Poker for First-time Players

I'm always excited when I get to teach someone how to play poker for the very first time. I generally adjust my "poker lesson plan" to who's attending, but the program for poker beginners generally looks like this:

1. I lay out the Ranks of Hands and What Beats What.
2. I go over the Basics of Betting in Poker.
3. I explain, as I deal it out How to Play Texas Hold'em, and what the Best Starting Hands are in Hold'em.
4. As we play, I work in the basics of Poker Position and Good Poker Etiquette.
5. Finally, I work in a little about Tells in Poker and how to start looking for them in others and hide one's own tells.

There's nothing like watching someone try to bluff off their first poker pot. When I see that, I know I've planted the seeds of poker love, and as poker players know, it's a weed that just keeps growing. If you're trying to spread the poker bug, try the plan above or sign them up for our learn to play poker e-course!