How to Play Poker Online - A Beginner's Guide

Poker is a thrilling card game like no other. No wonder it's grown in popularity among every card player. The game blends strategy and skill with nuance. There's a timing to win chips and outsmart opponents, and there's the challenge of reading your opponent and knowing when to fold or go all-in. It's about knowing that every decision at the table can turn the odds of winning around.

You will quickly discover that there are numerous variations of poker, but the one thing they all have in common is that you must use your best five cards to make your hand. All forms of poker use a 52-card deck made up of ranks beginning with a two, commonly referred to as a deuce, and continuing by number through ten, followed by Jack, Queen, King, and Ace in that order.

In this how-to-play-poker-for-beginners guide, you'll learn the basics of poker, from hand rankings and betting rules to popular game variations and beginner strategies to get started. By the end, you'll be ready to play your first game with confidence!

Understanding Poker Basics

Number of cards: Poker games are played using a standard 52-card deck. The most popular poker variant, Texas Hold’em, involves each player receiving two private cards, or hole cards, and sharing five community cards. They are dealt face-up on the table. The goal is to make the best possible five-card hand using any combination of your hole cards and the community cards.

Table Structure: A poker table typically consists of 2 to 9 players seated in a circular arrangement. There are three main positions: the Dealer (Button), the Small Blind, and the Big Blind. These places rotate clockwise after each hand. The three positions are important because they determine the order of betting and strategic advantage.

Poker Chips: Instead of using real money directly, players use poker chips that represent different values. These chips are essential for managing your in-game currency.

Betting: Betting in poker occurs in four distinct rounds: pre-flop, flop, turn, and river. In each round, you can perform one of the four actions: fold, call, raise, or check.

Winning: You will win a hand either by holding the strongest five-card combination at showdown or by getting all other players to fold before the showdown.

Basic Poker Terms

Poker Hand Rankings Explained

To learn how to play poker, you must understand how hands rank and what beats what hand combination during a tie. Here are all poker hands ranked from strongest to weakest:

Note: Probabilities are based on 5-card poker hands dealt randomly from a standard 52-card deck.
*Values are rounded off.

Royal Flush: The highest poker hand is a Royal Flush. It is made up of the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit. Because all suits are the same, all royal flushes are the same.

Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit, such as 3-4-5-6-7, form a Straight Flush. When comparing two straight flushes, the one with the higher top card wins. An ace can be taken as a low card; 5-4-3-2-A is a straight flush, but its top card is a five rather than an ace, making it the lowest type of straight flush. The cards can't "turn the corner": 4-3-2-A-K isn't a valid combination.

Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank, for instance, four queens. The fifth card can represent anything. This combination is sometimes referred to as "quads," and in some parts of Europe, it is referred to as a "poker," though this term is not used in English. When there are two fours of a kind, the one with the higher set of four cards wins; thus, 2-2-2-2-K is defeated by 7-7-7-7-3. It can't happen in routine poker, but if it occurs in some other game or variant of poker, the one with the higher fifth card is stronger.

Full House: A Full House consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as three jacks and two sixes (colloquially known as "sevens full" or more specifically "sevens on tens"). The rank of the trips determines which full house is higher when comparing full houses. For example, J-J-J-6-6 outperforms 7-7-7-A-A. If the trips were equal, the rank of the pairs would be used to determine the winner.   

Flush: When two flushes are compared, the highest card determines which is superior. If the top two cards are equal, the second-highest card is compared; if those are also equal, the third-highest card is compared, and so on. A-Q-9-5-3, for example, beats A-Q-9-5-2 because three beats the deuce.

Straight: Five cards of different suits in a row, such as 7-8-9-10-J. When two sequences are compared, the one with the higher-ranking top card is superior. Aces can count both high and low in a straight, but not both at the same time, so A-K-Q-J-10 and 5-4-3-2-A are valid straights, but 2-A-K-Q-J is not. The lowest kind of straight is 5-4-3-2-A, with the five as the top card. 

