Poker Tips For Dummies

Undoubtedly, one of the most popular casino games worldwide is video poker. You might be happily surprised to hear that many video poker games can pay over 100 percent of a players’ original investment if a perfect video poker strategy is applied. It is no wonder that video poker is one of the most regularly played casino games around because it can be so lucrative.

Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. Whether it’s to pass that big test, qualify for that big promotion or even master that cooking technique; people who rely on dummies, rely on it to learn the critical skills and relevant information necessary for success. Texas Hold’em poker is everywhere these days — on TV, online, and in clubs and casinos. Before you sit down to a game of Texas Hold ’em, make sure you’re in good shape to be successful — take care of non-poker issues and check your physical, mental, and financial status. Learn poker for beginners. Although Texas Hold'em poker is quite a simple game to pick up, it is also one of the most technically skilled of all the poker variants. Here is your chance to start your journey from beginner level towards mastery with our poker for dummies strategy articles.

Perhaps you are unsure how to play video poker, but want to learn. Well, the great news is that video poker is a fantastic game for players of all level and easy to play and we’ll show you how in this video poker guide for dummies! Although there are literally hundreds if not thousands of versions of video poker that exist, from Texas Hold ‘Em to multihand video poker they all function more or less along the same guidelines.

In standard poker (playing against other people), to be successful you must utilize a combination of skill, social dynamics and luck. However, video poker is more about knowing what cards to hold, when to double up and when to cash out. Video poker offers chances for massive payouts that even rivals slots.

This factor, coupled with it’s easy approach, is precisely why so many people find video poker to be the perfect casino game. Are you looking to gain an advantage the next time you play video poker online? CoolCat Casino has created the ultimate video poker tutorial just for you. Join us to learn more!

An ultimate video poker tutorial

Video poker first hit the casino floors in the 1970s; and has since grown to become a massively popular form of gambling worldwide. Whatever the variety, video poker follows the standard rules of five-card draw poker. Similar to slots, video poker machines randomly generate the outcomes of each hand designated to a player. However, unlike slot machines, video poker odds are better than other casino machines. The right video poker play will earn you consistent wins whereas slots are more unpredictable.

Most video poker games are played using the standard 52-card deck model. A wager is placed ranging from 1-5 credits, and you are dealt five cards. You must decide what cards to keep and what to discard by clicking/tapping a screen. Once the “keep” cards have been selected, a second set of cards are dealt to replace the ones discarded.

The final hand may contain a winning combination. Low hands such as jacks or better pay less than higher hands like straight flushes or four-of-a kind. Payouts are awarded based on the winning combination and size of bet, and are listed on a machine’s paytable.

The winning hands vary based on what version of video poker you play, but the following format is an example of the best hands for Double Bonus Video Poker ranked from lowest to highest:
Jacks or Better – J♠ J♥

Two Pair – 5♠ 5♥ 8♣ 8♦

Three of a Kind – 5♠ 5♥ 5♣

Straight – 5♠ 6♥ 7♣ 8♦ 9♠

Flush – 5♠ 6♠ 10♠ K♠ A♠

Full House – 5♠ 5♥ 5♣ 8♦ 8♠

Four 5 through King – 4 of a kind from 5s to King of any suit ♠♣♦♥

Four 2, 3, or 4 – 4 of a kind twos, threes or fours of any suit ♠♣♦♥

Four Aces – A♠ A♦ A♥ A♣

Straight Flush – 9♠ 8♠ 10♠ J♠ Q♠

Royal Flush – 10♠ J♠ Q♠ K♠ A♠

Once a winning hand is attained, you can choose to double up for a chance to earn twice your winnings. This is done by choosing a card blindly from the deck. If the card you select is higher than the dealer’s, your winnings are doubled once again, and you can double again or collect your winnings.

