Everyone has to start somewhere.

Even the most hardened poker pros had someone explain to them that pocket aces is a really good hand at one point. Most beginners try to do too much when they’re just learning by following what they see on TV.

That’s a big mistake. Instead, here’s an incredibly simple guide to the game for players who’ve never played before.

But wait - Isnt poker gambling? How can anyone get better at it?

Yes. Kinda.

This trips up a lot of people but poker is actually a game that has elements of both skill and luck.
You can compare it to something like backgammon or bridge. You can get unlucky but in the long run the more skilled player is going to win more money.

Keep in mind that poker is played against other players, not a casino. If you’re good enough to beat the other players then you’re going to win money.

A Super-Fast Rundown of Basic Poker Strategy

The primary way to win at poker is to have the best hand at showdown.

Therefore one of the most basic strategies is to avoid playing crappy hands. In poker you want pairs, two-pair, three-of-a-kind or better most of the time.

You’re not winning very much if go to a showdown with 7-5. You can learn to bluff later.

The #1 rookie mistake in poker is simply playing too many hands.

Televised poker misleads a lot of new players as the pros seem to play every hand. There are two things to note about that:

1. They are professionals.
2. The TV crews edit out hours of folding. It’s just not compelling TV.

You only want to play around 18-20% of your hands. That’s only 18-20 out of every 100 hands you get!

What Hands Should I Play?

Here’s a basic guide to what you’re looking to play:

Huge Hands: AA, KK, QQ, JJ

You want to play these hands every time they are dealt to you. Most of the time you’re going to want to raise.

Medium Pairs: TT, 99, 88, 77

These aren’t monster hands but they’re better than most. You can just call with these hands or even fold if you’re under a lot of pressure.

Top-Pair Hands: AK, AQ, AJ, KQ

These are really good hands when you hit the flop -- especially AK. The thing to remember is that you always want the ace as your “kicker.”

So if you hit a queen on the flop with AQ then you’ll be in a great spot. If you miss you can easily fold these hands to pressure.

Suited Connectors: QJs-98These can be great hands if you manage to hit a straight or flush because it’s hard for your opponents to put you on them.

Everything else: A-2, J-8, 7-3 etc.

While you’re learning you can pretty much skip the rest of the hands if you’re playing against a full table of players.