Poker is a card game that involves betting, it is often thought of as a game of chance but has quite a bit of skill and psychology. This is a basic primer into the rules of poker, for more information get a book on it or join a group that knows how to play (it’s more expensive than reading a book but they won’t mind).
The game starts when one player puts up some money, called an ante, and everyone else agrees to do the same. Then the cards are dealt. Each person has two personal cards in their hand and the remaining five cards are shared between all players. Players can then bet and raise, or fold. If you have a good hand you can usually raise and continue to the showdown, otherwise you should fold.
When you have a better hand than your opponents, it is better to call their bets. This way you aren’t risking more than your hand is worth, but you still have a good shot at winning the pot. The most important thing in poker is position. It gives you more information about your opponent’s hand and how they are acting, so you can make smarter decisions about whether to call or raise a bet.
You can also say “call” if you want to put the same amount of chips into the pot as the player before you, or you can raise a bet. You can raise as many times as you want as long as the total doesn’t go above the maximum bet amount, or the minimum bet, which is typically the amount required to call a bet.
The dealer will then deal three more cards on the table that anyone can use, called the flop. After this betting round is complete the dealer will put a fifth community card on the board that everyone can use, called the turn.
A flush is five consecutive cards of the same suit. Three of a kind is three matching cards of the same rank. A straight is any five consecutive cards in a suit. A pair is two matching cards. The high card breaks ties. It is generally considered bad form to bluff in poker. However, a well-timed bluff can win the pot. You should always try to make sure you have a good hand before bluffing. You should also only gamble with money you can afford to lose and track your wins and losses. Then you’ll know if you’re making progress. Don’t hope that you’ll find time to study when the opportunity arises, schedule it in your day. You’ll get much more out of your studying if you do it consistently. This is especially true for new players. The more you study, the more it will become ingrained in your brain. This will lead to more natural and consistent decision making, and a deeper understanding of things like frequency and EV estimation.