With a remarkable number of variations, poker can now be played by an ever-increasing number of players with the effect of online casinos. Some claim that the game’s unique nature requires a face-to-face setup -because of its psychological aspects-, whereas others agree that it is not a must.
Today, we all prefer online platforms to real ones for various reasons. Considering the ongoing pandemic, we all had to avoid participating in crowded events in closed areas for quite some time.
We changed our daily habits, even our relationships and communication means changed, and poker didn’t constitute an exception! During that period, online casinos significantly influenced our daily lives, and as a result, online poker became more visible gradually. But what is online poker?
Online poker indicates the poker games played over the internet. Meaning you can experience the excitement and joy of the game anywhere you are. Once you have internet access, there is nothing you will need additionally.
Thanks to online casinos, many poker fans can enjoy their time on numerous platforms, including poker games online. In this article we will talk about the game in detail, and we will also refer to the best poker casinos in India.
After reading this article, you will have a better understanding about how to play this famous game and poker game rules. So let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Best Poker Casinos in India
There is an ever-increasing number of online poker casinos in India because of the extreme demand for poker. The high number of platforms may be confusing for the players to choose from.
However, it also has its benefits: The more competition there is, the better service will be available for the players!
How can we determine the best poker casinos? What should be the criteria for it? Basically, one can consider safe and secure payment methods, the quality of the bonuses, software providers, the website, and the game selection for the evaluation.
There are numerous online casinos in India, where you may also play poker apart from other games. 12bet, Bet365, JeetWin, Betway, are some of the recommended online casinos
Apart from those online casinos presenting a wide variety of casino games, there are also online poker real money casinos in India, where only different variants are present.
If you are familiar with new trends, nowadays, you have probably encountered game-changer and fast-forward games on cardrooms. These games, blitz poker, basically mean game sets that when you have folded, you are transferred to another table instantly rather than waiting for the action to finish.
So on each hand, players can face off against new opponents, and you play more hands per hour. Sounds amazing, right?
Poker Rules
Now, you are interested in learning the poker rules, but where to start? This article will be an introduction for beginners; however, we have to note that the rules are straightforward to understand, but on the contrary, it is not as easy as it seems to master it.
Remember the days when you first started to play chess! The mentality is very similar.
Additionally, please consider that the rules may vary from variant to variant, and don’t forget that playing is the best way to learn the rules. So study and research first, and then take action and practice!
► What do you need to play poker?
If you plan to play with your friends at a home party, you will need a standard 52-card deck and some ambitious friends to raise the temperature! Your friends could also appreciate samosas for a snack!
If you prefer to play online, the only thing you need will be an account at an online casino. Once you get registered and deposited to it, you directly can start to experience the adventure.
If you are an Indian player, please continue reading because we will share the top 3 online Indian poker casinos!
► How many people play poker on average?
There are numerous variants, but we will start with the basics. First, depending on the variant you are playing, the number of players can begin with 2, but it can go up to 14. However, ideally, the number of players is between 6 and 8.
A dealer is also in charge of dealing with the cards and shuffling the deck.
► What is the ultimate goal of poker?
The ultimate goal of the game is to win the pot, which refers to the total amount of bets called by the players. You can either win the jackpot with the highest-ranking poker hand or where you have a bet, and the others did not call.
► How can a player win the pot?
There are two ways of winning at poker.
- You’ll win if your hand has the highest ranking among the players.
- The other players do not call when you already have a bet.
► How to start playing poker?
Each player puts an ante before the cards are dealt. An ante can be one chip or more. The main idea is to contribute to the pot to deserve to participate in that game.
► What are the main terms related to poker bets?
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Action
Action can refer to both bets and raises. It also can mean that it is someone’s turn at the game.
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Ante
Ante is accepted as the start point of the game and refers to each player’s first contribution to the pot. This contribution is made with chips.
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Call
Call refers to the contribution of the minimum amount, which is essential to continue playing, by putting the same amount of chips like an ante. Live bet has the same meaning as a call.
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Check
If a player does not want to bet and no one else has a bet in the betting interval, he can continue the game safely for that particular interval.
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Drop
Drop refers to a situation where a player does not want to continue playing until the next deal, does not put any chips, and discards his hands. Basically, he is out of the play until the next round, and he loses the chips he put into the pot so far.
Or if a player raises the bet and the next one does not want to put that amount, that player also must drop out.
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Limit
Limit is an optional function. If the bets and raises are narrowed to a specific limit, there is a limited game structure. No-limit games do not have that fixed limit for the maximum bet, but there is a minimum limit.
Pot limit games are designed in a way that the bets and raises are limited by the existing amount of the current pot.
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Raise
Raise refers to a higher amount of contribution than the call, meaning a more considerable number of chips are put into the pot by the player.
► What happens when two players have the same type of hands?
