Play Online Poker Game on Pocket52

Poker is a very popular card-based game that is enjoyed in all parts of the world. It’s the simple nature of the game that makes it so attractive. In poker, the number of players can vary from 2 to 9 and the game is played using a single deck of cards. Poker has numerous variants - Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and seven-card stud, etc.

The game of poker is based on forming the best combination possible. Your victory depends on the format you are playing and in all forms of the poker game, the objective is to outwit your opponents regardless of the fact you have a good hand or not.

Poker in India

While the origins of the game is said to have western roots, some historical records suggest that a variation of poker was popular in ancient India. The variation involved elements of skill and strategy that are relevant for modern poker as well.

Today, the poker game is easily available in the online world and you don’t need to be physically present with the players you are playing against. Pocket52 is one of India’s trusted online poker platforms that offers a seamless and safe experience.

Trusted by over 16 lakh players, Pocket52 is certified by internationally renowned iTech Labs, Australia, to make sure that all cards are distributed in an unbiased manner. Pocket52 ensures your rights as a player are protected with robust anti-fraud systems and automated processes. The app runs on India's first cryptographically secure Random Number Generator (RNG) platform, which provides fair gameplay. Our lightning-fast customer support comforts and helps you with the tiniest of hurdles that you come across at Pocket52. So, whether you are new to the online game of poker or need a refresher, Pocket52 has what you need to learn how to play.

Poker and its Origin

The modern format of the game can be dated back to the early 19th century. It all began in the then French territory of New Orleans (USA) and soon found its way in the floating saloons of Mississippi. Poker began as a 20-card game before the current variation of full-deck 52-card variation took over. While this is what we know about today’s poker, there are traces of the game found in 10th century China and 16th century Persia - where the game was known as As Nas.

Poker came into India as the Western society set foot on our soil. It began as a leisure activity and since anything related to playing cards was a taboo in the country, not many players opened up about being poker enthusiasts.

Today, pokеr thrivеs in India as a popular pastime and compеtitivе activity. Both online and offline cash games, as well as tournamеnts, have cultivated a new generation of skillеd playеrs. This journey from traditional gamеs to a modern pokеr community highlights India's cultural richnеss and adaptation to changе.

Poker Game Variants You Can Play?

Before you hit the online poker game tables, you'll need to familiarise yourself with the popular poker variants.

Texas Hold’em

Although there are many different variations of poker, Texas Hold'em poker is the most popular one.

It’s the simplicity of this variation that has helped it gain immense popularity among poker enthusiasts. Texas Hold'em requires at least 2 participants and can be played with up to 9 participants. A standard deck of 52 cards is used for this variant, and the primary objective is to make the best 5-card poker hand based on the poker hand rankings to win the game.

Omaha Poker

Omaha is another interesting variation of poker where instead of getting two cards at the start (as in Texas Hold’em), you get four cards. But, the goal of this variation also remains the same - form a combination of best 5 cards, using at least 3 community cards. What makes this format exciting is that there is more probability for players to form higher-ranking combinations and this opens up interesting showdowns. There are many variations within Omaha as well but the most popular one is Pot-limit Omaha.

Pot-limit Omaha or PLO has three sub-formats within it. There are three types of PLO games you can play and win real cash:

The main characteristic of a PLO game is that the size of a bet can only be as big as the size of the pot. For example, if the pot has ₹200 in it, your bet cannot exceed that amount.

Poker is Legal in India

The legality of poker varies depending on the jurisdiction you are in. In most of the states of India, poker is considered a game of skill rather than pure chance, which can influence its legal status.

In India, online poker games have been deemed legal. The Public Gambling Act, 1867, determines that poker does not fall under the category of gambling games. This is because it requires a certain level of skill to play the game. The act does not prohibit skill-based games, thus making poker legal in India.

Poker is a skill-based game wherein success is predominantly determined by players' strategy, psychological insight, and adept decision-making abilities, rather than relying solely on luck or chance.

The Assam Game & Betting Act, 1970, Telangana State Gaming (Amendment), Odisha (Prevention of) Gambling Act, 1955, the Amendment to the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974, the Ordinance and High Court Judgment in Gujarat, 2017 bans games that have stakes real money involved. Therefore, residents of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Odisha, and Telangana are not permitted to play online poker.

Why Play Poker on Pocket52?

