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Online Poker Beginners Guide

Playing online poker is easy! But getting started in the game can be slightly daunting. So, we’re here to ease the pressure making sure your poker playing experience is even more enjoyable. Follow our simple step-by-step guide and you can enjoy all the benefits of playing online poker.

Step 1 How to download the client

First of all choose an online poker room to play at. Read the online poker room reviews above the click the ‘Download’ button.

All of our recommended online poker rooms offer poker games within a safe, secure and fair environment while also providing world class customer service. All of these rooms are also audited by blue chip companies and promote responsible gaming.

Your download should start instantly.

Step 2 How to Install

Once you have downloaded the online poker client, you’re literally just a few mouse clicks away from playing your first poker hand.

Once the client has downloaded, you will automatically be taken to the setup wizard. Select ‘Install’ and agree the T&C’s. It will take only a few minutes for the software to download.

Step 3 How to Register

With the software now installed you will be presented with the online poker rooms lobby area.

Click on ‘log in’. After that click on ‘Create Account’.

That’s it you're now able to either play for real money or play money.

Step 4 How to Deposit Money

Play Money, or Fun, tables are useful to get your bearings on table layout, buttons and chat facility – so you’re not rushed into making the wrong move during real play.

Play Money tables don’t generally reflect real poker, as players tend to be very loose, betting and calling with whatever hand they’ve been dealt.

To become a Real Player is easy. Just click on the cashier button, select your payment method, and there are a vast number, and deposit.

Play Poker

Here’s your easy-to-follow guide to the different types of poker you can play.

Cash Games

Cash Games, or Ring Games, allow you to sit down and play as many, or as few, hands as you like then get up and leave.

1 On 1

1 On 1, Head to Head or Heads Up does exactly what it says on the tin: it allows you to play against one other player.

Sit & Go Tournament

Sit & Go or Sit ‘n’Go come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but are in essence single table tournaments between six or ten players. Sit at a table and when the table is full the tournament will start.

Multi Table Tournament

Multi Table Tournaments, MTTs or Scheduled Tournaments start at a set time. Entry can be as little as $1/£1/€1 but the end prize can be staggering.

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Texas Holdem

The most popular of all online poker games, No-Limit Texas Holdem is a dynamic and action-packed game.

Unlike other forms of gambling and casino games where you play against the house, in poker, you play against other people. Your aim is to win the chips in play.

You do this by making the best five-card hand using two ‘hole cards’ that are dealt face down to each player, and five shared community cards (‘the board’) which are dealt in stages face-up for all to see.

On the surface, No Limit Texas Holdem is deceptively simple: two hole cards each, five in the middle , whoever makes the best five card hand, or makes everyone else fold, wins. The object of gathering many chips may be clear cut. But it’s the dozens of ways that you can approach this objective that really sets the game apart.

Playing the Game

The Button

Before the start of a game, players are dealt a single card each, and the player with the highest card becomes the ‘Dealer’ and receives the ‘Button’. It’s then passed one seat to the left every hand of play. Once the dealer button is in place, the game is ready for action.

Starting with the player on the left of the button, the ‘small blind’, each player receives two cards face down.

Small Blind and Big Blind

Blinds are forced bets that everyone has to play at some point. The big blind is usually twice the amount of the big blind. The blinds like the button move round in a clockwise direction every hand.

Hole Cards

The ‘hole cards’ are two cards that everyone gets dealt face down at the start of a hand. In the first round of betting you have to decide whether to play your hand by calling or throw away your hand by folding. The first round of betting is now underway. When it is your turn again you can either: Fold, Bet, Check, Call or Raise.

The Flop

With the first round of betting out of the way the action goes to the flop and the first three community cards are dealt face up. Each player uses these community cards to build their hand. Second round of betting begins.

The Turn

The fourth community card is called the ‘turn’. After the ‘turn’ card has been dealt another round of betting will now follow.

The River

The fifth and final card is known of the river or fifth street. Now that all the cards have been dealt you should know your hand value. The final round of betting begins.

The Showdown

This takes place after the final round of betting when any player who hasn’t folded shows their cards and the best hand takes the pot.

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Texas Holdem Strategy

Position

Position is vital in deciding whether to enter a pot. Normally, you should only enter the pot in early position with big pairs and A-K. Limping with smaller pocket pairs can also be profitable. Get used to mucking a huge amount of hands if you are the first to act.

As you move around the table you can open up more. Being in late position also gives the chance to see the game unfold and allow you to make a valued judgement.

Game of People

Don’t make the mistake of just concentrating on hands you are actively involved in and forgetting about the rest. The chances are you will only end up playing 15-20% of the hands that you’re dealt. You need to keep an eye on how the other players are playing the other 80%.

Be Aggressive when you enter a Pot

Your goal is to put other players under pressure and force them to make tough decisions. Typically, this means raising pre-flop and making some kind of bet on the flop, averaging half the pot.

Don’t be too hard on yourself

Try not to let those bad beats and rubbish hands get you down and change your mood, this is called going on ‘tilt’ in poker.

When you’re on tilt you will make rash decisions and be even more on tilt and then it can spiral out of control.

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Sit & Go Tournaments

One of the most popular poker games is Sit & Go. Typically running with ten players, Sit & Go’s pay out 50% of the total prizepool to first, 30% to second and 20% to third.

Sit & Go’s can be a profitable way for the average poker player to make money.

Play conservatively in early stages, upping the pace and range of bets in the middle stage before going for aggression later on.

At first your aim is to make the money so bubble play is vital, the bubble being the last position money is paid.. Once in the money play to win.

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Multi table Tournaments

Tournaments are a great way for players to build on their experience of Sit & Go’s. Every player buys in for a set amount and in turn, gets a set amount of chips, usually 1,500 online.

When you lose your chips you are out of the tournament. Once the tournament gets to around 10% of the starting field remaining all players receive prize money.

The tournament is over when the last player holds all the chips in play.

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Cash Games

Cash games represent poker at its purest every chip is worth real money.

It’s a game of patience and aggression. The most important piece of advice is to pick your starting hands carefully. If you play to many hands you will lose money over the long term; and be called a ‘fish’.

Play smart, but play tough.

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