Three of a kind: Three cards of the same rank (and different suits). Trips is another name for this combination. When comparing two threes of a kind hands, the hand with the three equal cards of higher rank is superior. K-K-K-3-2, for example, beats J-J-J-K-Q. If you need to compare two three-of-a-kind hands, where the sets of three are of equal rank, compare the higher of the two remaining cards in each hand, and if those are equal, compare the lower odd card.

Two pairs: A pair has two cards of the same rank. When you have Two Pairs, the two pairs are of different ranks (otherwise, you'd have four of a kind), and there's an odd card to bring the hand up to five cards. When comparing two pairs hands, the hand with the highest pair wins regardless of the rank of the other cards - so K-K-2-2-4 beats Q-Q-2-2-4. If the bigger pairs are similar, the lower pairs are compared, so 8-8-6-6-3 beats 8-8-5-5-K, for example. Finally, if both pairs are identical, the odd cards are compared, so Q-Q-5-5-8 wins. Q-Q-5-5-4.

One Pair: One Pair is a hand that contains two cards of equal rank and three other random cards. When comparing two hands like that, the hand with the bigger pair wins - so 6-6-4-3-2 beats 5-5-A-K-Q. So J-J-A-9-3 triumphs over J-J-A-8-7 because 9 is greater than 8 in the latter hand.

High Card: Five cards that don't form any of the above-stated combinations are called a High Card hand. When two such hands are compared, the one with the highest card wins. If the highest cards are the same, the second cards are compared; if they are the same, the third card is compared, and so on. So K-Q-9-5-3 beats K-Q-10-5-4.

How To Play Poker Game - Step by Step

Understanding the betting system, including actions, rounds, and blinds, is crucial for playing poker effectively. These elements control the flow of the game, making poker an exciting experience. Let's look at how they work together to help you play poker effectively.

Blinds & Antes

A process involving a button, small blind, and the big blind is used in many of the world's most popular poker variants. 

The blinds are compulsory bets that rotate around the table after each hand, shifting one player clockwise. This is how the button moves around the table, always one position to the right of the small blind. 

Some poker games also include antes, which are mandatory bets that must be placed into the pot prior to each hand. 

Here's an explanation of how the button, blinds, and antes work in a poker game.

The Small Blind and Big Blind

In many poker variants, the small and big blinds form the backbone of the game. The blinds system is used in the world's two most popular poker games, Texas Hold'em and Omaha poker, and it's critical to understand how these mandatory bets work. 

In blinds games, each hand starts with the big blind in one position to the direct left of the small blind. Before each hand, players in these positions must place predetermined bet amounts. 

These amounts are typically noted in the game listing for poker cash games. In a live casino, for example, a 2/5 cash game means the small blind is 2, and the big blind is 5.

The Button

The button is a poker table position that is always one spot to the right of the small blind. The button, also known as the "dealer," has the advantage of being the last player to act in all postflop betting rounds. 

A round disc that goes around the table identifies the player in the button position. This disc, which sometimes displays "button" or "dealer," moves around the table with the blinds. 

Players in the button position are referred to as being "on the button." Other poker table positions include the cutoff, which is one spot to the left of the button, and the hijack, which is one more position to the left. 

The blinds are placed to the left of the dealer or button in all hands that use the blinds system. 

Antes

Antes are mandatory bets that must be placed by all players at the table or, in some formats, by the big blind player. 

A 1/2 cash game with a one ante, for example, requires each player at the table to put one into the pot before each hand. This is in addition to the blinds, so pots in games with an ante begin larger than pots in games without an ante. 

Many poker tournaments employ a big blind ante system, in which only the player in the big blind posts the ante prior to each hand. 

Betting Actions

Bet, Call & Raise

Bet: If no one has bet yet in the current round, you can open the action by placing a wager. It is called betting. It signals that you want to stay in the hand and are willing to commit chips to the pot.

Call: If another player has already bet, you can match that amount to stay in the hand. It is known as calling, which allows you to see the next card or proceed to the showdown if it’s the final round.

