Poker has made its way from the back rooms of rusty steamships to the heart of modern internet culture. From side arms of the Mississippi stream to the core of the data stream that feeds our entertainment society. At the centre stage of the poker hype is, of course, the undisputed king of card games: Texas Hold'em Poker.
You are new to the game and/or want to get accustomed to Hold'em poker before you start playing? Then you will find it very helpful to read through the following section.
The dealer button is a marker that is placed in front of the player who is last to act in that round. It's moved clockwise from player to player after every hand.
Before the cards are dealt, the first and second player to the left of the dealer button post the small blind and big blind respectively. The big blind usually doubles the amount of a small blind and indicates the minimum bet size for this table. Once the blinds are on the table, the following players can either call, raise, or fold.
At the heart of the game are naturally the cards. In Texas Hold'em, every player gets dealt two hole cards, which means these cards are visible only to them. After the hole cards are dealt, a betting round begins and the community cards come off the deck.
The five community cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table, visible to everybody. The community cards (also called the board) are not dealt at once but in three separate phases: the flop, the turn, and the river. The flop consists of three cards, with the turn and the river bringing one new card each. Between these phases, players get the chance to bet.
With the two personal hole cards and the five community cards, every player has a total of seven cards available to them (after the river has been dealt). Out of the seven cards, every player puts together the best-possible hand consisting of five cards. Visit our poker school to find a complete list of possible hands and their values.
Before and after the flop, after the turn and after the river, players get the chance to bet. They can bet as much as they like in No Limit and according to the table limits in Limit Hold'em and Pot Limit Hold'em. If a player has raised, the following players can either call, re-raise or fold.
Every pot can be won in one of two ways: A) a player wins by betting and getting no call by other players or B) a player wins by showing the best hand when it comes to a showdown.
Whenever two or more players have the same five card hand, the pot is split evenly between the players involved. If the pot can not be split perfectly, the odd extra amount will be awarded to the player nearest to the Small Blind position from a clockwise view.
The only difference between No Limit, Limit, and Pot Limit is the betting structure. While in No Limit you are allowed to go all-in whenever it's your turn, Limit and Pot Limit games only allow you to bet a certain amount. Bear in mind that though this is only a small adjustment, it changes the character of the game significantly.
| Cards dealt to each player | 2 concealed |
| Community cards dealt | 5 |
| Number of betting rounds | 4 |
| Limits | Fixed limit Pot limit No limit |
| Blinds or antes | Blinds |
At a first glance, Omaha looks a lot like Texas Hold'em. But in Omaha, each player receives four cards - this gives Omaha an interesting complexity.
| Cards dealt to each player | 2 concealed |
| Community cards dealt | 5 |
| Number of betting rounds | 4 |
| Limits | Fixed limit Pot limit No limit |
| Blinds or antes | Blinds |
In Omaha, you get four hole cards, cards that the other players cannot see. Then, successively during the hand, five cards are dealt face up on the board. They are community cards that all players can use to put together a five card poker hand.
When all cards are out, you must use two of your hole cards and combine them with three community cards in order to form the best possible poker hand.
Whenever two or more players have the same five card hand, the pot is split evenly between the players involved. If the pot can not be split perfectly, the odd extra amount will be awarded to the player nearest to the Small Blind position from a clockwise view.
Omaha Hi/Lo is played exactly the same way as Omaha, with one exception: In the showdown, the highest hand wins only half the pot, while the other half is won by the best low hand.
However, this is true only if a player shows down a qualifying low hand. If there is no qualifying low hand, the best high hand wins the whole pot.
| Cards dealt to each player | 4 concealed |
| Community cards dealt | 5 |
| Number of betting rounds | 4 |
| Limits | Fixed limit Pot limit No limit |
| Blinds or antes | Blinds |
To qualify as a low hand, a hand must not contain any card higher than 8, and no pair or better.
However, straights and flushes do not disqualify a low hand. So, for example, 8s-7s-6s-5s-4s qualifies as a low hand. (At the same time, it is a very strong high hand, a straight flush.)
