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POKER BASICS · LESSON 1 OF 6

The aim of poker

Updated October 17, 2026 · Free Poker USA

The aim, the pot and what a hand means.

About 2 minutes · One knowledge check

One hand is one round of poker.

These lessons teach Texas Hold’em. Each hand starts with new cards and ends when the chips in the middle are awarded. At the Welcome Table, you choose when to deal the next hand.

The chips in the middle are the pot.

Players put chips into the middle as the hand develops. You can win that pot in two ways: have the strongest five-card combination at the end, or be the only player who has not folded. Folding means leaving this hand.

You do not have to win every hand.

You can fold, watch the result and try again. Losing a hand does not mean you failed a lesson. The Welcome Table uses computer opponents and free play chips, with no cash value or prizes.

Rules reference: PokerStars Learn: Texas Hold’em rules. Examples here use play chips only.

One question with an explanation. Try again as often as you like.

Your progress and backup

Open this page with JavaScript to load your saved progress.

You can read every lesson without JavaScript. Turn it on for quizzes and saved progress.Home With friends Academy

Free poker online. Start your way.

Practice Texas Hold’em against bots, try a solo tournament, or invite your friends to a private table. New to poker? Start with five guided hands. Solo games and lessons need no signup. For private Hold’em or Omaha, each player needs a free account.

Free to playNo deposits, purchases or prizes. Chips and points have no cash value.
Bots or your friendsSolo games use bots. Private tables are for invited people.
Keep your progressGuest saves stay in this browser. Sign in to save solo progress across devices.

Learn poker

Learn the basics

Cards, blinds and betting, one step at a time.

Know your hand

See what beats what, then test yourself with a puzzle.

Try a poker puzzle

Try a solo tournament

Take on five bots in the Stars & Stripes Cup or the faster Six‑Seat Turbo. No entry fee or prizes.

Compare solo tournaments

Learn the rules, then practice a hand.

Read the poker academy overview to choose a lesson. Use the visual poker trainer to compare cards and odds, or learn poker chip values, blinds, and call costs before your next hand.

For the mixed-game tables, start with Dramaha High rules or Chicago rules and scoring. Wondering who is across the table? The computer-opponent directory explains their playing tendencies. They are fictional regulars, not live players.

BEFORE YOU TAKE A SEAT

A few fair questions.

Is this really free poker?

Yes. All games and lessons are free to play. Play chips, game points and XP have no cash value. There are no deposits, purchases or prizes.

Is this social poker or an F2P game?

Both. It’s free-to-play poker with solo games against bots and private games with invited friends. There are no paid chips, sweepstakes or prizes. Private games require a free account; players join by invitation, not public matchmaking.

Do I need to download an app or sign up?

No download or registration is needed for solo play or lessons. A free player account saves your solo progress across devices and is required for private games. Sign in with the link or six-digit code in your email. Sharing a solo practice leaderboard score is optional.

Am I playing against real people?

Bot tables, solo tournaments, Chicago and Dramaha use computer opponents. Play with friends is for invited people at a private Hold’em or Pot-limit Omaha table. Omaha has four-, five- and six-card options. The player leaderboard is a separate, opt-in display of unverified solo practice scores.

Can I play on my phone?

Yes. Play in your phone’s browser, with no app to download. Use Menu to move between games, lessons and your account.

Can I stop and come back?

Yes. Signed-in players save their table, Cup and practice progress to their account and can continue on another device. Guest saves belong to this browser profile. Check the save status before leaving and keep a backup code for important progress. Practice saves are unverified and never qualify for prizes.

Where should a beginner start?

Choose Play 5 hands for a guided introduction against bots, with short tips you can skip. Prefer to read first? Explore the poker academy.

Latest update: A calmer first hand and a quicker start · Oct 22, 2026 · What’s next