Poker is a card game that requires a fair amount of skill and psychology to master. It is also a game that can make even the most experienced players look pretty silly from time to time – but that’s just the nature of the beast. But don’t let a few bad hands spoil your fun – just keep playing and working on your game.
Before the cards are dealt, each player puts an initial amount of money into the pot called an ante or blinds. These forced bets help give players something to chase with their hands and prevent them from folding before the flop. Depending on the game rules, the button (which indicates who deals) moves clockwise after each hand to determine where the action starts for the next round.
Once the flop is dealt, you can either fold or raise. If you have a strong hand, it’s usually better to raise as it will force weaker hands out and increase the value of your hand. If you have a weak hand, you can call or check (place your chips on the table without saying anything).
When you say ‘raise’ it means you want to place more money into the pot than the previous highest bet. If you raise a previous player’s raise, it is called a re-raise. To see how to raise properly, ask for help at your local poker room and watch more experienced players play before trying it yourself.