In this section, we'll teach you the
fundamental concepts of poker necessary
before you start playing online poker for
real money. You will learn about the
different positions at the poker table and
the four primary betting stages.
Seat positions
-
Dealer: The dealer is one
of the most pivotal positions in an online
poker game. Since the Dealer Button
rotates clockwise around the table,
starting from the left of the dealer, this
position greatly influences the flow of
the game.
-
Blinds: The Blinds are
the two players required to make initial
bets before any cards are dealt. These
players sit directly to the left of the
Dealer Button. The first player to the
left is called the Small Blind, and the
player next to them is the Big Blind. They
are the first to act once the cards are
dealt.
-
Early position: The term
‘Early Position’, commonly abbreviated as
EP, refers to the three seats to the right
of the Blinds. The position known as Under
The Gun (UTG) is particularly important as
it is the first position to act after the
cards are dealt. The players in these
positions are usually the first to act in
the pre-flop betting round.
-
Middle position: This
involves the three seats located in the
middle of the table. Players here include
MP, MP+1, and MP+2, reflecting their
relative positions to the Blinds.
-
Late position: The two
players seated on the immediate right of
the Dealer Button fall into the Late
Position category, abbreviated as LP. The
first player, known as the Cutoff, sits
just after the Button, with the Hijack
sitting immediately to the right of the
Cutoff. These players are the last to act
during each betting round, which gives
them a strategic edge as they can observe
the actions of other players before making
their decisions.
Betting stages
As previously mentioned, the two players to
the immediate left of the dealer—Small Blind
and Big Blind—must post these mandatory bets
to kickstart the action. Meanwhile, all
other players at the table wait their turn,
paying attention to the ongoing hand. After
each hand concludes, the Dealer Button is
passed clockwise to the next player.
Pre-flop
Pre-flop refers to the betting stage that
occurs right after players receive their
hole cards (two cards face down). This stage
is followed by a round of betting where
players can choose from three options:
check, bet, or fold.
Since the Small Blind and Big Blind have
already placed initial bets, the UTG player
gets the first opportunity to act. They can
call the current bet, raise it, or fold,
based on their assessment of the situation.
This process continues around the table
until all players have made their decisions,
upon which the second betting round
commences with the total chips in the pot.
Flop
Post the first round of betting, a second
round begins, known as the flop, where three
community cards are revealed face-up.
Players then aim to utilize their two hole
cards and the three community cards to form
the strongest possible five-card hand.
Initially, players start with the Small
Blind, who can check, bet, or decide to
fold. Following them, the Big Blind takes
their turn, making decisions based on their
own strategy. Once all players have
contributed their bets, the third betting
round ensues.
The Turn
After the second round, the Turn—also
referred to as Fourth Street—occurs, and a
fourth community card is placed face up on
the table. At this point, players hold two
cards and have access to four community
cards, allowing them to construct a
five-card hand to their advantage. The
betting action unfolds in the same manner as
it did during the flop.
The River
The River, which is the final community card
in an online poker game, plays a crucial
role in determining the winner, making it an
essential part of the action.
The Showdown
The Showdown is the final phase where
remaining players reveal their hole cards to
declare the winner. This is where hands like
royal flushes, straight flushes,
4-of-a-kind, and one pair come into play.