Poker is a game of chance, but when you introduce betting it becomes a lot more like a game of skill and psychology. While this article is meant to be a primer into the rules of poker, for more information we recommend reading one of the many books on the subject or joining a group of people who already know how to play.
The deal begins with whoever has the lowest card in the pack. From there, cards are dealt face up one at a time in rotation until a jack appears. At this point the deck is cut and the turn to deal and bet passes to the player to the left. It is a good idea to do several shuffles before dealing to ensure that the cards are well mixed up.
To act, you must first say “call” or “I call.” Then place your chips or cash into the pot. If you want to raise the amount of money that you put into the pot, you must then say “raise.”
A full house contains 3 matching cards of 1 rank and 2 matching cards of another rank. A straight contains 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. A pair contains two matching cards of the same rank.
If you have a strong hand, bet at it. This will force weaker hands to fold and increase your chances of winning. If you don’t have a strong hand, try to make the best of it by bluffing. Observe experienced players and think about how you’d react in their position to develop quick instincts.