Poker instructions for dummies

Poker is a thrilling, pulsating and captivating game which offers great excitement to all players. Whether you intend to play the game for fun in private spaces or you are looking to outwit fellow pro players at the casino table, poker does not disappoint.  

One of the main attributes which make poker highly exciting and inadvertently popular is the mere fact that it’s one of the few casino games based on skill. Everything is not down to lady luck but rather, players need to demonstrate a great ability to apply various strategies to win. However, it is this need for applying strategies that makes the game complex for some especially beginners.  

Worry not if you are a beginner with no poker-playing experience and expertise as this guide in poker instructions for dummies will outline everything there is to know when it comes to initiating and playing the game of poker. 

The Core Objective  

When playing poker, players simply aim at creating the best five-card hand. The beauty of poker, however, is that even if you don’t have the best possible hand when playing in land-based casinos or live casinos, you can use psychological skills to ‘fool’ and convince fellow players that you have a winning hand! This can get you a win. 

Understanding Poker Card Rankings 

 To create the best possible hand, players should know how to count the cards and create the best hands. When it comes to counting the cards, from high to low, the rankings are as follows – A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2. Rankings do not apply to suits meaning a Queen of hearts equals a Queen of spades. 

The poker hand rankings in terms of the strongest to the weakest are as follows: 

• Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J and 10 of the same suits 
• Straight Flush: Five cards in a sequence of the same suit for example 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4
• Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank for example four Jacks and any other card
• Full House: Three cards of the same rank and a pair 
• Flush: Five cards of the same suit but not in a sequence
• Straight: Five cards in a sequence which are not of the same suit
• Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank but different suits and any other two cards
• Two Pair: Two different pairs and any other card 
• Pair: Two cards of the same rank and any other three 

It’s important to note that poker is a game which is played in a round table format with the first players to play (early position) placing bets without necessarily knowing how strong the hands of the opponents are. Inversely, those playing in the middle (middle position) and last (late position) have more options as they can decipher how strong the hands of the opponents are. The betting and playing strategy as such is informed by this.