Texas Hold’em Poker Guide

While a lot of people are intimidated when it comes to games like Texas Hold’em Poker, learning the game is actually remarkably simple, easy and fun. Based on classic 5-card poker, Texas Hold’em is a game that has been keeping video poker fans enthralled for decades.

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Texas Hold’em Tips

Once you’ve mastered the basics of Texas Hold’em, it’s time to get down to business and learn tips and tricks from the experts. Video poker is as much a game of skill as chance. It’s about good decision making. These tips and tricks will help give you the winning edge.

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Texas Hold’em Bonus

Now that you know how to play and have picked up the best tips and tricks from the experts, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is and get down to some serious play. The best way to play online casino games has always been by taking advantage of casino bonuses to extend your bankroll.

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A perfect video poker game plan

Any players that enjoy slots will find that they would really enjoy video poker. The biggest challenge to making the jump is the overall lack of understanding of the game. Poker can be an intimidating game to anyone who doesn’t play it often, but video poker shouldn’t cause the same type of angst.

With payouts higher than most slot machines, video poker is an excellent alternative for anyone who likes a game with a little more strategy than just pushing a spin button. Before making the jump into video poker though, it is important to know how to play.

With video poker becoming more and more popular, more players are noticing that they might need a little guidance to get them on the right track to winning. Video poker play comes in many forms and players might often overlook certain details in order to make the most out of the opportunities presented.

There definitely are good ideas and bad ideas for everything, good ways and bad ways, and video poker is no exception. Here is a small list of the best video poker game plans to get you winning in no time.

Always bet max coins

In video poker, the payouts can be staggering, but the only way to fully take advantage of this when that prefect hand comes is to bet max coins. Though the odds of hitting a coveted royal flush or four aces is rare, you’ll feel a lot better when you have made the maximum wager to fully enjoy your return.

The standard payout ratio for a royal flush at full value is 800 to 1. If your wager is too low, you will probably earn about 250 to 1 on your wager, not bad, but you want full potential. It’s best to play at the maximum wager allowed to really cash out big.

Check the pay table

Whether playing online or at a land-based casino, be sure to pay attention to a video poker machine’s paytable. These are always listed on the exterior of the video poker machine or in the game screen when playing online. Paytables tell a player how much each winning hand combination will reward a player according to bet size.

These are usually marked in intervals per the amount wagered, with the jackpot paid to the highest hand. Video poker is a phenomenal game, when optimal game play is applied it offers a competitively low house edge compared to other casino games. Some machines will list a pay percentage of over 100%. However, this generally applies to penny slots and not large denomination machines.

Do your homework and practice before you play

The best advice for any player serious about learning video poker tips and tricks is to do the homework. There is a plethora of books and online sites available that offer players the proper resources to learn more; such as video poker tutorials and proper video poker strategy books. The best online casinos will also let you practice online before you decide to play for real money for a chance to improve your skills.

Computer software can also be downloaded that will allow you to enhance your gaming strategy for particular machines. A little bit of practice can have a big impact on your results, and can be the difference between winning and losing. Choose your favorite form of video poker and practice for free today at CoolCat Casino!

Keep your game plan in mind

Let’s say you are playing a game like Deuces Wild Video Poker, where twos are wild, and you are dealt 7♠ 7♥ 2♣ 10♦ 3♠. How should you proceed to play? The questions is, “do you hold three-of-a-kind (three sevens)?” Generally, it would depend on the variety of video poker that you are playing. Let’s say that three of a kind does not pay for the version of Deuces Wild that you are playing, so you could choose to discard the additional seven as well as the three to attempt a flush or you could hold the sevens to attempt four-of-a-kind or a full house. It all depends on the pay table, and applying proper strategy.

Poker Tips For Dummies

Sign up for membership/player rewards card

We all love free stuff, I mean, who doesn’t? However, most players might not be aware of the fact that brick-and-mortar as well as online casinos offer you incredible rewards simply for playing! These usually come in the form of member clubs or player rewards cards that offer everything from excellent bonuses, free games, complementary points and promotional offers.

