Poker is a card game that involves betting. The object of the game is to form a high-ranking hand based on card rankings, and win the pot at the end of each betting round. The player with the highest hand wins the pot, although a winning hand can also be made by making a bet that no other players call, forcing them to fold their cards.
Each player has two personal cards and five community cards. Players place bets into the pot in the middle of the table (the amount varies by game). When the betting gets around to you, you can choose to raise your bet or fold your hand. To fold, you must drop your cards into the pot face-down and not speak out of turn.
If you match the previous player’s bet and want to stay in the hand, say “call.” If you want to bet more money than the other players, say “raise.” If you have a strong poker hand, be sure to make your raise big enough that it can’t be called by anyone else.
After the betting round ends, the dealer puts three more community cards face-up on the table that everyone can use (the flop). You can continue to bet or check again. If you have a good poker hand, you should always stay in to see the flop. If you have a weak poker hand, you can fold after the flop.
