Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing money, for which the game is almost always played) into a pot. Each player has the option to call, raise, or fold their hand during a betting interval (determined by the rules of the game being played). If a player chooses to call, they must place enough chips into the pot to cover the total contribution of every player that came before them.
In most games, players ante something (the amount varies by game; in ours it is usually a nickel) to get dealt cards and enter the betting. The highest hand wins the pot.
After everyone has two cards, betting starts with the player to the left of the dealer. If you have a good hand, say stay. If you don’t have a good one, say hit me. The dealer will then deal you another card.
As the betting progresses, try to figure out what the other players have in their hands. It’s not easy, but you can narrow down the possible hands by the cards on the board and by what other players have done in previous betting rounds. For example, if everyone checks after the flop and a player raises, you can guess that he has three of a kind.
A full house is made up of three matching cards of the same rank and two unmatched cards. A flush is five cards of the same suit in a row, starting with the highest card and continuing to the lowest card. A straight is five cards of consecutive rank but from more than one suit. A high card breaks ties if no hand has any of the above.
Playing late position is better than playing early, because you can manipulate the pot on later betting streets. Also, you can usually play a slightly wider range of hands from late positions because you’re not facing the aggressors who are trying to steal your blinds in earlier positions.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to bluff. With good bluffing skills and some luck, even a bad hand can win the game.
It’s important to focus your study time on a few topics at a time. Too many players bounce around in their studies and end up not understanding any ONE concept well. For instance, they might watch a cbet video on Monday, read an article on 3bet strategy on Tuesday, and then read a book on ICM on Wednesday. If you focus on a single topic at a time, it will take less time to become an expert. And, when you are an expert, you’ll be able to make more money in the game. So, start learning today! Good luck!