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What Is Irish Poker?

Irish Poker is a fantastic option for poker players looking for a new way to spice up their Texas Hold’em games. This variation increases the number of hole cards for each player, adding an exciting discard element to the game.

This guide will break down the basics of the Irish Poker game. Before trying this game at online poker sites, I will explain the rules and strategies you should know.

What Is Irish Poker?

First things first, what is Irish Poker? Most of the rules for this game are similar to real-money Texas Hold’em.

However, the difference starts with the initial deal. Players in Irish Poker begin with four cards instead of two. You hold onto your cards until after the flop. Once the first three community cards are on the board, discard two hole cards.

How to Play Irish Poker

Irish Poker rules are similar to popular games, pulling heavily from Texas Hold’em and Omaha Poker. Here is everything you need to know about playing Irish Poker.

The Deal

In traditional Texas Hold’em, players start with two hole cards. Your hole cards are doubled in Irish Poker. After every player has paid their ante, they are given four hole cards.

The additional cards can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it gives you more chances to create a strong starting hand. Conversely, it also increases the chances that your opponents will have a strong hand.

You will not hold onto all four of your starting cards for the entire game. However, unlike Pineapple Poker, you do not need to discard any cards before the flop.

First Round of Betting

Once every player has their four starting cards, each player is given the option to make their first bets on the hand. This initial round of betting can be a key part of successful players’ strategies.

In an early position, you can use the first round of betting to help set the tone for the rest of the hand. If you are in a later position, conversely, you watch how your opponents bet to try and gauge the strength of their hand.

Flop and Discard

After the first round of betting is complete, the next step in Irish Poker is the flop. These three initial community cards can make or break your hand in this poker game.

At least one of the cards from the flop will be in your final five-card hand. Also, after the flop and before the second round of betting, you must discard two of your starting four cards. Choosing which cards to discard is one of the most important parts of any Irish Poker strategy.

There are no rules about what cards you must keep or discard in Irish Poker. All you need to do is decide which two hole cards give you the best chance at making the strongest hand that round. Then, you discard the other two hole cards

After players have discarded the two surplus cards, they can engage in post-flop betting.

Turn and River

After the post-flop betting, every remaining player should have two hole cards left. From this point forward, the game follows the same steps as Texas Hold’em.

Two more community cards, the turn and the river, will be revealed. Players will have a chance to bet after these cards are revealed by the dealer.

At this point in the game, there are usually only a few players left in the hand. You can use the community cards and your opponents’ betting patterns to assess the strength of their hands. Also, remember that the more players who are left in the game, the stronger your hand will need to be to win.

Final Round of Betting

After the final community card, the river, is dealt, players have one last chance to wager on the round.

The final round of betting in Irish Poker is your last chance to get your opponents to buy into the pot. When you have a strong hand, you need your opponents to buy in as much as possible to maximize your winnings.

Alternatively, it is also your last chance to fold. If your opponent raises too much or you did not get the out you were looking for, it is usually in your best interest to fold instead of investing more money in a weak hand.

Irish Poker Strategy Tips

As you can see, Irish Poker is a great card option for fans of other popular poker games. Here are a few tips to give you the edge over your opponents in Irish Poker.

Know the Best Starting Hands

Memorizing the best starting hands is one step that every poker player can take to improve their game. In Irish Poker, the additional two starting cards change the best starting hand combinations.

The top starting hands in Irish Poker include:

• Ace-Ace-King-King
• Ace-Ace-Queen-Queen
• Ace-Ace-Jack-Jack
• King-King-Queen-Queen
• Ace-King-Queen-Jack

High pairs are the best starting hands in the game. Three or four-of-a-kind are better hands overall, but you must discard two of your starting cards. So, having these higher-ranking hands in your starting hand reduces your odds of getting them in the game.

Short of a pair, cards in sequential order or of the same suit can set you up for a straight or a flush, respectively.

Have a Strategy for Discarding Cards

Discarding cards is an essential part of every hand in Irish Poker. First and foremost, it will determine your potential hands for the rest of the round. Also, you are the only player who will know what cards you have discarded.

You can use the information about your discarded cards to your advantage. For instance, if you discarded a 10 of Spades, you know it will not appear as one of the community cards that hand.

With that in mind, you should have a strategy for deciding which cards you will eliminate each hand. Essentially, you want to use the flop cards to determine which of your hole cards you want to keep to maximize your chances of getting a strong final hand.

Prioritize Suited Cards and Connectors

As mentioned above, deciding on which hole cards to keep is vital to winning in Irish Poker. Two factors to look for are suited cards and connectors.

Suited cards, as the name implies, are cards that share the same suit. For instance, if there are multiple Diamonds on the flop, you should consider keeping any Diamonds in your starting hand to increase your chances of getting a flush.

Similarly, connectors are cards in numerical order that can help you complete a straight. For example, fives and sevens are lower-ranking cards that usually can be discarded. However, if there is a six and an eight on the flop, then the five and seven are vital connector cards that can help you complete a straight.

Use Position to Your Advantage

Your position at the table will have a major impact on your hand. Knowing how to use your position to your advantage is vital in any type of poker, including Irish Poker. Early players can set the tone, but they also act with less information than later players at the table.

Conversely, late position players can sit and wait to see how earlier players handle the round. Also, since players with bad hands are likely to drop out, players in later positions have a better chance of facing less competition for the pot.

Manage Your Bankroll Correctly

Last but not least, bankroll management is another skill that will help you become a successful Irish Poker player. The additional two hole cards every player receives can complicate the early betting rounds in Irish Poker.

Simply put, having more cards increases every player’s chances of getting a strong hand. So, knowing how much to bet pre-flop is more challenging.

The additional starting cards also incentivize players to stay in the hand until the flop. As a result, you do not need to bet as much to grow the pot early in the game. Waiting until after the flop and discard stages to bet aggressively can help you conserve your bankroll in Irish Poker.

Irish Poker vs. Texas Hold’em

Not sure how Irish Poker stacks up to classic Texas Hold’em? Here’s a quick breakdown:

Feature	Irish Poker	Texas Hold’em
Starting Hole Cards	4	2
Discarding	Discard 2 after flop	None
Strategy Complexity	Higher (more starting options)	Moderate
Game Flow	Flop → Discard → Turn → River	Flop → Turn → River

Where to Play Irish Poker

Irish Poker is a great option for adding variety to your in-person poker games. Unfortunately, the game is not yet widely available online.

On the bright side, you can play Texas Hold’em and other popular poker variants at top gambling sites. Ignition Casino, for instance, was designed with poker players in mind and includes a great welcome bonus for new members. There is also a top-notch rewards program that rewards poker fans for every hand they play.

Are You Ready to Try Irish Poker?

Irish Poker is a unique variant of Texas Hold’em that increases each player’s hole cards from two to four. Check out the guide above to learn more about this exciting style of poker.

Once you know the rules of Irish Poker, you can start enjoying the game with your friends. Or create your account at Ignition Poker today to play against other poker aficionados from across the globe.