INSTRUCTIONAL ARTICLES
For Beginners
Your First Trip to a Poker Room, Part 1: Arrival
Nervous about playing poker in a real casino? Have no fear! Our three-part series will teach you about cardroom etiquette, where to buy chips, and how to avoid looking like a newbie. You’ll be check-raising that table bully in no time!
Your First Trip to a Poker Room, Part 2: Cash Games
In part 2 of this series, we'll teach you how to enter a poker room cash game, where to sign up, where to buy chips, tipping, whether you need a player's card, and what stakes to play at.
Your First Trip to a Poker Room, Part 3: Tournaments
Are you nervous about entering a poker tournament for the first time? In part 3 of this series, we'll teach you how to enter a cardroom tournament, finding your table, tournament etiquette, and more.
Order Of Hands
Need to brush up on whether a Straight beats a Flush or Quads beat a Full House? Memorize them all with our printable poker Hand Order Guide.
Rules For Cash Games
Wondering why the guy to your left keeps saying “Straddle”? Confused about whether you need to turn your cards over when you call an all-in? Read the rules for playing cash poker here.
Beyond the Basics
Knowing the Odds
Created by our poker math experts, these visual odds charts are the best online resource for all the common odds you need to know as a poker player. All important pre-flop and post-flop situations are covered in detail. You can even print it out to use while you are playing online!
NL Hold’em Starting Hand Charts
One aspect of the game of No-Limit Hold’em that causes beginning players much grief is deciding which hands to play and which hands to dump. Given that well over half of your profitability in NL Hold’em is based on hand selection alone, we have developed these charts to help you better determine whether to play or fold.
Hosting a Home Game
Want to host a home game but don’t want to lose all your friends in the process? Preserve those friendships with our recommended set of House Rules.
Hosting a Poker Tournament
Thinking about entering your first tournament, but don’t know what a “dead button” is? Our Rules of Tournament Poker will ensure that you don’t go astray. Feel confident about your game and stay focused on making that final table! Includes a printable sheet of rules for home poker tournaments.
Chopping Tournament Prize Pools
Have you ever been at a tournament final table and someone proposed a “chop” of the remaining prize pool, and you feel uncertain about whether the offer is a good deal for you? Read our guidelines for the most common chopping scenarios and you’ll be better able to evaluate the situation. Master them and you’ll be the one guiding the process toward the best deal for you!