Poker has hundreds (maybe thousands) of variations, but they all share one thing in common: each player starts with five cards and attempts to make the best hand possible. This can be a straight, a flush, a three-of-a-kind, or even a full house. When someone has the best hand, they win the pot.
Each round of betting is called a “bet.” When the player to your left makes a bet, you can either say “call” (meaning you want to put in the same amount of money as they did) or “raise” (meaning you’re going to put in more than they did). You can also fold your hand (which means you won’t pay into the pot for that particular hand) or simply pass (which means you don’t play it at all).
It’s important to practice and watch other players to develop quick instincts. Try to spot the tells other players give off, such as fiddling with their chips or wearing a jacket. It’s also good to observe how other players react to certain situations, so you can learn from their mistakes and replicate their successes.
After the betting is done, each player reveals their cards. Whoever has the best hand wins the pot. If no one has a winning hand, the dealer will win. If a player busts, they forfeit any money they’ve paid into the pot. If you’re unsure what a player has, you can ask them or look it up online.
