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Poker has experienced a huge surge in popularity in recent times and can now rank itself as one of the most widely played card games.

There are a number of variations of poker, with the main types being stud, draw and community card games. Poker games often differ in the number of cards dealt, the number of shared or “community” cards, and the number of cards that remain hidden.

Poker betting varies from different poker games, with different betting limits and pot splits available in the varying versions of poker. The betting procedures vary among different poker games in such ways as betting limits and splitting the pot between a high hand and a low hand.

The ‘ante’ is the minimum amount you must bet in order to participate in the game. The ‘blinds’ are put on the table before the cards are dealt, typically in the shape of a big blind and small blind, which start the betting. The blinds rotate with each new hand dealt. A ‘raise’ is when a player increases the bet on the table. The ‘call’ is when a fresh wager is being placed, indicating a player is matching a raised amount. ‘Checking’ means no new bet has been made and a player doesn’t wish to raise the pot.

When it comes to stud games, players are typically dealt five or seven cards and must use these cards to make their best hand. Draw games give the player the option to trade up to three cards in a bid to improve their hand. In community games, players are dealt cards face down, then all play off the community cards to make their best hands.

The most popular version of poker is Texas Hold ‘Em, where players receive two pocket cards and then wait for five community cards to be revealed. Betting occurs across four rounds: once after the hole cards are dealt, once after the first three community cards are revealed (the flop), once after the fourth community card is revealed (the turn) and finally when the final community card is revealed (“the river”). Players must make their best hands with any combination of five cards using their hole cards and the community.

Omaha is another type of poker than can include between two and 10 players. As with Texas Hold’ Em, there are four rounds of betting, although in Omaha each player is dealt four hole cards and five community cards. Players must make their best five-card hands from two of their hole cards and three of the communal cards.

Other poker games include 7-Card Stud, 5-Card Draw, High/Low Chicago and Follow the Queen, but it’s traditionally Texas Hold ‘Em and Omaha that remain the most popular versions of poker.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can you play online poker on your mobile too?

    You can play online poker on your mobile too, just like other casino games. Most online casinos use HTML5 technology, allowing you to visit the website just as easily on your mobile as on your computer or tablet, as long as you have stable and fast internet. Many websites also have a separate mobile app for poker.

  • What are the game rules for Texas Holdem?

    The game rules for Texas Holdem are the most common rules. In this version of poker, you as a player get two cards in your hand, which you combine with up to five cards on the table. In other poker versions such as Omaha, you get multiple cards, but choose which cards you use for the best combinations.

  • There are as many as dozens of different online poker variations and the most commonly played are Texas Holdem, Omaha, Caribbean Stud Poker, Seven Card Stud and video poker.

  • How is online poker different from video poker?

    Video poker is a variation of poker that you play alone. Here you play on a kind of online slot machine, where you are dealt five cards. You choose which cards you want to keep and swap the remaining cards. For combinations with the five total cards after your choices, you get winnings.

  • How many people can you play online poker with?

    In online poker types where you play with opponents, the maximum number of players at one table is often ten. In a poker tournament, the number of players can reach into the thousands, but you play at different tables.

  • What are the rules of play for online poker tournaments?

    The rules of play for online poker tournaments vary from tournament to tournament, but are always known in advance. As a player, you know what the small blind and big blind are, how much the buy-in is and whether you can come back later in the tournament with the same buy-in. Also, what the winner of the tournament gets is always known in advance.

  • What is the ‘Return to Player’ for online poker?

    The Return To Player cannot be indicated for online poker where you play against other people, but for video poker where you play against the computer, the RTP is 97-99%.

  • What are the most famous poker players?

    Since poker became increasingly popular in the early 1990s, there have also been a growing number of players who have achieved star status. Some of the most famous players you often see on television and at big tournaments include Daniel Negreanu (GGPoker ambassador), Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, and Jennifer Harman.