Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world and, once you know how to play it well, it can be a great way to spend your free time. You can even win real money if you get good enough.
There are different types of poker and each is played differently. However, most games follow a basic set of rules that will help you learn to play the game quickly and easily.
1. Ante, Fold, Call, Raise
An ante is a small bet that all players must make before the cards are dealt in a hand. An ante gives the pot a value right off the bat and makes it easier for the players to decide when to raise or call.
2. Community Cards, Flop and Turn
Once the ante has been placed, each player is given a pair of hole cards and an additional community card on the flop. The goal of this round is to assess your hand and decide if it will compete with the other hands on the table.
3. Bet, Raise or Fold
After the ante has been placed each player is given another chance to bet. If you think your hand is good enough to compete with the others, you can raise your bet and add more chips to the pot.
4. High Card – Breaks Ties
In many games, the highest card wins the hand. It can be any card from a deck, but it must have a higher rank than the cards of the opponents.
5. Three of a Kind or better
A hand that contains three of the same rank is called a three-of-a-kind. It is also known as a straight flush and it is the best possible hand in most games of poker.
6. Four of a Kind or better
A four-of-a-kind is a hand that contains four cards of the same rank. It is also known as a straight.
7. Five of a Kind or better
A five-of-a-kind is a very strong hand in poker, but it can be hard to get. A five-of-a-kind is also very difficult to bluff with.
8. Check: Pass on Betting
In some forms of poker, a player can “check” the pot during a betting interval if they don’t want to bet any more. The other players must then either call the bet or fold their hand.
9. High Card – Breaks Ties
In some games, the highest card breaks ties when both hands have a high card or two distinct pairs of cards and a fifth card. For example, a five-of-a-kind is broken by a straight flush or a four-of-a-kind is broken by an ace.