How to Play Irish Poker - A Beginner’s Guide

Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world, and there are many variants — including Irish poker.

Combining elements of Texas Hold ’em and Omaha poker, Irish poker offers an unusual twist that should appeal to seasoned players and newcomers alike. But as with other variants, learning how Irish poker works can take a while (especially for poker novices).

To make it easier for you, we have created this beginner’s guide to Irish poker that explains the goal and the order of play. We will also explore the “drinking” version of the game and how to play responsibly.

What is Irish Poker?

If you know how to play poker, you should be familiar with Texas Hold ‘em and Omaha poker — two of the most popular variants. Irish poker borrows from both, but still feels like a unique game. It is widely available at online poker sites and brick-and-mortar casinos.

Irish poker uses a standard deck of 52 playing cards, with a mix of hole and community cards dealt throughout. The aim is to create the best possible hand of five cards, using a combination of the hole and community cards.

As in Omaha poker, players begin with four hole (starting) cards. However, each player has to discard two of these cards after the flop (the first three community cards dealt).

Once players have discarded their chosen cards, the rest of the round follows the traditional Texas Hold ‘em order.

Our recommended online poker sites.

All Poker Sites

Irish Poker: The Rules of the Game

Here is how a typical game of Irish poker works:

Players receive four random hole cards each from the dealer.
Betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind. They can call, raise, or fold.
The initial three community cards are dealt to the table face up. Players can add any community cards to their hole cards.
Players must discard two hole cards. Picking those two cards may require careful consideration, as it will affect a player’s position for the rest of the game.
The dealer adds two more community cards (the turn and river).
A betting round follows both the turn and river.
Finally, the showdown will take place. Players still in the game show their hands, and whoever holds the best poker hand will claim the pot. Irish poker uses standard poker hand rankings.

Tips for Playing Irish Poker

Tips for Playing

Tips for Playing

Here are four tips to keep in mind:

Take time to check your hole cards carefully: Evaluating the value of your card hands is crucial before you decide which two to discard. The two cards you keep must combine well with your chosen community cards, and if you realise that you have made the wrong decision later, you will either have to fold or try to make the best of your hand that you can.

Keep hand rankings in mind when picking community cards: If you know how to play poker well, you should try to consider all possible winning hands before you choose which community cards to add to your hole cards. While this can be difficult for anyone but the most experienced players, being able to recognise which cards will create potentially winning hands can prove helpful.

Be willing to fold: While some poker players may find the prospect of folding at any point during a game unpleasant to say the least, identifying the best time to bow out can be a powerful asset. Folding strategically can reduce the risk of losing money unnecessarily on a hand that is unlikely to secure a win.

Play in demo mode first: If possible, try to familiarise yourself with the game using demos at online poker sites. Any Irish poker games available to play for free, using virtual bets instead of real ones, will give you a first-hand insight into the structure and rules before you wager any of your own money. This is only possible with virtual games powered by a Random Number Generator (RNG).