As in Omaha, you must use two of your hole cards to form a poker hand with three cards from the table. But you are free to use any combination of two cards for the low and the high hand. One or two of your hole cards may be used for both the high and the low hand, or you may use two cards for the high hand and the other two cards for the low hand, as you wish.
For example, if you hold AKT2 and the board is AA764, your best high hand is AK+AA7 (three of a kind), and your best low is A2+764. You use the ace in both hands.
Each of the two halves of an Omaha Hi/Lo pot can be split further if two or more players have an equal low or high hand. For instance, if two players have an equal high hand and only one player has a qualifying low hand, the players with the best high hand will each win 25% of the pot while the sole low hand winner will win 50% of the pot. In the case that a pot can not be split perfectly, the odd extra amount will be awarded to the player nearest to the Small Blind position from a clockwise view.
In Omaha Hi/Lo, the ace is the highest card, but it is also the lowest. This is what makes the classic hand A2345 ("the wheel") so strong. It is the best possible low hand, but at the same time, being a straight, it is a strong high hand.
As a descendent of Texas Hold’em, Short Deck is played in a very similar way, except for a few key differences. First of all, all cards with a value below 6 are removed, leaving a smaller 36-card deck. This makes the low end of a straight A-6-7-8-9.
Due to the shorter deck, there are fewer cards that can make a flush. Therefore, in Short Deck a flush now beats a full house as follows:
Unlike regular games of Texas Hold’em, where two players to the immediate left of the dealer are required to post a small blind and big blind, no blinds are posted in Short Deck. Instead, all players post an ante, with the dealer posting a larger forced bet to get the action going. This additional button value is usually double the amount of the ante, however, it is configurable.
Before a card is dealt, the regular antes are collected into the main pot, while the additional button ante remains in front of the dealer to start the betting. Each player is dealt their hole cards and the first (pre-flop) betting round can begin. Communal cards are then dealt the same as in Texas Hold’em.
For example, let’s say the ante is $1 and the additional button ante is $1.
There is a round of betting on each street: Flop (first 3 communal cards), Turn (4th Communal Card) and River (Final Communal Card), just the same as in Texas Hold’em.
For example in a game where the normal ante is $2 and the additional button ante is $3.
Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace of the same suit.
Straight with all five cards in the same suit.
Four of a kind is next highest. It consists of the four cards of any one rank together with any fifth card.
A full house ranks next; it consists of any three of one kind and any pair of another kind.
It consists of any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence.
A straight consists of any five cards of two or more suits in sequence of rank.
Three of a kind are any three cards of the same rank plus two other cards which do not constitute a pair and do not include the fourth card of the same rank.
Two pair, which ranks next under three of a kind, consists of two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and any fifth card which is neither of those ranks.
One pair - any two cards of the same rank, together with three other cards which do not combine with the other two to form any of the higher-ranking hands above.
Poker is all about making the best five-card hand from the seven or nine available (five community cards and your own two hole cards in Texas Hold'em, five community cards and your own four hole cards in Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo). That means in the event of a tie with four of a kind, three of a kind, two pair one pair or high card, a side card or 'kicker' comes into play to decide who wins the pot.
Player A has two pair with 10s and 6s and a Queen as the fifth card. Player B has also two pair with 10s and 6s but a 4 as the fifth card. In this case, player A wins with a Queen "kicker".
With a three of a kind, one pair or high card tie, a second, third or even fourth kicker could come into play to decide the pot. If the kickers can't decide one overall winner, those players involved will have to share the pot.
All variations of poker include some form of betting. This means that before a player can show down a hand and win the pot (if holding the best hand), the player must match the bets of the other players. The number of betting rounds in each hand differs between the different poker variations. But regardless of the variation, individual betting rounds follow more or less the same pattern.
In a typical betting round, there is already a pot of a certain size from earlier betting rounds. The player that should start betting is decided by the rules of the variation being played. The betting turn then moves to the player on the left and so on around the table.
When it is your turn to bet, you have a number of choices. If you do not like your hand, you can always fold – that is, lay down your hand and leave the pot for the other players to contest. If no one has bet before you in this betting round, you may check.
