Few online casino games can match online poker’s popularity nowadays. The card game has quickly grown into a worldwide phenomenon, drawing in millions of viewers. Poker tournaments have made their way into the mainstream.
Naturally, this has also led to some increased interest from online casino players wanting to learn the game. If you are looking for a guide on how to play poker, then Slothino is glad to help. We have the tips you need to get into the game with Slothino’s online poker how-to’s.
Understand How Poker Works
Before getting into online poker, you must know the basics. Poker has quite a few variants, so the first thing is to decide on which one you want to play.
Some of the common variants are Omaha, 5-card Draw and 7-Card Stud. But as far as poker variants go, Texas Hold’em is the most popular one by a considerable margin. Even better – you can enjoy Texas Hold’em online poker right here at Slothino!
Texas Hold’em is fairly easy to learn, and doesn’t have too many complex rules. Poker comes down to strategy in the end. Players are dealt two cards, face down. Your goal is to score the highest possible combination by matching your two hole cards and the cards on the table.
But before that comes the first round of betting. At this point, you need to determine whether or not you have a good hand. Over the course of four rounds of betting players can either call and match the bet, raise the amount or fold and not do anything.
Once the first round of betting is over, the dealer places three cards face up on the table – the fold. Another round of betting follows, after which the dealer places another card face up – the turn. Then comes a third round of betting, followed by the dealer placing one last card on the board – the river.
The last round of betting follows, after which all players that did not fold must show their two hole cards and try to form the most valuable hand with the cards on the table.
Poker hands have ten different rankings:
- Royal Flush: a hand with 10, Jack, Queen, King and an Ace, all from the same suit.
- Straight Flush: a hand consisting of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit.
- 4 of a Kind: 4 cards of the same value, but different suits.
- Full House: 3 cards of the same kind 2 cards of another kind.
- Flush: a hand containing 5 cards of the same suit.
- Straight: 5 consecutive cards, but from different suits.
- 3 of a kind: 3 cards of the same value, but different suits.
- 2 pairs: 2 cards of the same kind plus 2 cards from another kind.
- Pair: 2 cards of the same kind.
- High card: also known as No Pair, it is the lowest possible hand. In this case, the most valuable card is the one with the highest individual ranking.
The player with the highest-ranked hand wins the pot. Poker has three variations as far as bets go. In no-limit poker, as the name suggests, there are no restrictions. Limit poker, also called fixed limit, places a cap on the amount players can bet. Pot limit places a cap on the pot itself.
Find Somewhere Quiet to Play
Now that you already understand the basics of the game, it’s time to find yourself an ideal place to play. While you can play online poker anywhere, it’s highly recommended that you find somewhere quiet, with little interference. As previously mentioned, poker is a game that involves a lot of strategic thinking. And exactly because of this, you probably want to find somewhere to play without interruptions.
Once you start playing, settle into a rhythm and try to limit the outside distractions. Poker is a game of wits, so being in the right state of mind is absolutely vital to win. Always make sure to focus on the game in front of you, and not anywhere else. Playing online poker in a quiet room with little to no interference from the outside will definitely be a big help.
Come Up With a Strategy
Poker is considered a game of skill for a reason. While there is some luck involved, it’s perfectly possible to turn a bad game into a win. And the best way to do it is by coming up with a strategy that suits your style. Knowing what to do and when to take action during a round is absolutely vital.
You need to know when to get aggressive and when to back off. While it is perfectly possible to come out on top even after being dealt bad cards, at times it might be a better option to simply fold.
At the same time, it’s also important to make the most out of your position on the table. While online poker doesn’t offer you a chance to look at the players, you can still tell their intentions based on their actions. Understanding the ins-and-outs of a poker game will give you a big advantage over the competition.
Know the Limits of Your Bankroll
Online gambling is all about knowing how to manage your bankroll. And while poker is considered a skill game, it still requires you to be smart about your money. The usual rules for online gambling also apply to online poker: know how much you can spend and how much you can afford to lose. You should also know when to stop and come out on top, or when to take a loss and go for damage control instead.
Start with smaller stakes, just to get a feel for the game. If possible, try it for free before betting real money in order to understand how everything works. Once you start feeling more confident, it’s worth considering raising the stakes.
Just like in any other competition, you are inevitably going to lose a game or two. Try not to dwell on your losses too much. Don’t try to make up for your losses either. Sometimes, the best possible option is to simply accept that bad days are bound to happen and move on. If you feel stressed after a bad sequence, then stop and try again after calming down. Again, poker involves a lot of strategy, so a bad couple of games could soon turn into a losing streak if you aren’t in the right state of mind to play.
Just like any other games, play online poker at your own pace. And what better place to do it other than Slothino Casino? Come for some gameplay n’ chill with us. Stay a while, Play a while!
Poker at Slothino
Slothino has a great selection of poker games from Live Casino provider Evolution Gaming available for you to play. Try out our live poker rooms any time of the day – you definitely won’t regret it!
Evolution Gamings currently offers 7 versions of live casino poker. They all play more or less according to the rules explained above but there are slight variations between each version.
Find out below which version suits you best! When choosing your game from the lobby, pay attention to the minimum bet (left top corner of the thumbnail) and how many players are currently playing (right bottom corner of the thumbnail).
Casino Hold’em is a different poker game in which players must beat the dealer’s hand, rather than another player.
2 Hand Casino Hold’em also pitches players against the dealer. However, you have the chance to win with two hands rather than a single one.
Side Bet City is a simple game in which you bet on wins for a 3-card hand, a 5-card hand, a 7-card hand or for all hands to lose.
Ultimate Texas Hold’em also has the players go up against the dealer. This variant offers you a chance to raise your bet up to 3 or 4 times rather than the conventional amount, as long as it is done before the Flop.
Three Card Poker is a fast-paced variant, in which your goal is to beat the dealer with a 3-card hand rather than the usual 5.
In Caribbean Stud Poker, the dealer must have an Ace and a King or a higher hand to qualify. This game also offers the chance to place side bets such as the 5+1 bonus and the progressive jackpot, offering other ways to win even if you are dealt a bad hand.
Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker offers you a chance to win against the dealer with no bet after the river card. Instead, this game offers two side bets with payouts up to 1,000 to 1.
Do sloths have a poker face?
Now that is an interesting question! Surely something we need to take a closer look at in the near future. You will probably read about it here, or check out these other two great Slothino casino resources. There is much more to learn about bonuses for example and understanding terms and conditions at slothino-bonus.com. And on slothino-casino.com you’ll find lots of background info on games, licensing, the founding of Slothino and more.