Without membership, you lose a fantastic chance at claiming some serious benefits. This applies every time you swipe your member card at a video poker or slot machine; or when you sign in at an online casino. Did you know that CoolCat Casino offers exciting bonuses and promotions on all of your favorite games each week?

Check your bankroll and set a play budget

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to win, and most people will win some of the time. However, we have to be mindful of the times that we lose. Always gamble with an amount that you are comfortable with and never gamble more than you can afford to lose. If losing one hundred credits will end up bankrupting you, then you should reconsider or at the very least lowering your stakes.

Whenever playing casino games of any type it’s always a good idea to have a budget in mind before beginning a game session. Set a lose limit, and if the tides of fortune don’t favor you on a given night then come back to it another time.

It’s easy to fall into the “just one more round” trap, but instead playing responsibly will ensure that you can play more in the long term. Never chase your losses, especially when betting big. If your bankroll is in the negative, it’s best to stop, and not let your losses consume you. Everyone who has gambled has had a rough night, so the best thing to do is to gamble responsibly. Video poker is the perfect casino game for you to moderate your budget because the paytables are always listed, and you can adjust your bet size accordingly. The number one key to video poker as well as any gaming strategy is effective bankroll management.

Keep a clear head

This might seem like silly advice, but can be the difference between playing well and playing abysmally. If you are say, at a brick and mortar establishment, it is important not to drink too much. Land-based casinos often offer players complementary drinks in order to keep them playing, the only downside is once the novelty of a couple drinks wears off, it will start to affect your gameplay negatively.

Anyone can have fun, and play and drink responsibly, but because alcohol has a tendency to remove inhibitions and impair critical thinking, it’s important to keep yourself in balance. You might end up taking a risk that you cannot afford when under the influence of alcohol. Be sure to keep a clear head and know the risks of what you are getting into. It’s never a sound strategy to get in over your head when playing video poker online or otherwise. It is all about having fun with discipline.

Video poker tutorial summary

• Always bet max coins to make the most out of your wins
• Check the paytable listed on each machine
• Do research and practice before you play
• Apply proper video poker game plan based on the type of video poker game you are playing
• Sign up for membership or a player rewards card to receive benefits every time you play
• Take advantage of online casino bonuses
• Keep a lose limit in mind and your bankroll in check
• Play responsibly and with a clear head, avoid too much alcohol

Now that you feel a little more knowledgeable about video poker, we recommend that you head over to CoolCat Casino’s casino game floor to improve your video poker skills! CoolCat Casino offers a spectacular selection of online casino games, and of course, many entertaining varieties of video poker.

Be sure not to miss out! All you need to do is sign in or register for a free account in order to play free video poker online. Do you want to play for real money? Make a deposit with the cashier and start winning real money on video poker today!

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This is the second part of our article series on the rules of poker, and more precisely about its most widespread variety - No-Limit Texas Hold’em. The first part can be found here - How to Play Poker: Ultimate Guide to the Rules of Poker (Texas Hold’em) - Part 1. This article explains the progress and sequence of actions at the poker tables in a detailed way and will answer the question of most newbies - 'what are the rules of poker'.

Playing the game in Texas Poker

Texas Hold'em rules are pretty simple - a lot easier than it might seem at the beginning. We have tried to describe all the pecularities in detail so that even dummies could understand the subtleties of the game without problems. This article could have been called Texas Hold'em poker rules for dummies. At the same time here you will find not only basic rules of Texas Hold'em poker, but also a detailed explanation of complex aspects.