Checking means betting nothing and passing the turn on to the player on your left.
However, if a player before you has bet in this betting round, you cannot check. You can always fold, but if you want to play, you have to either call that bet or raise.
You call by putting in a bet of the same size as the last bet made before you.
You raise by putting in a bigger bet than the last bet before you.
If, for example, a player before you bet 1, you can call by betting 1 or raise by betting more than 1.
When all players have either folded or put an equal amount of bets into the pot, the betting round is over. Now the next card is dealt. Or, if it was the last betting round, the remaining hands are compared to find out who wins the pot. This is called the showdown.
If you put in a bet or a raise and all remaining players fold, you win the pot without showing your hand. This is a common event in poker, and it is the reason why it is possible to bluff in poker. You don’t have to show a winning hand to win the pot. Bluffing may not be as common as people think, but is still a typical characteristic of the game of poker.
The first betting round is a bit more complicated than the consecutive, typical, betting rounds described above.
Before even the cards are dealt, some or all of the players must put in a mandatory bet, either blinds or antes (see below). This is to create an initial pot to compete for. If no player was forced to bet, players could sit around waiting for the very best hands before playing, and it would cost them nothing. Like that, poker could really be like watching paint dry.
When the mandatory bets have been posted and the cards have been dealt, the first betting round starts. It looks a bit different depending on whether antes or blinds are being used as the mandatory bet.
An ante is a forced bet that all players must put in before the cards are dealt. It is usually about 10% of the small bet.
When the cards have been dealt, the player to start betting is decided by the rules of the specific variant. When the first player has bet, the betting turn moves to the left around the table just like the typical betting round described above.
A blind is a forced bet that some but not all of the players have to put in before the cards are dealt. Usually, it is the two players to the left of the dealer who must each put in a blind. Usually, the first player must put in a smaller bet, called the small blind, while the second player must put in a bigger bet, called the big blind.
Blinds, as opposed to antes, are considered as being live. They count as valid bets in the first betting round.
When the cards have been dealt, the first betting round is initiated by the player to the left of the big blind. Since the big blind counts as a bet, this player may not check. He can always fold, but if he wants to play he must call or raise.
To call, he must put in a bet the size of the big blind. To raise, he must put in a bigger bet than this (at least twice the size of the big blind).
Then the betting moves to the left around the table, much like in the typical betting round described above.
If you are in the small blind position when the betting comes around to you, you can either fold, call or raise. Since the small blind counts as a bet, it is a bit cheaper for you to call. If, for example, the small blind is 1, to call a bet of 4 you need to put in another 3. Calling means matching the last bet, and since the blinds are live, you can include your small blind when you calculate the amount needed to call.
If you are in the big blind position, when the betting comes around to you, you can still fold, call or raise. Since the big blind also counts as a bet, now it is even cheaper for you to call. In order to call a certain bet, you need to put in an amount equal to that bet minus the size of the big blind.
If, for example, the big blind is 2 and a player has bet 4, you call by simply putting in another 2.
If you are in the big blind, the first betting round is a bit special. When the betting turn comes around to you, if no player has raised your big blind, you have the right to either check or bet.
This is a bit different from the typical betting round, and can be a bit confusing for the starting poker player. Not to worry, you will get the hang of it in no time!
If more than one player remain in the hand when the last betting round is completed, there is a showdown. This means that the remaining players show their cards to decide who has the best hand.
The showdown starts with the player who was first to put in the last bet. That is, the player who made the bet that the other players called.
If one player bets 5, another player folds and a third calls the bet, the first player must show his cards first.
If one player bets 10, a second player raises to 20 and the first player calls the raise, it is the second player who must show his cards first, since he was the first player to bet 20.
In a showdown, when a player before you has shown a hand that beats yours, you do not have to show your hand.
If you put in a bet or a raise and all remaining players fold, you win the pot without showing your hand. This is a common event in poker, and it is the reason why it is possible to bluff in this game. You don't have to show a winning hand to win the pot. Bluffing may not be as common as people think, but is still typical for the game of poker.
fastforward is exactly the same as normal poker except we’ve made two key changes to really speed the game up:
Texas Hold’em.
