Are you a poker fan? Zynga poker is one of the largest online poker communities, and there are so many sessions played there, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Zynga provides an initial chip capital, so you can start playing without spending any money. If you want to learn how to play Zynga Poker like a true card game prodigy, start by looking at Step 1 below.
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Method 1 of 4: Running the App
Step 1. Create a Facebook account if you don't have one yet
There are two main ways to play Zynga Poker: playing in your web browser using Facebook, or downloading the app for your mobile device. Both methods require a Facebook account if you want to save the progress of the game.
Step 2. Open the Zynga app on Facebook
Open Facebook in an internet browser on a computer, and enter the words "Texas HoldEm Poker" in the search bar. Select the first result that appears (with 10,000,000+ million monthly users below it).
You will get a notification that Texas HoldEm Poker is requesting access to your public profile and friends list. You have to agree to it if you want to play. You can choose who can see the posts published by the app. If you don't want others to see it, select "Only Me" in the sharing options
Step 3. Download the app for your mobile device
The Zynga Poker app is available on both iOS and Android devices, and can be downloaded for free from the respective device's app store. Once the app is installed, you will need to log into your Facebook account to be able to save the progress of the game.
- If you don't want to log in with your Facebook account, you can still play as a Guest. Your game will not be saved this way.
- You cannot play Zynga Poker from a mobile browser. You have to download the app to be able to play this game on your device.
Method 2 of 4: Browsing the Home Screen (Facebook)
Step 1. See how many chips you have
In the upper left corner of your screen, you will see a display of the current chip count. This number shows how much you can bet in a poker session.
Step 2. Find a table
There are several different ways to join a table game. You can click the "Play Texas Hold'Em Now" button at the top of the screen to quickly join a table at your random skill level, or you can use the table list to see all the tables of the various levels you can join.
- You can use the Table Stakes menu list to filter the tables you want to appear on your list. "Stakes" are the amount that can be bet on each turn, while "Min/Max BuyIn" is the cost of joining a table.
- Most tables have a common level of difficulty, which is indicated next to the table name. This can help you visualize the opponent you'll be up against, but be aware that a lot of people may be trying to trick you into their skills.
- You can hide empty and full tables by checking the appropriate boxes at the bottom of the table list.
Step 3. See how your friends are playing
At the bottom of the game page, you will see a list of Facebook friends who also play Zynga Poker. You can see how many chips they have, and if you click on their name you can see their achievements and statistics.
Your friends who are currently online will be shown in a box on the right side of the page. You can use this list to send out playtime invites
Step 4. Check your progress
Your current level is shown at the top of the screen. You can level up as you gain experience, and this experience is earned as you play and win games. Increasing levels give access to new tables, achievements and rewards.
You can review your profile by clicking the Profile button on the lower left side. You can see detailed stats, all the items you have acquired, and the progress of your achievements
Method 3 of 4: Navigating its Home Screen (Mobile)
Step 1. See how many chips you have
At the bottom of the screen, you will see a display showing your current chip count. This shows how many chips you can bet in a game session.
Step 2. Find the table
You can immediately join the game by tapping the red "Play Now" button. You will immediately join a table based on your current chip count and level. You can also search for tables that meet specific criteria by tapping the "Hold'Em Tables" button. Use the sliders to specify the bet amount and joining fee, and use the drop-down menus to select the number of players and the speed of play.
Unlike the Facebook version, you can't browse all the tables available here
Step 3. Change your settings
Click the Gear icon in the lower right corner to adjust the app settings. You can change when you receive notifications, turn the power indicator on or off, and more.
The strength indicator will help determine if the cards in your hand are good, but they will cost you 10% of your winnings
Step 4. Check your stats
You can see a quick overview of the best cards as well as the biggest wins, by tapping your name in the lower left corner of the app.
Method 4 of 4: Play
Step 1. Understand how to play Texas Hold'Em
Zynga Poker follows standard no-limit Texas Hold'Em rules. Each player is dealt two cards face down, and the goal is to make the best five-card combination with the community card placed in the center of the table.
- Betting begins after the first two cards have been dealt, after the three community cards have been shown, after the fourth card has been dealt, and after the fifth card has also been shown.
- Each player will take turns being a dealer. Betting will start from the left side of the dealer.
- The first two players to the left of the dealer must bet automatically for the round to begin. These are referred to as "blinds".
- For detailed instructions on how to play Texas Hold'Em, look for the guide.
Step 2. Join a table
When choosing a table, this means that you are "sitting" on an empty chair. If the game is in progress, you have to wait until the next round. When you sit down and join, you will see your opponents and the number of chips they have.
Step 3. Choose your action
As the game continues around the table, you'll see each player's bet amount for the current round. When it's your turn, you can choose to Call (equal bet), Check (skip your turn if there are no equal bet amounts), Bet/Raise (increase the bet amount), or Fold (give up and withdraw from the game).
- You can decide what to do before it's your turn, if you know what you want to do beforehand. If the action you selected is no longer available when it's your turn (for example, you wanted to Check, but someone else chose Raise first), you can change your choice.
- Each player has a time limit to determine the action. This time limit is indicated by a yellow bar around the player's photo, which will decrease over time.
- If you are playing on a mobile device, you should use the bet slider to increase or decrease your bet.
Step 4. Understand the difference between online poker and real poker
There are some big differences when playing online, the main one stemming from the fact that online games don't involve real money. This can lead to a large number of Raise options, which you won't normally find in a real poker game.
Bluffing is a very difficult thing to do in online poker, because you can't see other people's facial or physical reactions. Your opponent will likely have an easier time picking Raise, as the money is not real money
Step 5. Pay the rejoining fee if you lose
If you run out of chips, you can choose the "rebuy" option, which will increase your chip count and allow you to keep playing. You must have chips available at your bank to be able to do this.
Step 6. Leave the game table when you have finished
If you don't want to continue playing, click the "Stand Up" button in the upper-left corner of the screen. You will leave your seat, although you can still watch the game at the table. If you wish to return to the lobby, click the "To Lobby" button.
You cannot leave the table while the cards in your hand are active
Step 7. Get more chips
While the main way to get more chips is by winning them from other players, there are actually a number of ways to do this. On the left side of the lobby screen, you can participate in slot machine games, which can award you chips if you win. You get free draw opportunities after a while, but you can play them whenever you want by paying using Casino Gold. You have to buy Casino Gold with real money.
- You can also buy more chips directly from Zynga, by clicking on your total chip count in the corner of the lobby screen. You can choose the package you want to buy with real money.
- You can win a small amount of chips and put your poker knowledge to the test, by clicking the Poker Genius button. This button is located in the upper right corner of the game screen, precisely in the Dice menu. Poker Genius will test your skills by asking the most likely combination of cards to win, and the correct questions will earn you a small number of chips. Poker Genius can only be played a few rounds a day.