If two players have the same type of hands, then the winner will depend on the highest ranking. For example, two players have pairs; one holds a pair of 4’s, and the other has a pair of 8’s. The one with the 8 wins because of the higher ranking.
If they are equal, let’s say both of them have a pair of 4’s, then it is a tie, and as a result, they split the pot equally.
Poker Sequence Explained
When we talk about poker sequence, it means that the focus point of the discussion is ordering the cards. Since the game’s ultimate goal is to win the pot, the players aim to have the highest-ranking hand among all. Therefore it is essential to learn the poker hands rankings.
Here you will find the poker hands with their explanations and listed from the highest to the lowest.
- Royal Flush: The highest-ranking hand is the royal flush, and it contains five cards in sequence (10, J, Q, K, and A) from the same suit (for example, diamonds).
- Straight Flush: The second highest ranking hand is the straight flush, and this also contains five cards in sequence and from the same suit (for example, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 from spades)
- Four-of-a-Kind: Four-of-a-Kind contains four cards from the same rank and one irrelevant card. (for example, diamond 6, spade 6, club 6, heart 6, and spade 9)
- Full House: Full house contains three cards from the same rank and another two cards from the same rank (for example, club 10, spade 10, diamond 10, and spade 5, and club 5)
- Flush: All cards are from the same suit, but they are not in sequential order. (for example, 2, 4, 7, 9, and Q from hearts)
- Straight: All cards are in sequential order and are at least from two suits. (for example, diamond 6, spade 7, spade 8, club 9, and hearts 10.)
- Three-of-a-Kind: Three of the cards are from the same rank, and the remaining two are neither from the same suit nor from the same suit. (spade K, diamond K, club K, diamond 4 spade 7)
- Two Pair: There are two groups of cards consisting of two cards. Each group is from the same rank, and the remaining card is unmatched. (for example, diamond 4, clubs 4, spade 8, heart 8, and heart 2)
- One Pair: There are two cards from the same rank, and the remaining three are not from the same rank or the same suit.
- High Card: High card is the lowest ranking hand and contains five cards that don’t meet any criterion above.
India’s Best 3 Poker Casinos
Since Indian players are funds of poker games, there are numerous online casinos offering a variety of games to their users.
Bet365
Bet365 offers its users a handy app, so many users prefer Bet365. You can both play poker on Bet365 via app or your browser by visiting its webpage for poker. There are a great variety of poker games available for poker fans.
Indibet
Indibet is one of India’s mst reputable online casinos, offering poker games. Seven Cards Stud, Texas Hold ’em, Five Card Poker Draw, and Omaha Hi/Lo are some of the variants available.
Betway
Betway offers Indian users a great variety of game variants under its platform. With its well-functioning online platform, Betway welcomes its users with more than fifteen variants.
The Order of Poker Hands
Knowing the hands’ strengths very well will be an added value for your in-play decisions. Here is a list for you that shows the order of the hands from the highest-ranking to the lowest.
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four-of-a-Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straighto
- Three-of-a-Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
We have to note that none of the suits are ranked higher. They are all valued equally.
Popular Poker Online Variants
There are numerous online variants, including but not limited to Texas Hold ’em, 32 Card Draw, Pot Limit Omaha, In Between Poker (Ace Deuce), Blitz Poker, Jackpot Poker, and many others. Although Teen Patti is not a game variant, because of its similarities, it is also considered an Indian interpretation of poker.
If you ask anyone, who is not even very familiar with poker, to name a poker variant, a great majority would possibly respond as ‘Texas Hold ’em’. They may not know how to play, but the name will be under their vocabulary. But why is that? Why Texas Hold ’em?
Texas Hold ’em is the most favoured poker variant globally and in India. There are several reasons why. First, because of frequent references available to this play in the media and popular literature, people get to know the name through various sources.
Secondly, Hold ’em is a relatively easy-to-play version of poker, where there is not much need to memorise the cards and a limited number of possibilities for card combinations.
Although it is a relatively easy-to-learn and easy-to-play poker variant, mastering Texas Hold ’em is challenging.
Conclusion
Poker has its society and fans globally. Thanks to the online casinos, now the players have the chance to enjoy their time regardless of the location. Since being a good player requires mastering the skills, the more experienced players become, the better they will play gradually.
Since there is also the possibility to make money by playing poker, your hobby can turn into a bit on the side and even become a way of making your living. There are a lot of good online casinos where you can play the game in a safe and secure environment and additionally benefit from your earnings.
Additionally, it is always best to be surrounded by people who share the same passion you have.
Thanks to online poker real money platforms providing tournaments, Indian gamblers can make new friends and also achieve the chance to observe the players’ strategies and, at the same time, practice to gain control over their emotions.
As we know, poker is for those who have a strong mind and the ability to control their nerves.