The artof the raise.
Poker strategy, rules and every variant played from Las Vegas to Macau to Mumbai, written for players who want to win with style.
Free, independent and written by players. No sign-up, no sales pitch.
From royal flush
to high card
The ten hands of poker, strongest first. Rarer hands rank higher. See the odds of every hand.
Royal flush
The unbeatable handStraight flush
Five in a row, one suitFour of a kind
QuadsFull house
Three plus a pairFlush
Five of one suitStraight
Five in sequenceThree of a kind
A set or tripsTwo pair
Two different pairsOne pair
Two of a rankHigh card
Nothing paired
Poker is a game of incomplete information. The player who uses what little they have best, wins.
The principle behind every guide on Poqar.
Games of the world
Every culture deals its own version. Start with the one your friends play, then go wherever curiosity leads. Take the world tour.
Texas Hold'em
Two cards, five on the board, and the easiest game in the world to learn. Mastering it is another matter.
Europe, high-stakes rooms worldwideOmaha
Four hole cards, one strict rule, and pots that grow faster than anywhere else in poker.
United States, mixed-game roomsSeven Card Stud
No flop, no button, and every card your opponent shows is a clue. Stud is poker for players with memory.
Mixed-game rooms, WSOPRazz
Stud, turned upside down. The worst hand wins, and nothing hurts quite like pairing on sixth street.
Macau, Hong Kong, high-roller seriesShort Deck Hold'em
Strip out the twos through fives and Hold'em becomes louder, faster and far more dramatic. Asia's high rollers fell in love.
Home games, the Old WestFive Card Draw
The game of saloons and kitchen tables. Five cards, one draw, and nowhere to hide.
High-stakes mixed games2-7 Triple Draw
The worst hand in normal poker is the best hand here. Three chances to find it.
Korea, mixed gamesBadugi
Four cards, four suits, four ranks. A puzzle with chips attached.
China, Vietnam, Philippines, high-roller tablesChinese Poker
Thirteen cards, three hands, and a game decided by arrangement rather than betting.
India and South AsiaTeen Patti
Three cards and a rich festival tradition. South Asia's favourite game is quick, social and full of nerve.
Las Vegas, WSOP, private high-stakes gamesMixed games
One table, many games. Mixed games reward the complete player and expose the specialist.
Strategy, sharpened
The concepts winning players use every hand, with the numbers to back them up.
The power of position
The seat you are in tells you more about how to play a hand than the cards you hold. Learn why the button is the most profitable seat in poker, and how to use it.
Read the guide- Pot odds, outs and equityThree numbers decide almost every call you make: your outs, your equity, and the price of the pot.
- The art of the bluffA great bluff is not courage. It is a story that makes sense, told to someone who is able to believe it.
- Which hands to playMost money in poker is won or lost before the flop. Choose better hands and the rest of the game gets easier.
- GTO versus exploitative playOne approach makes you impossible to beat. The other makes you impossible to stop. The best players switch between them.
- Tournament strategyA tournament is a dozen different games played in a row. The winners change gears at every level.
Questions new players ask
Is poker a game of skill or luck?
Both. Luck decides individual hands, but skill decides results over thousands of hands. That is why the same players reach final tables year after year.
What is the best poker game for beginners?
No-Limit Texas Hold'em. It has the simplest structure, the most learning resources and the most games running.
How long does it take to get good at poker?
You can learn the rules in an evening. Becoming a consistent winner usually takes months of study and many thousands of hands.
Can I play poker for real money on Poqar?
No. Poqar is an independent educational site. We teach the game; we do not run it.