One of India’s most rewarding online real money poker platforms, Pocket52 is known for delivering an unmatched experience to its players. Packed with еxcitеmеnt and gеnеrous rеwards, Pocket52 has been designed to suit rookies and professionals alike. It has loads of free poker tournaments where new players can learn and improve their skills while cash tournaments and games are what the professionals love.

Real Cash, Real Players

On Pocket52 you play poker online with real players. There are no bots on the platform, and we have technological measures in place to tackle any manipulation on the table. Also, you get to win real cash on the platform, which makes the game even more fun.

RNG Certified and Fair Play

Pocket52 ensures fair play and transparency through its RNG (Random Number Generator) system, which has been verified by iTech Labs, Australia. RNG ensures that the shuffling and distribution of cards is random and does not favor a particular player.

Trusted Gaming Ecosystem

At Pocket52, we understand that trust is the most important factor when it comes to online poker. That’s why we have stringent fair play policies in place to ensure all our games are fair. Pocket52 also has an RNG certification, this ensures that the shuffling and distribution of cards is unbiased.

Promotions & Offers

Pocket52 rewards you at every step of the journey. Whether it’s the lucrative offers on Add Cash or the bumper rewards you get when you refer a friend, we make sure that the rewards never stop flowing your way.

Instant Withdrawals

No need to wait for days to get your money to your bank account. At Pocket52, our instant withdrawal process enables you to withdraw your money within a few seconds. All you have to do is place a withdrawal request, and we will take care of the rest.

Customer Support

Our customer support team is here to help you out 24x7. So don’t hesitate to give us a call whenever you need any assistance.

Responsible Gaming

At Pocket52, responsible gaming is a top priority. We are committed to ensuring a secure and enjoyable gaming atmosphere for all our players. By fostering awareness and providing tools for responsible gaming, we strive to ensure that your experience on the app remains positive.

Poker Rules at a Glance

Before you grab a seat on the poker table, it’s important you understand the basic poker rules and terms of the game.

Let’s start with understanding the poker rankings of 10 possible hands, which comprise poker sequences, pairs, triplets, and cards of a suit. Please note that you need to pick the best 5 out of the two cards dealt to you plus the 5 community cards on the table. The ranking of these hands is based on the probability of creating them.

• Flush: The highest straight (sequence of cards) of any suit. Example: (A♦ K♦ Q♦ J♦ 10♦)
• Straight Flush: TheFive consecutive cards of the same suit. Example: (10♠ 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠)
• Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank. (K♣ K♦ K♥ K♠ Q♥)
• Full House: A combination of three-of-a-kind and a two-pair. Example: (A♠ A♥ A♣ K♣ K♦)
• Flush: When you create a combination of five cards of the same suit but they are not in a sequence, it is known as flush. Example: (3♦ 5♦ 8♦ j♦ K♦)
• Straight: When you create a combination of five cards which are in a sequence but are not of the same suit, it is known as a straight. Example: (5♦ 6♣ 7♦ 8♠ 9♣)
• Three of a Kind: When you have 3 cards of the same rank, it is known as three-of-a-kind, sometimes it’s also called triplets. Example: (8♣ 8♦ 8♠ 7♣ k♦)
• Two Pair: When your combination contains two different pairs, it is known as a two-pair. Example: (7♦ 7♠ Q♦ Q♥ 6♣)
• One Pair: A pair of cards of the same rank is known as a one-pair. Example: (J♦ J♠ 4♠ 8♦ 10♣)
• High Card: The lowest-ranked poker sequence. Example: (A♣ 8♥ 7♦ J♦ K♠)

Important Poker Terms

• Fold : If you are not happy with your cards and you are not confident that you will be able to bluff your way to a victory, you can always choose to fold your cards. Once you fold, you will need to wait for another hand to start.
• Bet : On your turn, you can choose to bet an amount. This amount depends on you and does not need to follow any set of rules. You can also choose to go “all:in”, which means that you can bet your entire stack on your turn.
• Call : If you want to match an opponent’s bet, you need to “Call” it. This indicates that you want to contest the hand.
• Raise : If an opponent has bet some amount and you want to increase the stakes, you will need to “raise” on your turn. This simply means that you are increasing the betting amount that everyone needs to put in to participate in the hand.
• Bluff : Bluff is a move that players use to fool their opponents. They can portray that they have a stronger hand than they actually have by betting on their turn or by raising their opponent's bet.
• Bad Beat : When a strong hand gets beaten by an even stronger hand, the event is known as “bad beat”. For example, a straight getting beaten by a flush on the river, will be considered a bad beat.
• Small Blind : The player seated on the left of the dealer is known as the small blind. This player needs to put half the amount of big blind before any cards are distributed.
• Big Blind : The player seated on the left of the small blind is known as big blind. This player puts in double the amount of small blind before the hand starts.
• Ante : Ante is a forced bet made by all the players before any cards are dealt. This is the amount every player needs to play before the initial betting begins.
• Pot : This is the total of all the bets that have been placed in a single hand.

