The Basics of Poker

About Poker

Poker is a game where you have to make decisions with incomplete information (you don’t know your opponents’ cards). Every action communicates something about your opponent’s hand. Sometimes you’re trying to show strength, other times weak weakness, and sometimes both at once. The more you practice and observe, the better your instincts will be.

The first thing you need to do is decide how much money you want to put into the pot before cards are dealt. This is called “buying in.” You can buy in with white chips, red chips, or a combination of both. Each chip is worth a certain amount. For example, a white chip is usually worth one dollar and a red chip is often worth five dollars. You can also use paper bills if you’d like.

Once you’ve decided how much to bet, the dealer will shuffle and deal the cards. You will have 2 personal cards in your hand and 5 community cards. Your goal is to make the best 5-card hand with your two personal cards and the five community cards.

A straight is 5 consecutive cards of the same rank. A flush is 5 matching cards of the same suit. A three of a kind is 3 matching cards of one rank and 2 matching cards of another rank. A pair is 2 distinct cards of the same rank and high card breaks ties. If you have any of these hands, you win the pot!