Every player at the table in a game of Texas Hold’em is dealt two pocket cards (pocket cards are oftentimes called with one word - ‘hand’). After the cards are dealt every player has an option to place a bet or surrender. There are four betting rounds in the game - preflop, flop, turn, and river, which we will explain more closely further on. Betting rounds are also called ‘streets’. During the betting rounds 5 community cards are dealt to the table in three stages: the first three on the flop, then one more and then another one. Because this cards are considered community cards, any player can you them to form his poker hand. It turns out that every player has seven cards in his disposal (2 pocket cards and 5 community cards), he has to choose those five that will allow him to form the strongest possible poker hand (combination). Depending on the community cards strength, every player can use either 1 of his pocket cards and 4 community cards, or both pocket cards with 3 community cards, or even none of his pocket cards, using only the community cards on the table. Community cards are used only to form poker combinations. None of the player can take them, but at the same time, for example, 3 players can use the same community card to form their hands.

Example. There are 3 players in the hand with completely identical cards - . Imagine, that Player 1 has - , Player 2 - , and Player 3 - . Community cards are - . Thus, every player will use community cards to form identical combinations - two pairs, Kings and Queens (we will describe combinations in a more detailed way later in this article).

The winner will be considered the one whose 5-card combination will be the strongest, or the one who will be able to force out of the game other players with the help of betting and will remain alone on the showdown. After the end of each hand, all players muck their cards and the deck is shuffled, thus, each and every hand starts with the completely new cards dealt to players.

Briefly, the rules of Texas Hold’em look like this (details are below):

• Two players sitting on the left to the dealer post blinds: small blind and big blind;
• Every player receives 2 pocket cards;
• The first betting round starts (preflop);
• First three community cards are dealt on the board face up (flop cards);
• The second betting round occurs (flop);
• Next community card is dealt face up (turn card);
• The third betting round occurs (turn);
• The fifth and last community card is dealt on the board face up (river card). Thus, there are 5 community cards dealt on the board face up;
• The last betting round proceeds (river).
• If after the last betting round there are more than one active player, the players proceed to the showdown. Players should use any of their two pocket cards and 5 community cards to form a 5-card poker hand. The pot is won by the player with the strongest combination of cards.

Let’s get into more details...

Playing order in poker

Texas Hold’em has its own rules of players taking turns at the table:

• Betting at the table always happens clockwise;
• After any player at the table takes an action (you will discover possible actions at the table later on in this article), he can’t reverse his decision and the turn goes to next player sitting after him (clockwise, again), i.e., sitting to his left;
• In the first betting round (preflop) the first player to act is the one sitting to the left of big blind;
• Starting from the second round of betting (on the flop, turn, and river), the betting always starts with the player sitting to the left of the dealer (small blind);
• All bets that have been made in each betting rounds are put into the pot;
• The betting round is finished when all the players have made equal bets or folded their cards. Then the game goes to the next phase - flop, turn, river or showdown.
• If one of the opponents (let’s call him Player A) made a bet and his bet was raised by another opponent (let’s call him Player B), then Player A has one more decision to make: fold his cards, call the bet or make another raise;
• If one of the players has less money in his stack than his opponents bet, the player is considered all-in. In this case, two pots are formed - the main pot and side pot. Both pots are played apart from each other among all players who participated in the hand. Example: On the flop Player A has $10, Players B and C - $15. Pot on flop = $20. Player B bets $15 and gets a call from Player C. If player A will also call this bet, 2 pots will be formed: main pot = money, that have already been invested into the pot + players bets in the limit of the player stack with less money in it: in our case - Player A, i.e. $20 + $10 (Player A) + $10 (Player B) + $10 (Player C) = $50. The side pot is formed out of the difference between all the bets and main pot, thus, side pot = money, that have already been in pot + players bets - the main pot. In our case = $20 + $15+ $15 +$10 - $50 = $60 - $50 = $10. Player A will fight only for the main pot (because he has been investing his bets only in this pot), but players B and C - for the main pot and side pot. First the side pot between players B and C is played, then there is turn for the main pot between all the players at the table.
• If more than one player reached the showdown, players are showing their cards and players hands are compared one to another. The pot is won by the player with the strongest poker hand at the table.
• If only one player reached the showdown, he collects the full pot.
• If two or more players have similar poker hands, pot is split among both of them.

