Online Poker 101: A Complete Guide for Beginners

Online Poker Basics: All You Need to Know to Start Playing

Mike Sexton, an American professional poker player, once said the game only takes a minute to learn but a lifetime to master. Everyone has to start somewhere, and we’re here to introduce the ultimate online poker guide for beginners. If you’re keen to join the action, read on to discover the basics, including hand rankings, popular game types, and the essential terms you’ll need to learn to get ahead of the game.

Hand Rankings

In most online poker games, hands comprise five cards, whether solely from your hand or from a combination of your hole cards and the community cards available to all players. As a new player, it’s essential to know the hierarchy of rankings to understand how strong your hand will be compared to your opponent’s if the hand goes to a showdown. As such, below, we’ve listed the ten-hand rankings from the strongest to the weakest.

#1 – Royal Flush

This is the best poker hand available. It’s the top straight flush consisting of ten to ace, suited – any suit.

#2 – Straight Flush

The hand contains five sequential cards of the same suit. In poker, aces are both high and low. Therefore, ace to five is the lowest straight flush, while the ten to ace is considered a royal flush.

#3 – Four of a Kind

Also known as ‘quads’, this hand consists of four cards of the same rank plus the remaining card. On rare occasions when two players make the same four-of-a-kind, the fifth card, known as the ‘kicker’, determines the winner.

#4 – Full House

These are three cards of the same rank, plus any pair. When comparing multiple full houses against each other, the three-of-a-kind must consistently be ranked first.

#5 – Flush

This hand comprises five cards of the same suit – hearts, clubs, diamonds or spades. If more than one player holds a flush, the hands are ranked from the highest card down – ace to two.

#6 – Straight

This hand is five sequential cards of any suit. Aces play both high and low in straights, making ten to ace the best possible straight and an ace to five the lowest possible straight.

#7 – Three of a Kind

This hand contains three cards of the same rank, plus two kickers. It is also called ‘Trips’ or a ‘Set’ depending on how you complete the hand. 

#8 – Two Pair

Two different pairs in the same five-card hand. The strongest pair is always compared first, then the second. If the hand remains tied, the kicker determines the winner.

#9 – One Pair

Any two cards of the same rank. If multiple players have the same paired hand, the winner is the player with the best kicker – the highest rank of the three unpaired cards.

#10 – High Card

The highest card in a five-card hand that contains no pairs or better. Here, aces always count as high.

Game Types

There are multiple versions of online poker, each with unique rules and a different number of betting rounds. For many, Texas Hold’em is king. However, other variants are becoming increasingly popular around the world. Check below for a brief overview of the three most common game types.

Texas Hold’em

Seven-Card Stud

Omaha Hi/Lo

Essential Terms

After learning the rules, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with certain poker terms to be fully comfortable when playing at the online tables. Some are action-related, and some refer to the betting rounds. Others, however, are colloquial terms for sure hands. You’ll pick these up the more you play, but for now, here are some essential terms beginners need to know when first starting.