A card game for two or more players, poker is a form of gambling. It’s played with a standard pack of 52 cards (though some games may add jokers). The deck has four suits, and the highest hand wins.
Each player puts an amount of money into the pot before betting begins. These are called the ante, blinds or bring-ins, depending on the game. Often, players will decide to share the winnings at the end of the round.
After putting in the bets, each player is dealt two cards. If they believe their cards are good value, they can either call or raise. Calling means that they want to make a bet equal to the last person, and raising is adding more money into the pot.
When deciding whether to call or raise, it’s important to balance out the odds against your opponents. If your opponent’s range is heavily weighted toward hands with no showdown value, it might be worth it to call – but if you think their range is lighter, then it’s usually better to raise.
Top players also fast-play their strong hands, which helps build the pot and chases off those who are waiting for a draw. Generally, you should be raising when you think your hand is strong and folding when it’s not. Occasionally, however, it’s necessary to “limp” (bet very low) in order to keep weaker hands out of the pot. Then, you can either fold or raise later on if your hand is still strong.
