Poker is a family of card games in which players compete against each other to win the most money by having the best hand. The game is played worldwide, and variations vary by deck configuration, number of cards in play and rules.
Basic rules of the game
Before any betting interval begins, each player is required to make a contribution to the pot, called an ante. This ante is usually a small bet. After each round of betting, players can choose to “fold” (put no chips in the pot), “call” (put in the same number of chips as the previous bettor) or “raise.”
Bluffing is an important part of the game, since players often want to see how their opponents’ hands compare with their own. They may also bluff to avoid losing money, or to try to win the other players’ chips.
Dealing the cards
In a standard 52-card pack, a dealer deals the cards in rotation to the left, one at a time face up until a jack is dealt. Then the pack is shuffled and passed to the next dealer.
Each player receives two cards, which are kept secret from the other players until they show their hands. The first player to reveal their hand wins the pot.
The second round of betting follows, with players raising or re-raising their bets depending on their cards. After the second round of betting, each player shows their cards.
When all players have shown their hands, the winner is the player with the highest-ranking poker combination in their faceup cards. If there are two or more players with the same hand, the “first” player (nearest the dealer’s left) bets first, regardless of rank.
Variations of the game
In some variants of the game, the best hand is not necessarily the highest. For example, a straight may be better than a flush in some games. In some other games, the highest and lowest-ranking hands share the pot.
Some players, especially those who are beginners, do not know the proper way to bet. They may be tempted to “fold” on the first hand, but they should not do so as this is a bad strategy. If they do so, they must either call or raise their bets in subsequent betting intervals, thereby losing the chance to bet more.
Another strategy is to bet only with your best hand, thereby making it easier for others to check. This is known as “sandbagging.”
A third strategy is to bet less than your opponent’s bet, thereby drawing attention to their cards and forcing them to fold. This can be very effective if you are a beginner, but it is not recommended for advanced players.
In the most popular form of poker, Texas Hold’Em, each player is given a certain number of chips to start the game. These chips are colored and marked with a value; white chips are worth the least, red chips the most.