The Basics of Poker
Poker is a card game played by two or more people with the object of winning a pot (sum of all bets made in a single deal). There are many variant games. Generally, the game is played from a standard pack of 52 cards plus one or more wild cards. The cards are ranked (high to low) Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2. A poker hand must consist of five consecutive cards of the same rank and suit.
Each player puts in a stake (chips representing money) to get dealt cards. This is called “opening” the betting. In turn, players place chips into the pot, in accordance with the rules of the specific poker variant being played. The highest hand wins the pot.
After the opening betting phase, 3 cards are dealt face up in the center of the table. This is the flop. The flop can be used by all players to build their poker hands. Some of the more common poker hands include straight, flush, and three of a kind. A straight consists of 5 consecutive cards of the same rank, while a flush consists of 5 matching cards (of any suit).
Watching your opponents for tells is an important part of playing poker. While some tells are more reliable than others, it is important to study your opponents as much as possible in order to gain a competitive edge. Watching an opponent’s twitchy eyebrows, erratic betting pattern, or trembling hands can help you determine whether they have a strong hand or are bluffing.