It doesn’t matter what type of poker you are playing, pay or free poker. Hold’em is played in this way: Each player gets two cards, face down. Like any other game, you ante at the start and the first betting interval comes after the first two down cards are dealt. The play rotates to the left of the dealer. On this opening round, a player must stay or get out (fold).

The following play involves an additional 3 community cards being dealt out by the dealer in the middle of the table face up- also known as the “flop”. These cards are an essential part of the players “hand” and will be used alongside the original 2 cards in hand. After the flop the next round of betting takes place, although there is now an opportunity to “pass” due to the pot previously commencing.

Then two more cards are dealt face up in the center, one at a time, with a betting interval after each card.

When I play I make it good practice to ‘throw away’ the top cards at every turn: throw one away then turn another. The min theory behind this method is to stop swindling. I will explain; in nearly all cases of marked card deception the top cards are used as marking points, but by throwing away the top card(s) breaks this cycle.

We’re not accusing anybody of being a cheater: Burning the top card is just a traditional thing in professional and in many amateur games.

Depending on the game your involved in will determine if there is a cap to the money which be won. However Holdem is an appealing game due to the amount of opportunities you will be presented with to have something to draw at.

If you are new to Hold’em then have a go at playing free poker online where its totally free and you wont lose any of your own cash.