Poker rules are not complicated to comprehend and there is a basic card ranking system which is used in almost all types of poker. If you aren't familiar with the ranking order, it is impossible to begin playing. Once you understand the game's hand ranking system, you can move on to learning various rules for games and their odds and percentages. It is the knowledge of how to use poker rules to one's advantage that separates poker novices from poker geniuses. If you are just making your first steps in the world of poker, the following information is especially important for you.

Card Ranking

First things first, in a regular poker deck there are 52 cards. Each card has its own rank, from the Ace (the highest rank) to the 2 (the lowest of all ranks). In standard poker play, the entire 52-card deck is used, but some forms of poker require the addition of jokers to act as wild cards. A wild card is a card that can adopt whatever rank or suit a player wishes to complete a winning poker hand. A wild card can either be a joker or you may specify a certain card in the standard deck to become wild (for instance, 'deuces wild' means that all four twos in the deck are wild).

Poker Hands

There are always five cards in a poker hand. Any hand in a higher category beats any other hand in a lower category (for example, any straight beats any three-of-a-kind). If several players hold the same exact hand, the pot is split. Poker hands go as follows (from the strongest to the weakest):

 

 

Royal Flush
This is the best possible poker hand. Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10. All same suited.

Straight Flush
Any five-card sequence in the same suit (such as: 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of hearts).

Four of a Kind
Four cards with the same value (such as: four 7's) plus a "kicker."

Full House
Three of a kind combined with a pair (such as: K, K, K with 4,4). If more than one player holds a full house, the full house with the highest ranking three-of-a-kind gains victory.

Flush
Any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence (such as: A, Q, 9, 6 and 3).

Straight
Five cards in sequence. The cards can be in any suit. (such as: 4 hearts, 5 clubs, 6 clubs, 7 diamonds and 8 spades).

Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same value (such as: eight, eight, eight).

Two Pair
Two separate pairs (such as: Jack, Jack and King, King). If two players hold two pair, the hand with the highest pair is the winner.

Pair
Two cards of the same value (such as: Ace, Ace).

High Card
If a poker hand does not include any of the combinations described above, it's valued by its highest card.

Poker Cards Dealt

The number of cards a player receives is contingent on the type of poker game being played. In 7-card stud poker, for example, players are dealt seven cards. In Texas Hold 'em, however, players are dealt only two cards into their pocket and later must make their final poker hand using both pocket cards and community cards (shared cards that are dealt face up).

Card Dealing in Traditional and Online Poker

Poker rules are really the same when you compare online poker rooms to traditional gaming venues. Games played in brick & mortar casinos use a dealer-button to indicate the position of each hand's dealer. After each game the button typically moves clockwise to the next player. This player will serve as "the dealer" in the next hand. In online poker rooms, before the start of each hand the gaming software generates a fresh deck of cards. The deck is shuffled every time a new game begins, and all random number sequences previously generated become no longer valid.

Now that you know the basics, dive in and learn about the different types of poker.