Top Online Poker Rooms With Great Bonus Offers
Online Poker State provides a list the best overall poker rooms for all kinds of online poker players.
It doesn't matter if Texas Holdem is your game or you actually prefer to play at the Hi and Low Omaha poker tables, you will find all information you need before choosing your gaming site here.
We had rated and constantly rate and update our online poker sites ranking list on a weekly basis. To qualify for our top list a poker site must be strong in all aspects, each review will give you information about these aspects.
We are here guide you through the the numerous possible websites to play poker online. Before you start playing online, it is wise to know what would be a good place for you to start, where you and your money will be safe and get the opportunities to develop.
We are constantly updating our list of poker rooms, keeping you up to date with the best bonus offers and running promotions.
Our site features a great wealth of online poker information designed to help you learn about online poker and improve your understanding of this most popular casino game.
You will find information on the most popular poker games such as the Texas hold'em, Omaha poker, Omaha Hi/Low and many others.
Check our online casino reviews
added recently
Poker Basics
There are a lot of variations of poker but they almost all follow the same rank of hands, terminology and a 52 card deck. There is no actual organization that governs over poker as the rules have been simply passed along. There are many standard rules but each establishment may have its own set of rules called "House Rules" which are usually a clarification or a variation of the basics. It’s always best to look over the rules at where ever you play to ensure you are well aware of any differences.
In almost all poker games, cash is not used but chips are used to represent the money and each chip will have its own denomination of its worth. You buy your chips at the beginning of the game before playing and this is called "Buying In". When you quit, you can trade your chips back in for cash known as "Cashing Out".
Here are a few of the common poker terms used in most games.
• Ante – a bet placed into the pot by all players before the hand is dealt. It is the price to be able to play in that hand.
• Bet – to put money into the pot that all other players will have to call.
• Blind – used in some variations instead of antes. The two players to the left of the dealer will put in a forced bet to get the betting started.
• Bluff – when you bet your hand but have a hand that probably cannot win. You are hoping everyone else fold’s.
• Buy-in – Money used to buy into the poker game. Most games have a minimum that you must buy-in for.
• Call – When a bet has been made in front of you, one of your options is to call where you match the bet. This allows you to continue in the game.
• Check – Checking is where you neither bet nor fold but put no money in the pot. You can only check if everyone in front of you has checked. If everyone checks the game continues but if anyone bets, then you can no longer check.
• Fold – If you think you cannot win, you should fold. You throw your cards into the middle and quit that hand.
• Pot – All the money that is put in during the hand goes into the centre called “The Pot”. If you are in the hand, you still have a chance to win the pot.
• Raise – A raise is after there has been a bet. You increase the amount of the original bet.
• Showdown – After all the cards are out and all the betting is complete there is a showdown. This is where you turn your cards over to see who has the best hand and wins the pot.
Rank of Hands
The winner is determined by who has the highest hand. Almost all games follow this rank of hands. It is listed from the worst to the best.
- High Card – no pairs, straights or flushes just the highest card in your hand. If there is a tie, then you go to the second highest card to determine who the winner is.
- One Pair – two cards of the same value. A pair of 9’s beats a pair of 7’s.
- Two Pair – two cards of the same value and another two cards of the same value. A pair of Kings and a pair of 2’s beats someone with a pair of Queens and a pair of Jacks. It is the highest pair that determines the winner.
- Three of a Kind – Three cards of the same value commonly referred to as a “Set” or "Trips".
- Straight – Five cards that are sequential such as 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of different suits. The Ace can be used for a low straight called a Bike (A, 2, 3, 4, 5) or as the highest straight (10, J, Q, K, A)
- Flush – Five cards of the same suit but not sequential. You highest card in the flush determines how high your flush is. For example you might have Ace of Spades, Jack of Spades, Ten of Spades, 8 of Spades and the 2 of Spades making an Ace high flush. If there is another person with a flush and they are also Ace high, you have to go to the second highest card, in this case the Jack to determine the winner and so on.
- Full House – Three cards of the same value and another two cards of the same value (Three of a Kind and a Pair). The three of kind determines how high the full house is. Three 9’s and two Aces is a Full house of 9’s over Aces. It is also referred to as a “Boat” or a “Tight”.
- Four of a Kind – Four cards of the same value. For example, four Jacks. This hand is very rare.
- Straight Flush – Five cards that are sequential and of the same suit. For example 3 of Spades, 4 of Spades, 5 of Spades, 6 of Spades, and the 7 of Spades.
- Royal Flush – The highest of all hands is a straight flush that is from the Ten to the Ace.
The game of poker is simple to learn but hard to master. Cards can be dealt face up or face down depending on the game you are playing. No matter what game you are playing, it usually comes down to the best five cards. The goal is to win the pot.
You can win the pot in two ways:
1. At showdown your hand is the best
Or
2. All your opponents fold their hand
The game has many variations and is a source of pleasure for most people while a source of income for professionals.
|
