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How to Play Poker

Poker

Poker is a card game where players try to win a pot of money by having the best hand. It can be played with any number of players, from two to fourteen; however, most forms involve six or seven players.

How to Play

Before the deal begins, each player is required to make a contribution called an ante. Each betting interval (or “turn”) starts with the player to the left of the dealer making a bet. If that player bets exactly the same amount as the previous bettor, they’re said to call; if they bet more than the previous bettor, they are said to raise.

The dealer then deals three community cards face-up on the board. Everyone gets a chance to bet, check, or fold their cards.

If no one bets, the dealer draws a fifth card face-down on the table. This is the flop and again everyone gets a chance to bet, check, raise or fold.

Bluffing is the art of deception in poker. It’s a key skill that will help you win more pots.

Position is important in poker as it gives you a lot of information about your opponents and allows you to bluff more effectively.

In poker games that allow blinds, the player who is to the left of the dealer (and thus has the first action) is called the “button.” This player must place a bet or raise before the flop.

The first person to act is the person who has the highest hand. If no one has a high hand, the dealer will reveal cards and the player with the highest card wins the pot.