Raise: If someone has bet and you believe your hand is strong, you can increase the bet for "Raise". It forces the other player(s) to match your new amount if they wish to continue.

Fold: If you don’t like your hand and don’t want to invest more chips, you can fold. Give up your cards and any chips you’ve already committed. Once folded, your hand is moved to the muck (discard pile), and you're out of the round.

Check: If no one has bet yet in the round, you can check. It means you pass the action to the next player without betting. If everyone checks, the round advances without any chips being added to the pot.

Poker Betting Rounds

Betting rounds determine how the game unfolds and how players interact with each other based on their cards and the community cards. Let's walk through each round, starting with the preflop and ending with the showdown.

Preflop

Each round of Texas Hold'em begins with mandatory bets placed by players in the small and big blind positions. These positions rotate clockwise around the table, with each hand moving one player to the left. 

The dealer deals each player two hole cards, one at a time, beginning with the player in the small blind. The preflop betting round begins once all players have two hole cards.

The Flop - The First 3 Community Cards

When all preflop betting is finished, the dealer deals the first three of five community cards. These three cards are collectively referred to as the "flop" and are available to all active players. 

If they are still in the hand, the flop betting round begins with the small blind. If the small blind folds before the flop, the flop round begins with the next active player to the left of the small blind. 

The first player to play has the choice of checking (putting no money in the pot and passing the action to the next player) or betting. The action then shifts to the next player placed to the left of them. 

That player can call or raise the first-to-act player's bet. If the first player checks, the next player has the option to check, and they all can see the next community card for free (without betting).

The Turn - The next Community Card after Flop

After the flop betting round, the dealer deals a fourth community card, known as the "turn," or "fourth street." 

The turn betting round is conducted in the same manner as the previous round. The first player to act (again, the small blind or the last remaining player on the left) has the option to bet or check. 

If the first player to act bets, all other players can call or raise. If the first player to act checks, the other players can also check until someone bets.

The River - The Last Community Card

The dealer then deals the fifth and final community card after the turn. This card, known as the "river" or "fifth street," advances to the final round of betting. 

The river betting round follows the same rules as the flop and turn. When all players have finished their turn (either calling the last active raise or checking if that is an option), the remaining players in the hand turn their hole cards face up. 

This is referred to as a showdown. The winner is the player with the best five-card poker hand, using any combination of hole cards and community cards. 

Showdown 

If two or more players still have cards after all rounds of betting in a poker hand, it's time for a poker showdown! 

While hearing this term may conjure up images of cowboys from the Wild West in your mind. A "showdown" refers to the moment when players turn over their cards and reveal their hands. Following that, a winning hand is determined, and the player who holds it wins the pot and any money in it.

Poker Variants on MPL

Here's a little about the different Poker variations on MPL to help you decide which one you would be interested in playing:

Texas Hold'em

Texas Hold'em is one of the most popular poker variants played worldwide. The game is played out in four betting rounds - Pre-flop, Flop, Turn, and River. Each player is dealt two hole cards, and five community cards are dealt on the table. The objective is to make the best 5-card hand by combining the hole cards and community cards.

Pot Limit Omaha

Pot-Limit Omaha (also known as Omaha with pot-limit betting rules) is the world's second most popular poker variant. Omaha can also be played as a split-pot game or with a fixed-limit betting structure. Omaha, like Texas Hold'em, uses hole cards, community cards, and blinds. In contrast to a Texas Hold'em poker game, each player in an Omaha poker game receives four hole cards. Players must use precisely two hole cards and three community cards to form the best five-card poker hand. 

The point is to use two hole cards to make the best poker hand, which differs from Texas Hold'em, where players can use any combination of hole cards and community cards to make the best poker hand. 

MPL also offers two variants of Pot Limit Omaha (PLO): Pot Limit Omaha 5 (PLO5) and Pot Limit Omaha (PLO6). The main difference lies in the number of private (hole) cards and shared (community cards) a player receives.

