Poker is a game that requires skill and knowledge. There is an element of luck in poker but a player should never let this get them down. A good poker player will always win more than they lose.
When you are dealt in a poker hand you start by placing your chips into the pot. This is called “calling.” Each time a player to your left bets you can either call by putting in the same amount of chips as them or raise. If you raise a player’s bet then they will have to call your bet or fold.
Once the betting round has begun, the dealer deals three cards face-up on the table for everyone to use, known as the flop. These are community cards and anyone can make a 5 card poker hand using these. A poker hand must consist of two personal cards and four community cards to be successful.
When you have a strong poker hand, you should try to force weaker hands out of the pot with bets. This will help you increase the value of your pot. However, don’t overplay your hand. A good poker player will be able to read their opponent’s actions and know when to play and when to fold. A large portion of reading your opponent comes from pattern recognition rather than subtle physical poker tells. For example, if you see a player fold almost every hand then they are probably playing pretty crappy cards.