It moves you straight to a new table with new players – and ready for new cards.
Four.
You pick how many tables you want to play at when you first take a seat.
Nope, our software makes sure this never happens.
Yep – it works exactly the same as regular cash games.
Even if you wait your turn and click ‘Fold’ you’ll instantly be moved to a new table ready to start a brand new hand.
And that’s about it! The only other thing to mention is that standard poker rules apply.
Progressive Knockout tournaments, or Progressive KOs, are action-packed tourneys where you can win hundreds or even thousands of dollars at any moment! For every player you eliminate, you'll win a cash prize and your own bounty will increase, leading to a frantic finish where every hand can mean mega bucks.
For example, assume the bounty is split 50/50 between a cash reward and being added to a progressive bounty. If two players each with a bounty of $10 butt heads and one is eliminated, the winning player will receive $5 cash and have $5 added to their own bounty to make $15.
Every time you knock out a player, you'll receive a portion of their bounty in cash. Players begin with a fixed starting bounty then have a progressive bounty added for each player they successfully eliminate. The longer you stay in the game, the higher the bounties become. By the end of the tournament, knocking a player out can mean winning hundreds or even thousands of dollars instantly!
If more than one player is involved in a multi-way pot when another player is eliminated, the winner of the pot will scoop the bounty as long as they have the losing player covered. If the winning player has less chips than the eliminated player at the start of the hand, the player who wins the side pot against the eliminated player will win the bounty.
For example, player 1 has 10,000 chips, player 2 has 5,000 chips and player 3 has 1,000 chips, and all three go all in pre-flop. Player 1 holds KK, player 2 has QQ and player 3 has AA, with the board changing nothing. In this example, player 3 will win the main pot but because they have less chips than player 2, and the bounty will go to player 1 along with the side pot.
If two players have an identical hand in a multi-way pot where a player is eliminated, the bounty will be split evenly between them.
Immediately. As soon as you knock a player out, their bounty will be credited to your account in cash.
Yes! In addition to any winnings you pocket from knocking people out, you'll also receive prize money just like any other tournament so you can expect to receive a tidy sum if you finish in the top few spots.
If you win the tournament outright, you'll not only win your opponent's bounty but your own as well, plus regular prize money and all the collective bounties you've accrued from knockouts so there's a huge payday for the winner of any Progressive KO tourney.
Spins Ultra is a turbocharged version of Spins, where faster blinds and shorter stacks accelerate the play. Whether you are playing for more promo points or just for the thrill of the game, Spins Ultra compared to Spins offers you:
Here at Ladbrokes poker, we’re committed to providing players of all levels with a full range of rewards, educational options to improve their game and most importantly, a level playing field. We’ve listened to player feedback and have made changes to ensure we’re the best and safest place to play.
Currently, the only third-party tools that are permitted to be used on Ladbrokes whilst the gaming client is open are:
Last Updated: 19.11.2020
Use of any other tool not mentioned on this list is prohibited whilst the client is running and may lead to restrictions being placed on your account.
If a user is found to be in breach of our terms and conditions, Ladbrokes reserves the right to permanently close the account and confiscate funds.
For the avoidance of doubt, there are some tools that, if a player is found to be using these in any capacity in conjunction with the Ladbrokes client, will result in a breach of our terms and conditions and may result in an immediate closure of the account and seizure of funds. The use of any tool that does the following is not permitted at any time:
The use of both virtual machines and/or any software that specialises in screen-sharing and remote-access is prohibited.
This list includes, but is not limited to, the following:
If a player is found to be using these programs in any capacity (in conjunction with the poker client), it will result in a breach of our terms and conditions. This may result in restrictions put on the account and, in extreme cases, account closure and seizure of funds.
We understand that there are a number of tools that are designed to help you improve as a poker player.
Whilst the majority of players will legitimately use these tools for studying and personal improvement outside of the game, unfortunately, many of these tools provide assistance that, should they be used in-game, provide the user with an unfair advantage over the remainder of the playing field.