Poker has a rule, according to which player is taking part in the game only with the amount of money he has in his stack (stack - the amount of chips one has before him on the table). You can add chips to your stack only between hands. You cannot take money out of your stack - the only option is to leave the table with all your money. As was already mentioned before, in case a player has ran out of money in his stack during the betting rounds, he continues to participate in hand, but he is not participating in further betting rounds anymore and thus the side pot is formed at the table.

Poker Tips For Beginners Reddit

Players actions at the poker table

Every player, depending on the betting activity at the table, can choose one of the following actions during the game:

• Place a bet;
• Make a raise of the previous bet - bet the bigger amount than any of the opponents before;
• Make a re-raise - this is an action during the betting round when a player raises the raise of a player before him;
• Call the bet - make a bet equal to the bet of the opponent before. In other words, this means to bet the same amount of chips your opponent have put into pot before you;
• Check - this means not betting any amount of chips. You can play check only when the amount of your previous bet equals the amount of your opponents bets, i.e., if nobody has made any bets before you in the current betting round. For example, you’re on the big blind, one of the players had made a call, i.e., called your big blind bet, and all other players folded their cards. In this case you can perform a check;
• Fold - meaning not to participate in the betting rounds anymore and muck your cards. This action can be performed during one of the betting rounds, when a player deliberately refuses to continue his participation in a given hand by mucking his cards. As a rule, fold is performed in a situation when a player has weak cards with a low probability of forming a winning combination. After the hand is folded player loses all his chips that he had previously put into the pot during the betting rounds.

Betting limits

In the game of No-Limit Texas Hold’em players can make bets of any size during each betting round. However, there’s a limit on the minimum size of your bet. The size of the minimal re-raise is calculated by the following formula:

The size of the previous re-raise + amount of chips needed to call

For example, let’s imagine that you’re playing No-Limit Texas Hold’em with $1/$2 stakes. There was no raises before you. Minimum raise amount in that case will be equal $4 ($2 (that we would need to call) + $2 (as a raise to the previous bet before you, in our example - the size of a big blind).

The maximum bet size is unlimited. If the amount of the bet equals the whole player’s stack (stack - the amount of money player has on a table in front of him) - he is considered all-in.

The rules of preflop, flop, turn, and river. Determining the winner on showdown

1. The rules of preflop in No-Limit Texas Hold’em

Betting between players involved in the hand starts immediately after posting the blinds, when the cards are dealt to players. On preflop players are making bets, based only on their own pocket cards. The betting starts with the player who is sitting directly to the left of a player sitting in a big blind position. Then the right to act is passed to the next players clockwise.

Player can make the following decisions on preflop:

• Refuse to play with his pocket cards and fold the hand by clicking the “Fold” button;
• Call the big blind and take a look on the decisions of other players at the table;
• Raise the bet by clicking the “Raise” button, i.e., make a larger bet then the size of a big blind. On preflop players on blind are always making their decisions last. However, on the other streets (betting rounds, i.e., flop, turn, and river) they will be acting first.

One question most of the poker beginners always ask: “Why I can’t play check on preflop, if I don’t want to raise, call or fold?”. The answer is simple - blind in No-Limit Texas Hold’em are considered bets. According to No-Limit Texas Hold’em rules, you cannot continue betting unless you have called the bets of your opponents.

Based on the preflop betting activity, you can make conclusions about your opponent's hand strength. Thus, players with strong starting hands will have to play aggressively and make raises on preflop, to force out of the hand as much opponents with weaker hands as possible, and don’t let them see the flop community cards. An aggressive way of playing your starting hands on preflop will give you an advantage and initiative. Initiative in No-Limit Texas Hold’em always stays with a player who made the last raise on preflop.

