Balatro hooks you in 5 minutes then refuses to let go. This beginner’s guide covers what you need for your first 10 runs without spoilers or overwhelming details. Focus is core concepts that carry you to ante 4 consistently.
Read our Balatro review 2026 for deeper mechanics after you get comfortable.
Core loop basics
Every run follows this rhythm:
- Blinds (3 per ante): small blind → big blind → boss blind
- Score targets increase each blind
- Beat boss blind → advance ante
- Fail any blind → run ends
First goal: Survive white stake (ante 1-8). No jokers needed.
Understanding poker hands (fast)
You only need 5 hand types early:
High card: Worst but easy chips Pair: 2 same rank Two pair: 2 different pairs
Three of a kind: 3 same rank Full house: 3 + pair
Chips = base score.
Mult = score multiplier.
Score = chips x mult
Early game: Focus chips over mult.
Shop priorities (your money matters)
Between blinds you buy packs and jokers. Money = power. Here’s the priority:
Round 1 (small money)
- Tarot cards (reroll hands, duplicate suits)
- Skip if nothing good (saves for round 3)
Round 2 (medium money)
- Playing cards pack (more hand options)
- First joker if good (negative first, wildcard second)
Round 3 (boss blind prep)
- Jokers (priority)
- Planet cards (reroll shop)
Never spend everything. Always save ~10 for emergencies.
First jokers to recognize
Negative: +3 mult per hand played (take immediately) Wildcard: Counts as any suit (versatile early) Lucky cat: +1 hand slot (more scoring chances)
Skip: Hack (expensive), most legendaries.
Blinds explained
Small/big blinds
Easy score targets. Play safe hands. Build toward boss.
Boss blinds
Punish specific hands (one pair, flush, etc.).
Always check boss type before round 3 shop.
Example: “No pairs” boss
- Play high card, straight, flush only
- Skip pair jokers
Deck management rules
Balatro decks grow fast. Keep them lean:
Rule 1: Never exceed 52 cards early Rule 2: Tarot duplicate good cards only Rule 3: Spectral for jokers/planets (not enhancements) Rule 4: Remove bad starter cards with tarot
Thin deck = consistent draws.
Stake unlocks (meta progression)
Beating white stake unlocks:
Green stake: +1 joker slot
Blue stake: +$8 first shop
Yellow stake: Reroll packs
Purple stake: +1 hand size
Each stake harder but unlocks permanent power.
First 10 runs checklist
Run 1-3: Survive white stake 1-3 Run 4-6: Reach ante 4 consistently
Run 7-10: Unlock green stake
Track:
- Boss blind fails (what hands banned?)
- Shop spending (tarot > jokers early?)
- Deck size at boss (under 52?)
Common beginner mistakes
Mistake 1: Spending all money round 1 Fix: Save for jokers/planets
Mistake 2: Playing banned hands vs boss
Fix: Check boss type round 3
Mistake 3: Bloated deck (60+ cards) Fix: Tarot removal early
Mistake 4: Ignoring mult scaling Fix: Negative/lucky cat first
What comes next
After 10 white stake runs:
- Read Balatro jokers tier list 2026
- Try green stake
- Experiment first builds from best builds guide
- Endless stake after purple stake unlock
Master these basics first. Jokers and advanced scaling come later.
Balatro jokers tier list 2026
Balatro best builds 2026
