Poker is a card game where players compete to make the best hand based on card rankings in order to win the pot at the end of each betting round. This pot is the total of all bets placed by all players in that particular hand.
When a player is dealt cards, they must ante (or put in their chips) a certain amount, typically a nickel, to begin the betting period for that hand. Once the betting begins each player has the option to call a bet, raise a bet or drop their cards and leave the table. If a player drops they forfeit any chips that they have put into the pot and are not allowed to play in the next hand.
To win at poker you need to have good cards and a good hand, but also to be able to read other players. Many beginning players focus on subtle physical poker tells, like fiddling with a ring or scratching their nose, but reading your opponents is actually more about patterns than it is about specific movements. If a player calls all of the time but then makes a big raise you can assume they are holding a strong hand and are trying to build up the pot.
A good poker player needs to be able to balance aggression and patience. Being too aggressive will prevent you from being able to get paid off on your strong hands, but being too patient can lead to you missing out on big wins.
During the first betting round the dealer deals three cards face up on the table. These are community cards that any player can use. After the betting is complete he will deal another card, this is called the flop.
You have two of your own personal cards and five of the community cards to create your best poker hand. You can make a straight, flush, three of a kind or a pair. A straight is five cards in sequence, any suits. A flush is five cards of the same suit. A three of a kind is three distinct pairs. The highest pair breaks ties. A pair is just two of the same cards.
When playing poker, it is important to mix up your style so that the other players do not know what you are holding. If your opponent knows what you are bluffing with they will not call your bets and your bluffs won’t be effective.
Lastly, always be courteous when you are sitting out a hand. If you need to go to the bathroom, refill your drink or take a phone call it is acceptable to sit out a hand, but don’t do so for more than a couple of hands. If you do miss more than a couple hands it becomes unfair for the rest of the players to have to wait longer to make their plays. This can lead to the other players raising their bets or deciding to fold early, which is bad for everyone involved.
