The Basics of Poker
Poker is a card game that is played by two or more players. Each player is dealt five cards which are placed face down. The first betting round begins with the player to the left of the Big Blind who can RAISE (increase the bet amount to any size within the game limits).
Each player then has the option to call, raise, or fold. When a player calls, they put in the same amount as the person to their left. A player who raises puts in more than the previous person. If a player chooses to fold, they discard their hand and leave the table for the next deal.
After the betting is completed on the first round, the dealer deals three additional community cards face up on the table. These are cards that anyone can use. This is known as the flop. Once again players can check, call or raise. If a player decides to fold, they do not put any chips into the pot and cannot compete for the prize money.
If you want to win at poker, it is important to know the different types of hands that can be made. The best hands are the ones that have four or more cards of the same rank and can be made in different suits. The other type of hand is the straight, which contains any 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. A pair is made up of two cards of the same rank, and the third card can be any unmatched card.