A Complete Guide to Online Poker Rules in Australia

All great games have rules — and poker is no exception.

However, if you’re new to the game, understanding online poker rules is often easier said than done. While the rules of poker aren’t necessarily complex, there are quite a few you’ll need to remember. Not to mention, while certain basic poker rules apply across games, many have their own regulations you won’t find anywhere else.

Fortunately, breaking them down is made much simpler with the help of this guide.

The Fundamentals: Basic Poker Rules

Even if you’re an experienced poker player, it’s never a bad idea to brush up on the basics. From betting to hand strength, these are the basic poker rules you need to know.

Betting

All poker games feature multiple rounds of betting. During these rounds, each player has the opportunity to place wagers in an effort to maximise their winnings and minimise their losses.

Depending on your position at the poker table, you’ll have all or some of the following options available to you:

• Check — You don’t place a bet, but you hang onto your cards and remain in the game.
• Raise — You increase the previous high bet, requiring other players to do the same if they want to stay in the game.
• Call — You match the highest bet made so far by another player at the table.
• Fold — You remove yourself from the game and become exempt from future betting rounds. In folding, you forfeit any previous wagers you’ve made.

Betting intervals end once all players have matched the highest bet or folded their hands.

Hand Rankings

One of the most basic poker rules is that not all hands are ranked equally. Below is a list of the strongest to weakest five-card hands:

• Royal Flush — the cards 10 through ace in the same suit.
• Straight Flush — Any five consecutive cards in the same suit.
• Four of a Kind — Four cards of the same rank.
• Full House — Two cards of one rank and three cards of another rank.
• Flush — Any five cards of the same suit.
• Straight — Any five consecutive cards.
• Three of a Kind — Three cards of the same rank.
• Two Pair — Two cards of one rank and another two cards of another rank.
• One Pair — Two cards of the same rank.
• High Card — No matched cards. The card of the highest rank represents the strength of the hand.

Breaking Down the Rules of Poker: How to Play The 3 Biggest Games

While it’s important to understand basic poker rules, it’s just as crucial to familiarise yourself with game-specific rules, particularly those of the three most popular games. The better you understand each game’s rules, the stronger you’ll be able to build your strategy.

The Classic: Texas Hold’Em Poker Game Rules

What started as a niche hobby for outlaws in the 1900s has evolved into the world’s most beloved form of poker. Named for its birth state, Texas Hold’Em follows a simple structure and basic poker rules.

The Goal

To create the best five-card hand possible using any combination of your hole cards and/or the community cards.

The Format

The game starts with each player receiving two cards face-down. These are known as hole cards. Players are allowed to look at them but must be discreet about the cards they hold.

Three cards (known as community cards) are then laid on the table face-up. This is The Flop. The first round of betting unfolds.

After the first round of bets is complete, a fourth community card (known as The Turn) is laid on the table face-up. Another round of betting takes place.

Next, the fifth community card (known as The River) is placed face-up on the table before the final round of betting unfolds.

Once all bets have been placed, all players must show their hands. Whoever has the strongest five-card hand wins and claims the pot. You can also win the game without having the strongest hand, as long as you bluff well enough to make all other competitors fold before the final card reveal.

Card Combinations

You can use any five of the seven cards in play to create the strongest five-card hand. This could include any of the following scenarios:

• Two hole cards and three community cards
• One hole card and four community cards
• Zero hole cards and five community cards

Four-Card Frenzy: Omaha Poker Game Rules

Another beloved poker game is Omaha. While the game’s exact origins are unknown, it’s believed to have originated in the Wild West (hence the name). Renowned American poker player, Robert Turner, is known as the first person to introduce the game of Omaha to casinos and poker-playing spheres.

The Goal

To create the strongest five-card hand using precisely two of your hole cards and three of the community cards.

The Format

To begin, each player receives four hole cards face-down.

The rest of the game follows the exact same format as Texas Hold’Em. Three community cards are laid face-up, followed by a betting round. Then a fourth community card is placed on the table, followed by another betting round. Finally, a fifth community card is added to the board, followed by the last betting round before the hand reveal.

Card Combinations

Unlike Texas Hold’Em, Omaha has much stricter poker rules in terms of the card combinations you can use to form your hand. When playing Omaha, you must use the following combination:

• Two of your four hole cards, and
• Three of the five community cards.

Double Trouble: Omaha Hi-Lo Poker Game Rules

In addition to classic Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo is another popular variation of the game. While the two versions are largely the same, there’s one key difference that sets Omaha Hi-Lo apart: there can be dual winners.

The Goal

In Omaha Hi-Lo, you have two objectives to focus on:

• Create the strongest five-card high hand using exactly two of your hole cards and three of the community cards, and/or
• Create the strongest five-card low hand using exactly two of your hole cards and three of the community cards.

For the high hand, the game uses the same ranking system previously mentioned (with Royal Flush being the strongest hand and High Card being the weakest).

For the low hand, all five cards must have a rank below 8 in order to qualify.

The Format

Omaha Hi-Lo follows the exact same format as Omaha’s standard variation.

It starts with the dealer giving each player four hole cards, before laying three community cards face-up on the table. A round of betting takes place. Another community card is placed on the table, followed by another betting interval. The dealer then lays a fifth community card down, and players have one more chance to place bets. The game ends with all remaining players showing their hands.

If there is a qualifying low hand, the pot will be split between the player with that low hand and the player with the highest hand.

If nobody has a qualifying low hand, the player with the highest hand will claim the whole pot.

Card Combinations

Just like Omaha’s classic variation, Omaha Hi-Lo requires you to use the following mix of cards to create your five-card hand:

Two of your four hole cards, and Three of the five community cards.

Master the Rules of Poker: How & Where to Play Poker in Australia

Ready to test your online poker skills? The next step is deciding where to get in on the action. In Australia, it can be tricky to find reputable online casinos and poker rooms.

Fortunately, that’s exactly what you’ll find at Ignition Casino and Ignition Poker.

When you play poker online at Ignition, you’re joining a community of thousands of Aussies who love the game as much as you do. Plus, you’ll enjoy an array of perks you can’t find anywhere else.

For example, Ignition’s game selection is top tier. In addition to Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi-Lo — which feature the same poker rules mentioned in this guide — you can also play more unique variations like Zone Poker, mobile poker, and video poker. With such a wide selection available at your fingertips, it’s never a dull moment.

Ignition also offers an array of bonuses and promotions, meaning you don’t have to spend as much of your money to experience the fun. When you join Ignition and make your first deposit, you’ll receive the Poker & Casino Welcome Bonus. Depending on your deposit method and amount, that bonus could add up to $3,000 to your account.

Best of all, Ignition transactions — particularly withdrawals — are lightning-quick. When you request a withdrawal, you’ll typically receive an approval within 24 hours. From there, you could receive your funds as little as an hour later, depending on your selected withdrawal method.

With a better understanding of these key poker rules, you could soon join the ranks of Australia’s best poker players — and Ignition is the perfect place to do it.