Basic Poker Rules

No matter what style of poker you play, it’s impossible to play a successful game without knowing the rules. As in most games, the aim of playing poker is to win, and you can’t do that without making sure you first know all the poker rules. Whether you're playing for money or simply for fun, poker is a game that will put your skills and strategic abilities to the test. Check out our guide to poker rules to discover everything you need to know to get you started.

While there are many different styles of poker games they all follow the same basic format:

  • Players put money towards a central 'pot' containing play chips or chips that represent actual money
  • Players are dealt cards (a 'hand'), by the dealer, some or all of which are hidden to other players
  • Players make wagers based on their hand strength during betting rounds
  • After the betting rounds are complete, the player holding the strongest hand – or, if all other players have folded, the last player left standing – win the game

No matter the type of poker, it's imperative to know all poker rules but most importantly to understand the deck and to know the rank of hands.