Poker is a game where players try to form the best hand possible from the cards that have been dealt. The player who makes the best hand wins the pot.
The first step in playing poker is to put up a small amount of money (called the ante). This ante is usually only a few dollars, but can be any amount that you choose.
A player will be dealt two cards, one of which is face down and the other of which is face up. The player can then choose to hit, fold or double up.
Each betting interval (round) begins with a player to the left of the dealer making a bet. Any subsequent player must call that bet by putting into the pot exactly as many chips as the previous player, raise it by more than enough to call, or drop it (fold) and lose any chips in the pot.
Bluffing is a common feature of poker. It is used to disguise a bad hand or to induce errors from opponents by using false information.
Almost all poker games use betting rounds. These rounds consist of the initial deal, the betting intervals between deals and a final betting round called the showdown.
The showdown is the final betting round and reveals each player’s hand to the other players. It is also the last betting round in which players have to make a decision about whether they want to stay in the hand or not.