When all the players have called the bets or folded own pocket cards, the preflop betting round is considered complete. If no one has made any bets and all players have folded their cards, the pot (which will consist only of the blinds) will be taken by the player sitting on the big blind position (it can be called BB). But if one of the players will make a bet and no one will want to call it, this player will win the whole pot (consisting of blinds and his bet). If any of the players will make a bet and his opponent will decide to call it, the preflop betting round will be considered complete and all players still active in the given hand will proceed to the next betting round - flop.

2. The rules of flop in poker (No-Limit Texas Hold’em)

After the preflop betting round is complete, according to the rules of Texas Hold'em, all the players remaining in the hand, have the opportunity to see three community cards, i.e., flop cards. The betting round with the three community cards on a table is called the flop.

Second and all the following betting rounds begin with the player who sits on a position of small blind. Starting from the flop, the last action in the betting round will always be taken by a dealer, i.e., player on the ‘Button’.

Player can make the following decisions on flop:

• Skip his action and don’t make any bets (by clicking the ‘Check’ button). On postflop (on flop, turn, and river) every player has an option to check until any of his opponents will make a bet.
• Make a bet (by clicking ‘Raise’ button). In No-Limit Texas Hold’em the player chooses the size of his bet on his own, but it can’t be lower than the size of the big blind. After any player has made a bet on flop other players lose an option to skip the action (check). They would need either to call this bet, or to make a bet of larger amount, or fold their cards, refusing to continue the participation in the hand.

After all the bets on flop had been called the betting round is considered complete. All the made bets are summed with the pot and players still active in the hand are proceeding to the next betting round - turn.

3. The rules of turn in poker (No-Limit Texas Hold’em)

After the second betting round (flop) is finished, according to the Texas Hold’em rules players still active in the hand are granted an option to see one more community card - turn card. The betting round with four community cards on a table is called ‘turn’.

The fourth community card, turn card, is also available to use drawing your poker hand. Players still active in the pot are going through one more, third betting round. The turn playing rules are the same to the ones on flop.

All the bets made are once again summed up with the overall pot and players still active in the hand are proceeding to the next betting round - river.

4. The rules of river in poker (No-Limit Texas Hold’em)

After the third betting round (turn) is finished, according to the Texas Hold’em rules, players still active in the hand are given an opportunity to see one more (and the last) community card - river card. The betting round with the five community cards on the board is called the ‘river’.

The river playing rules are the same to the ones on flop and turn.

River is the final, fourth betting round in No-Limit Texas Hold’em. All five community cards are placed on a board and every player has to form his combination using five cards. Every player sees seven cards in total (two pocket cards and five community cards on a table).

After all players had made their bets the showdown occurs, where the winner of the hand is determined.

5. Determining the winner of the hand (Showdown)

Showdown is a moment of truth in No-Limit Texas Hold’em (or simply poker in our series of articles). On a showdown players open their cards and determine who has the strongest combination (the strongest hand).

Player can use two of his pocket cards and three community cards on a board to form his combination; besides, player can use only one of his pocket cards and four community cards, or even all five of the community cards. This doesn’t change anything. The main thing - player has to have exactly five cards in his final hand - no more, no less.

Player with the strongest poker combination wins the hand and takes the pot. If one or more players have equal poker combinations, this players split the pot equally.

In the case where during the No-Limit Texas Hold’em game none of the players have called the opponent bet and everyone folded instead, the last player to bet will win the pot automatically, because he’s the last active player in the hand. In this case player has an option to show his cards, because none of his opponents had called the bet and he has no one to compare the strength of his cards with.

It’s important to remember that in Hold’em, no suit has an advantage over another.

After the winner of a given hand is determined, the next hand starts. The dealer’s ‘button’ moves clockwise to the next player, and two players after him post blinds. Right after that all players receive their pocket cards. Thus, everything returns to the preflop stage.

Now the second part of our article series about rules of playing poker can be considered complete. If you would like to continue studying the poker rules for beginners, please read the third article of the series - Ultimate Guide To The Rules of Poker (Texas Hold’em) - Part 3: Poker Hands.

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