Hand rankings
| Rank | Hand | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A K Q J 10 of one suit |
| 2 | Straight flush | 9 8 7 6 5 of one suit |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Four queens |
| 4 | Full house | Three of a kind plus a pair |
| 5 | Flush | Five cards of one suit |
| 6 | Straight | Five cards in sequence |
| 7 | Three of a kind | Three sevens |
| 8 | Two pair | Two pairs |
| 9 | One pair | Two of a kind |
| 10 | High card | None of the above |
Casino poker or player poker
At most new casinos, poker means table games against the house: Casino Hold'em, Three Card Poker, Caribbean Stud and video poker. You cannot outplay the house edge there, only reduce it with correct decisions. Peer-to-peer poker rooms are rarer at new casinos; there you play other players and the house takes a rake from each pot.
Tips that matter most
- Play fewer, stronger hands, especially from early position.
- Use position: acting last tells you what others did first.
- Start at the lowest stakes until you win there over many sessions.
- Bet for a reason: value with strong hands, or as a planned bluff, not out of habit.
- Keep each buy-in to 5% or less of your poker bankroll.
- Practise with free play to learn the software before staking money.
Common beginner mistakes
- Calling too often with weak hands.
- Playing tired, upset or after losses.
- Moving up in stakes after one good night.
- Ignoring the paytable in casino poker and video poker.
- Playing side bets with high edges, such as Pair Plus on a poor paytable.