponents later down the line.

Positioning Bets

Be very careful when setting the size and timing of your bets. Betting too much can frighten opponents while betting too little can give them unfair odds to call.