Online Poker in Canada at a glance
Online Poker is a collection of card games that include gambling as the fundamental part of the game. Players gamble on the value of their hand, and each round is determined by the strongest hand. Poker game versions differ in the number of cards dealt, the amount of “community” cards, the number of cards that are hidden, and the gambling procedures. Online Poker allows Canadians to play against each other in real time without being face to face; players can enjoy the best online games from Vancouver to Montreal and Toronto with no kerfuffle.
History of Online Poker
The Online Poker boom can be attributed to the late 1990s when Online Poker was played for free. Over a short space of time playing poker online moved to real money wins; the first recorded real money poker game was dealt in 1998. By 2010 Online Poker had spread across the globe, and the number of active Online Poker sites grew to 545. Today the best online casinos in Canada lend perfectly to both the beginner and the expert; as there are many resources out there for internet poker players and there is always a game to be played.
How to play the different Online Poker versions
There are variations of online poker, but all make use of the 52-card deck and use real money wagers. The more popular variations are Omaha, Texas Hold’em, and Stud; these are explained below:
Texas Hold’em
Eager players are virtually dealt two cards, face down also called ‘hole’ cards; all players also share five ‘community cards’. These ‘community cards’ are revealed gradually through three rounds namely ‘the Flop’, ‘ the Turn’ and ‘the River’. The gist of Texas Hold’em is for a player to predict which cards will appear, how to properly use the cards, determine how fellow players will try to use the cards and most importantly the chances of winning with the current hand. Based on the cards dealt, players decide to ‘fold’ or place bets. All aspects are considered when betting; although some players may not have a strong hand and will opt to place bets in an attempt to deceive other players.
Omaha
Omaha and Texas Hold’em are similar in the betting and the layout of the community cards, but the ‘hole’cards are different. Eager players in Omaha are dealt four faces down cards and must make the best possible hand with two ‘hole’ cards and three community cards. Players then proceed to place bets and need to select ‘fold, check, call or match’; after that, ‘the Flop’ which are three community cards are dealt; followed by a round of bets. The fourth community card ‘the Turn’ is dealt, trailed by a round of bets. The last community card, ‘the River’ is dealt, and the final round of bets are placed. The ‘showdown’ happens after all players have placed their bets. After that, all players show their respective hands, the player with the strongest hand wins.
Stud
Before the cards are dealt, each player must place a modest bet ‘the Ante’. Players are dealt two ‘hole’ cards, and an additional community card recognized as ‘third street’. The player with the smallest ranked ‘third street’ is liable for the small bet amount ‘the bring in.’ Players can preferentially opt for either ‘fold, check, call or match’ in each round of betting. Another round of betting follows, and a ‘fourth street’ is dealt; the player with the strongest card begins the next bet. The ‘fifth street’ and ‘sixth street’ follow the same process; the seventh round is called ‘the river’ and is positioned face down. After the last round of betting is concluded the player in possession of the strongest hand wins.
Canadian Online Poker rules
- During each round of bets, players can opt to ‘check, fold, call or match’ the bets.
- A player is permitted to ‘call’, despite the number of chips they have.
- All the cards of the hand determine the winner.
- Players must try to generate the best hand possible; out of the cards dealt, including the ‘community cards’.
- The strongest or highest ranked hand will always win.
- If you fold or lose, you cannot get back the amount you bet.
The Online Poker hand values – highest value to lowest
| Rank Order | Hand Name | Definition |
| 0 | Five of a Kind | The Ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of one suit |
| 1 | Straight Flush/ Royal Flush | Five cards in numerical succession and corresponding suit, e.g., Five, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine of spades |
| 2 | Four of a Kind | Four cards of equivalent amount, e.g., Four Aces |
| 3 | Full House | Three cards of equivalent amount and one pair, e.g., three Kings and two Ten’s |
| 4 | Flush | Similar to Straight Flush but not in numerical order, e.g., Eight, Four, Six, Three and Queen of hearts |
| 5 | Straight | Five cards in numerical order; from different suits |
| 6 | Three of a Kind | Three cards of equivalent value, e.g., three Kings |
| 7 | Two Pairs | Two sets of pairs |
| 8 | One Pair | Two cards with the same value |
| 9 | High Card/No Pair | Hands that do not meet the already mentioned definitions. |
Online poker glossary
| Online Poker Term | Definition |
| Blind or Ante | An enforced bet made by players to remain in the round |
| Bluff | To bet even though you may not have the best hand, i.e., poker face |
| Bring In | The minimum bet which the player with the lowest ‘third street’ card must pay |
| Call | To match the bet |
| Check | When a player declines to make another bet until another player does so |
| Community Cards | Cards which are available to all players in order make to their final hand |
| Flop | The term used to describe the first three community cards the dealer places on the table |
| Fold | To forfeit the round losing any bets made in that round |
| Hole cards | Cards that are allocated to individual players only for their viewing; face down |
| Pot | The total sum of bets made by players during the game; is given to the winner at the end of the game |
| Pot Limit | A player can bet or raise up to the pot limit |
| Raise | To increase the betting amount |
| River | The final community card |
| Tilt | When a player suffers a few bad rounds and begins to make poor/reckless decisions |
