Poker is a card game that involves betting and a lot of psychology. It starts out as a game of chance but once betting enters into play, skill and psychology become the key to winning.
Each player places an ante in the pot to begin the hand and then is dealt 2 cards face down. Then there is a round of betting where players can call, raise or fold. The person with the best hand wins the pot.
If you have a strong hand, it is usually better to bet. This forces weaker hands to fold and increases the value of your hand. Also, watch your opponents and learn to read their tells. These aren’t just physical tells, like fiddling with a ring or a chip, but also the way they play and how quickly they make decisions.
The best hands are a full house (three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another) or a straight. A flush is any 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. A high pair is two distinct cards of the same rank and a high card breaks ties in case of multiple pairs. If you don’t have a pair or higher, you have to bet the lowest amount to win the pot.