Poker is a card game in which players try to put together a hand of cards that will win the pot (the amount everyone bets). It has a large number of different variants, most of which are played in tournaments. The game is a game of chance, but it also involves a large degree of skill and psychology.
The game is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. The cards are ranked in descending order from high to low: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 8, 9, 7, 6, 4, 3, 2. The game may also include wild cards (jokers) which can take the place of any suit.
After all the players have two cards, betting starts. You have to make a decision: call or raise. You can also fold, if you think your hand is bad.
Say “call” if you want to play your hand, but don’t want to bet as much as the other player. If you’re sure you have a good hand, say raise to increase the amount that everyone must bet.
Once all the players have called, the dealer puts three cards face-up on the board that anyone can use (the flop). After the first betting round is complete you have to decide whether to fold or raise.
As a beginner you should always try to raise preflop with strong value hands. If you don’t, your opponents will often have a better hand on the flop and out-kick you.