If you have never played online poker, ClubGG is the safest starting point: free chips, no financial risk, and the same interface as GGPoker. This page walks through the lobby and table, picks your first format, gets you through a first sit and go, and lists the five mistakes beginners make most.
The lobby
| Tab | Contents | Useful for beginners? |
|---|---|---|
| Clubs | Clubs you have joined or created and their tables | The main entry if you have friends there |
| Events | Platform tournaments and qualifiers (mostly subscription) | Look at the free ones first |
| Cash | Public platform cash tables | Week two |
| Sit & Go | Small tournaments that start when full | Start here |
| Store / Daily Rewards | Free chips, subscriptions | Collect chips daily |
| PokerCraft | Hand history and stats (subscription) | Later |
The table
- Your hole cards sit bottom centre, two of them.
- Community cards are in the middle: three on the flop, one on the turn, one on the river.
- The pot is shown above the community cards.
- Action buttons along the bottom: Fold / Check / Call / Bet / Raise. They light up with a countdown on your turn.
- Pot-fraction buttons (1/2, 3/4, Pot, All-in) set bet sizes quickly.
- The dealer button D marks the button position and moves clockwise each hand.
Playing your first sit and go
- Pick a six-max sit and go at the lowest chip buy-in. It starts when full and lasts 20 to 40 minutes.
- Play only strong hands early. Pocket pairs 7s and up, AK, AQ, AJ suited, KQ suited. Fold everything else.The most common beginner error: calling every hand because it is "free". That builds bad habits.
- Raise with position. Loosen slightly in the cut-off and on the button; tighten up front.
- Simple post-flop rule. Bet 1/2 to 3/4 pot with top pair or better; check or fold when you miss.
- Below 12 big blinds it is shove or fold. Go all-in with strong hands and never call raises.
- Review afterwards. Recall the hand you lost most on and ask whether it followed the rules above.
Five most common beginner mistakes
- Playing too many hands. Free chips invite loose calls, and the habit follows you to real-money tables.
- Ignoring position. The same hand is worth very different amounts under the gun and on the button.
- Calling too much. Raise or fold; passive calling loses the most over time.
- Chasing without odds. A flush draw hits about 35% by the river; fold to bets larger than the pot.
- Tilting. Betting bigger after a bad beat to get even is a bad habit even on free chips.
Next steps
Hold'em rules and hand rankings
Not sure whether a full house beats a flush? Start here.
Strategy and advanced play
Position, ranges, pot odds, bankroll management.
Create a club
Practising with friends beats playing strangers.
ClubGG involves no real money. If you later consider a real-money site, read law and responsible gaming first.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ClubGG if I know nothing about poker?
Yes. Read our hold'em basics page for rules and hand rankings first, then come back here for the interface. Free chips mean mistakes cost nothing.
Should a beginner start with cash games or tournaments?
Sit and gos (6 or 9 players). A game lasts 20 to 40 minutes with a clear start and finish, which is easier to pace than a cash table.
What if I run out of chips?
Daily rewards top up free chips. Subscriptions add more, but beginners do not need them.
What do the table buttons mean?
Fold, Check, Call, Bet / Raise and All-in. The pot-fraction buttons (1/2, 3/4, Pot) set bet sizes quickly.
Should I turn on the Smart HUD?
Not yet. The HUD is a subscription feature; consider it once you understand stats such as VPIP and PFR.
