Online Poker Networks - Compete against real Players
Furthermore, we have to divide Online Poker into two completely different categories. On the one hand, you have the large Online Poker Networks where you can compete against other players across the globe for a small fee. This is where most professional players are at home, waiting patiently like sharks for their next victim. If you are not an experienced player this might not be the place to start your online poker career. You may want to learn how to play online poker first.
Casino Poker - Play Against the Bank
But there’s good news: there is also a more relaxed option available in the form of casino poker. This can be found in many online casinos and even in live casinos. Here you don’t have to worry about professional players that know every trick in the book because you are only competing against the bank. The skill required to get started with casino poker is way lower.
The Most Popular Poker Variations
As previously mentioned, there are plenty of poker variations out there. In fact, the options are so numerous that we cannot discuss them all in this guide. We would, however, like to give you at least an idea of what’s available for you to explore:
- Texas Hold’em
- Omaha Hi
- Omaha Hi-Lo
- 7-Card Stud
- 2-7 Triple Draw
- 5-Card Draw
- 5-Card Omaha
- HORSE
- Razz
- Chinese Poker
- Short Deck
- Pineapple
If you want to find out more about the above-mentioned poker variants you can easily find more detailed information about them on the web or in one of the many guides on GoodLuckMate.
How to Play Texas Hold’em Poker
The most popular of the multitude of variants is Texas Hold'em Poker, which is why we want to go into a bit more detail with this one. In this overview you can see the order in which poker hands are rated, sorted from the most valuable hand to the hand with the lowest value:
- Royal Flush: A straight from 10 to Ace of the same suit
- Straight Flush: A straight of five consecutive cards of the same suit
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same value
- Full House: Three cards of the same value plus two cards of the same value
- Flush: Any five cards of the same suit
- Straight: Five consecutive cards that do not have to be of the same suit
- Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same value
- Two Pair: Two pairs of two cards of the same value
- Pair: A pair of equal value
- High Card: If you don't have any of the above-mentioned hands, your highest card counts
The basics of Casino Hold'em
Before a game of Casino Hold'em begins, you must first place a basic bet, the so-called ante. After you have placed your ante, you will be given two cards. The dealer also receives two cards, but they are not visible to you.
Next, three community cards are revealed in the center of the table. In technical jargon, this is called a flop. So far, almost everything is identical to normal Texas Hold'em poker. After analyzing your cards and the three community cards, you need to decide whether to call or if you want to fold your hand. If you decide to call, the dealer draws another community card at the so-called “Turn”. This is followed by the final round, the “River”, with one more community card, so five in total.
The dealer now compares his hand to the player's hand. This is called a showdown in technical terms. This is where you discover whether you’ve won or lost and the game ends.
How Do I Get a Poker Bonus?
It’s really easy to get a poker bonus in most online casinos. However, first, you have to decide if you want to compete at a poker network against other players or if you want to try the casino poker version of the game where you play against the bank. There’s usually separate bonus offers available for each of them. If you are not sure which offer to choose you can have a look at the GoodLuckMate Top List in order to find out more about the best deals out there.
Can I Play Poker for Free?
Yes! There are several different ways to play online poker for free. If you are interested in trying out the casino poker options you can test most of the games in a free version. There you can play with play money for as long as you want. You can refine your poker strategy and learn more about the game without having to risk a dime. On most casino sites you can do this by selecting one of the games while you are not logged into your account.