Poker is a card game in which players place chips into a pot before each hand. These forced bets come in the form of antes, blinds and bring-ins. Depending on the game, these bets can have different values.
Each player is dealt two cards and the aim of the game is to make the best five-card hand using those two and the community cards. The player with the highest hand wins the “pot”. Each time you bet you must say “call” if you want to make your own bet the same as that of the person in front of you (i.e. if they bet $10, you can call for the same amount of money).
If you do not have a strong starting hand but believe that you can win if more strong hands fold, you may say “Raise” to increase the current bet amount. This can be done to force other players to fold if they do not have good enough cards or are bluffing.
When you are a beginner in poker, it is advisable to play a lot of games and watch experienced players to learn the game’s rules and develop quick instincts. It is also important to remember that there is a risk associated with every decision you make and this is a fundamental part of the game. However, avoiding risk completely will only lead to losses. It is recommended to play with a moderate level of risk to maximise potential winnings.
