Best online poker for beginners in the UK - where won't I get destroyed immediately?
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Right, so I've been watching poker on TV and fancy having a go myself. Problem is, I know literally nothing beyond what beats what (and even then I sometimes forget if a flush beats a straight).
I'm looking for the best online poker uk sites where I won't get absolutely annihilated by sharks within 5 minutes. Are there proper beginner tables somewhere? Maybe some guidance on how to play poker uk style vs what I see on American TV?
Budget is around £50 to start with - don't want to blow my mortgage money before I even know what I'm doing. Any recommendations for best poker uk sites that actually cater to complete novices?
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PokerStars is probably your best bet mate. They've got proper beginner tables (£0.01/£0.02 blinds) and their poker school section is brilliant for learning the basics. Plus being UKGC licensed means your money's safe.
William Hill Poker is decent too - bit softer competition generally. Avoid the higher stakes tables until you've got at least 100 hours under your belt!
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@poker_pete_uk absolutely right about PokerStars. Their play money tables are perfect for learning without risking real cash first.
One thing though - UK poker isn't really different from 'American style'. Texas Hold'em is Texas Hold'em wherever you play it. Main difference is we can't play as many sites due to regulations.
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Here's something that might help with the maths side of things. Pot odds calculation is crucial:
Pot Odds = (Size of Pot) ÷ (Size of Bet to Call)
So if there's £10 in the pot and someone bets £5, you need to call £5 to win £15 total.
Pot odds = £15 ÷ £5 = 3:1You need roughly 25% chance of winning to make this call profitable long-term. Sounds complicated but you'll pick it up!
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God, the maths already? Poor guy hasn't even played a hand yet!
@newbie_casino honestly just start on the free tables. Download PokerStars, play some play money games, watch how others play. You'll lose your shirt if you jump straight into real money games, even the micro stakes.
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888 Poker has decent beginner promotions. Think they still do that thing where you get tournament tickets just for signing up. Tournaments are good for beginners because you can only lose your buy-in, unlike cash games where you can keep reloading.
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@sarah_g is spot on. I started on real money immediately and burned through £200 in two weeks. Ego got the better of me - kept thinking 'these players are terrible, I just got unlucky'.
Spoiler alert: they weren't terrible, I was.
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Cheers for all the responses! Downloaded PokerStars last night and had a go on the play money tables. Already made every mistake possible I think - calling with rubbish hands, folding when I probably had the best hand, betting too much, betting too little...
Is there a general rule about which hands to play and which to fold immediately?
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Starting hands are crucial. As a beginner, stick to premium hands:
Hand Type Examples Action Premium Pairs AA, KK, QQ, JJ Always play Strong Pairs 99, 88, 77 Play most positions High Cards AK, AQ, AJ Play in position Suited Connectors 8 
9, J
QAdvanced play only Trash 72, J3, 94 Always fold Stick to the top two categories for now.
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That's solid advice but honestly, hand selection is only part of it. Position matters more than most beginners realise. Playing AJ from early position is completely different from playing it on the button.
But yeah, don't get fancy with suited connectors until you understand pot odds and implied odds properly.
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Anyone mention bankroll management yet? Golden rule: never play with more than 5% of your bankroll at a table. So with £50, you're looking at £2.50 max buy-ins. That's probably £0.01/£0.02 blinds maximum.
I know it sounds boring but I've seen too many people go bust ignoring this basic rule.
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@lucy_wins that's actually quite conservative. Most pros use 20-30 buy-ins for cash games, so with £50 you could play £1 buy-in games (£0.01/£0.02). But for a complete beginner, being conservative isn't bad advice.
The variance in poker is mental - you can play perfectly and still lose for weeks.
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Here's the thing nobody's mentioned - tilt management. You're going to lose hands you 'should' have won. You're going to get sucked out on. The moment you start chasing losses or playing hands you know you shouldn't, you're done.
Expected Value calculation becomes important here:
EV = (Probability of Winning × Amount Won) - (Probability of Losing × Amount Lost)For a coin flip all-in with £10: EV = (0.5 × £10) - (0.5 × £10) = £0
Zero EV situations are exactly that - break even long term. Don't let short-term results cloud this mathematical reality.
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Philosophical question: is poker actually gambling or is it skill? I mean, in the long run skill wins out, but in the short term it's just glorified gambling isn't it?
@newbie_casino might want to consider if he's looking for entertainment or trying to make money. Very different approaches needed.
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Been playing the micro stakes for a week now - up £3.47! I know it's nothing but feels good to be winning rather than losing.
Had my first proper 'bad beat' yesterday. Had pocket kings, flop came K-7-2 rainbow. Got it all in against someone with 7-7 who hit quads on the river. £2 down the drain but I think I played it right?
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@newbie_casino that's poker in a nutshell! You played it perfectly and got unlucky. The fact you can recognise that shows you're learning.
Quads over kings full house is just one of those things. Happens maybe once in 10,000 hands. Shake it off and move on.
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Wait, people actually make money at this? I tried poker once, lost £50 in about 20 minutes and went back to roulette. At least the wheel doesn't try to bluff me.
@vip_player_uk your maths gives me a headache. I just want to click buttons and win money.
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@roulette_rob that's exactly the attitude that makes poker profitable for the rest of us! Keep playing roulette mate, the house edge appreciates your donations.
Poker's the only casino game where you're not playing against the house. You're playing against other players, and if you're better than them long-term, you win their money.
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This whole thread is why I stick to slots. Press spin, either win or lose, no need to calculate pot odds or worry about position or any of that nonsense.
Though I did try a poker tournament once on Bet365. Came 47th out of 200, won £1.23. Took three hours. I can lose £50 on Bonanza Megaways in three minutes - much more efficient!
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Been following this thread with interest. @newbie_casino how are you getting on? Still playing the micros or moved up stakes yet?
Word of warning - the jump from £0.01/£0.02 to £0.05/£0.10 is bigger than you'd think. Players are noticeably better and more aggressive.