How to play poker

After the two-hole cards are dealt to all the players. Every player can choose to do any of the following five actions during each round of betting - Fold, Call, Check, Raise or go All-In. But, all these actions are tied to five rounds of play during a game of poker. These rounds are described below:

1. Pre-Flop: Before any cards open up on the table, there is a round of betting that takes place. In this round, the two players to the immediate left of the dealer have to make the forced bets known as blinds. The other players then have to match the blinds for the Flop to open. Players can either match or raise the blind amount during this round.
2. Flop: After all the Pre-Flop bets are matched, the Flop opens - first three community cards open up on the table. Players can then look at these cards and see if they are able to make any combinations or if their hands are looking good. All players can either check, call, fold or raise during this round.
3. Turn: After the Flop round of betting is over, the fourth community card opens on the table - this card is known as the Turn. Players can check, call, fold or raise during this round, depending on the strength of their hand combinations.
4. River: Again after the previous round of betting is complete, the fifth and final community card opens up on the table - this is known as the River. One final round of call, fold, check or raise happens and the players can move onto the Showdown round as per the strength of their hands.
5. Showdown: After all the betting rounds end, all the players participating in the hand will need to show their cards; this is known as “showdown”.

How to Play Online Poker on Pocket52

1. Step 1: Go to our official Pocket52 website www.pocket52.com and download the Pocket52 poker app (mobile) or desktop app.
2. Step 2: You will need to register on the app by providing your mobile number.
3. Step 3: Go to the Add Cash section and make your first deposit. You can get exciting rewards on your first Add Cash.
4. Step 4: Once you are done with adding cash, you can go back to the poker lobby, where loads of cash games and tournaments (paid and free) open up.
5. Step 5: Pick a poker game, start playing, and win real cash.
6. Step 6: This is not all. As you play and wager money on the table, you are entitled to unmatched rewards through our loyalty rewards program - Royalty Rewards.

With these simple steps, you're ready to immerse yourself in the excitement of playing poker games and showcase your poker skills on a competitive stage!

Benefits of Playing Poker

To excel in any game or sport, you need to have a certain set of skills. While poker sounds like a simple game, it tests a lot of your skills which are important in daily life as well :

• Risk Management: Check or fold, bet or raise, you need to assess the risk involved on every turn. Keep your mind calm and trust your skills and make sure that the risk you are taking is never bigger than the reward at stake.
• Mathematics Skills: Poker is a game that heavily revolves around probability. You need to be good at basic maths to calculate the chances of you winning the hand and whether it’s worth wagering any money based on your opponent’s moves. Once you start playing regularly, you will realise that your mathematical skills are getting sharper with every game.
• Patience and Discipline: Like mentioned above, you need to stay calm if you want to make money in the long run. Keep your ego in check, and don’t bluff too much. If you’re not happy with your odds, just fold, no need to test your luck in every hand. Remember, it’s a game of skill, play it like that. Patience and discipline is what will come to you with more time spent on the table.
• Emotional Control: Throw emotions out of the window when you sit on a table. Many players go on a “tilt” after a bad beat. Chasing a straight till the river card, making unnecessary bets, taking a defeat to the heart, all these things will only result in losses. Poker teaches you how to keep your emotions in check, and sometimes the lesson is taught the hard way.
• Analytical Skills: Poker can help you improve your analytical skills. You will observe that you are able to predict things better, read people through their moves, and understand things a little better.

Poker Games on Pocket52 are Safe & Secure

Pocket52 is trusted by over 16 lakh players in India. We understand that the safety of your data and your money is very important, and that’s why we have adequate measures in place to ensure that. All our payment gateways are safe to use, and all the cards are shuffled and distributed using a Random Number Generator (RNG).

Pocket52 Tournaments

Poker tournaments on Pocket52 not only give you the opportunity to win big rewards but also help you improve your skills. On Pocket52, you can participate in cash tournaments as well as free tournaments. There is no entry fee for a free tournament but the rewards you win are big for sure.