Pot Limit Omaha 5 (PLO5): Each player gets five (5) private cards. You should make the best hand using two (2) private cards and three (3) community cards.

Pot Limit Omaha 6 (PLO6): Each player gets six (6) private cards. However, you should use two (2) private cards and three (3) community cards to form the best hand.

How to Play Poker Online on MPL

Playing poker online on the MPL is a simple process.

1. Go to the MPL page in your browser and download the app.
2. Install the app and register with your phone number & OTP.
3. Log in and search for Poker.
4. Choose a poker variant and your stakes.
5. Start playing your favourite game and win rewards!

Strategy & Tips for Beginners

Poker strategies and tips are, in a way, the essence of how to win the game. Poker pros and experienced players formulate them. Beginners must utilize poker strategy for two reasons: to learn the game and to refine their techniques.

• Start with low-stakes games: Begin with smaller buy-ins to learn the game without risking a significant amount of money.
• Know when to fold: Don’t be afraid to fold weak hands early. Staying helplessly in every round is a common mistake beginners make.
• Manage your bankroll: Set limits and stick to them to play without stress.
• Play tight, aggressive: Focus on strong hands, but play them with confidence.
• Avoid common beginner mistakes: Don’t bluff too often, chase every draw or play without position awareness.

FAQs

What is the easiest poker game for beginners?

While there are many poker variants, Five Card Draw is the easiest poker variant for beginners. In Five Card Draw, each player gets five cards, then discards and draws to improve their hand. There are no community cards or complex strategies. It is the best version to learn poker basics and serves as the foundation for many online poker games.

Can I play poker online in India legally?

Playing online poker in India depends on your location. Some states view real cash poker as a game of skill and permit it, while others, such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, do not. Since laws vary by state and remain unclear in some areas, it’s best to check local regulations or consult a legal expert.

Is learning poker easy?

Learning the game of poker is easy, but mastering the art of reading players, understanding various strategies, and exploiting poker fish, among other skills, comes with experience. The more you play, the better you become. Poker is exactly like chess; every new game with a new player requires a new strategy, a lot of observation (of their gameplay). Read the theories and practice them every day. 

How to play poker online step by step?

Whether you're a seasoned card player or a newcomer to the tables, the rules outlined above will help you get a handle on the game. Here’s a summary of how to play poker game step-by-step

1. Learn poker hand rankings: What hand wins versus what? Without knowing the rank of winning hands, you’ll end up losing.
2. Understand poker positions
3. Know when to fold, bet, or raise
4. Understand the player(s) you’re against
5. Develop a strategy by observing the table and avoiding being too obvious. Mix and Play

How to play poker for beginners?

If you’re new to the game and have a light understanding of how the game works, try sitting at a table meant for beginners, play offline with friends, or download a game that enables you to play without money. Once you get the hang of the game, you can start with low-stakes tables.

How much money do I need to start?

To start playing poker on MPL, you can begin with as little as ₹5–₹10 for micro-stakes cash games. If you're interested in tournaments, entry fees are usually around ₹500–₹600. If you're a beginner, starting small with cash games is a smart way. Moreover, there are free games to practice and earn without an entry fee.

What is the difference between Texas Hold’em and Omaha?

Texas Hold’em and Omaha poker mainly differ in how cards are used. In Texas Hold’em, players get 2 hole cards and can use any combination with the 5 community cards. In Omaha, each player gets 4 hole cards. But they must use exactly 2 of them with 3 community cards to form a hand.

What happens if two players have the same poker hand?

If two players have the same five-card poker hand, the pot is split equally. It is called a split pot or a chop. In Texas Hold’em, if both players form identical hands using community and hole cards, no one wins more. Suits don’t break ties. If both players use the board entirely, it’s always a split.

How do I learn poker strategy?

The basic poker strategies are easy to understand. Applying them to the table requires timing, observation, and experience. Learn and practice winning strategies to start playing this game like a pro.