As such, there are a number of tools that we understand our players wish to use (and we are happy for them to do so), however, these tools are strictly prohibited from being used whilst the Ladbrokes client is also running. This list includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Should you have any questions about the use of any specific tool, please contact us.
If you wish to use third-party tool or application that is not listed in the permitted sections above, please contact us with your request. Please also include the website address of the tool that you wish to use.
If, after reviewing the requested tool, we choose to grant permission for it to be used on our network, we will reply to you directly and also add it to the permitted list above.
Please note that we will not grant permission to tools that provide features listed below:
"Strategic Material" is any form of external material that can be referenced whilst playing which provides guidance, instructions or recommendations. A player would not be able to replicate this level of gameplay without the material in front of them.
Strategic material, in any form whatsoever, that cannot be found directly in the above section "What material is permitted under this Strategic Material policy?" is prohibited.
If you are found to be in breach of this policy, restrictions may be placed upon your account. In some extreme cases, it may result in account closure and the seizure of funds.
As of 1st January 2020, "queueing" is prohibited. If you are found to be employing such tactics, restrictions may be placed on your account.
Queueing is when a player, or a group of players, intentionally try to alter or avoid specific opponents in games where registration is "blind". Namely, where you shouldn't be able to choose your opponents, for example, Spins.
Our "blind registration" policy (all player aliases are hidden until an STT has begun) ensures a level playing field. This is vital to maintaining a healthy poker ecosystem. Players who intentionally manipulate our registration process compromise the integrity of the game.
"Ratholing" or "Going South" are common terms that refer to the behaviour where a player removes a portion of their chips to reduce their stake in a game. This is in effect what a player is doing if they stand-up from the Fast Forward pool and immediately sit back down with a buy-in less than what they previously had on the table.
"Ratholing" has long been considered an example of poor poker etiquette. If a player leaves the table only to immediately re-join with a lesser stake, opponents no longer have a chance to win those funds back. We believe restricting this behaviour promotes a healthy poker ecosystem for all players.
A player is not allowed to stand-up from the Fast Forward pool and immediately re-join with a stake if this is less than the amount they previously had in the pool. To re-join with a lesser stake, at least 40 minutes must have passed for this to be deemed a new playing session, as it is for our ring game offering. If a player leaves the Fast Forward pool and re-joins within 40 minutes they are obligated for the amount they left with or the maximum allowed buy-in for the pool, whichever is smaller.
Clarifications:
Accounts found to be systematically abusing this feature will be warned and persistent behaviour may result in further sanctions being placed against the account.
"Real Name" tables help provide a community feel while reducing anonymity.
A real account holder should never give a third party access to their account, as stated in our General Terms and Conditions (Section 4. TRUE IDENTITY AND ONE ACCOUNT).
If we establish reasonable proof of this happening, we reserve the right to take action on the account in question.
Our dedicated poker fraud team thoroughly investigates each reported case. If a high burden of proof is established, accounts in breach of our rules will be frozen. Funds will then be seized and redistributed to players who were affected by the account that was deemed to be in breach of our rules.
Our investigation team has grown into a significant resource. We proactively identify accounts that break our rules, including players who use bots and those who engage in collusion. Our team collectively possess a range of skills and disciplines, which allows us to react to all manner of reports quickly and efficiently. We have former online poker pros amongst our team, who are familiar with the current poker landscape.
We operate a high burden of proof to ensure that erroneous or malicious reports do not result in wrongful account closures. We take our role very seriously, and as such, reports that are clearly malicious will not be investigated.
Run It Twice is a poker feature that deals two sets of remaining board cards to consenting all-in players.
The pot divides into two equal parts – one for each board. They are contested separately.
If any player active in the hand does not agree to run it twice, the board will complete as usual.
To configure your settings, go to Settings → Table Options → Run It Twice.
You can select from the following default options:
This feature is currently only available for desktop, but it’ll be coming to mobile soon.
There is no extra rake charge for Run It Twice hands!