So you’ve decided to learn poker. Good choice. It’s one of the few games where you can be completely average at math, a little socially awkward, and still walk away with someone else’s money—legally.
This guide is for beginners. That means no jargon bombs, no ten-page lectures on pot odds, and definitely no references to Game Theory Optimal play (you can Google that later). What we will cover are the essentials: how the game works, what hands are good, when to fold, and how to not embarrass yourself the first time someone raises.
Whether you want to play online, join a casino table, or just stop being the dead money in your weekly home game, this guide is here to help. You don’t need a fancy poker face, just a willingness to learn and maybe fold that trash hand you’ve been calling with every time.
What This Guide Will Teach You:
- How Texas Hold’em works (the most popular version of poker)
- What beats what
- Basic strategy to not light your chips on fire
- How to avoid rookie mistakes
- Where to play
What This Guide Won’t Teach You:
- How to win a WSOP bracelet overnight
- The secret hand signal pros use to cheat (they don’t)
- How to bluff like you’re in a movie
Poker takes five minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. But the truth is, most people never even bother to learn the basics. And that’s where you have an edge.
Next Up: Poker Basics