Poker is a card game in which players place bets on the strength of their hand. The game requires both luck and skill to succeed, but over time the application of skills can eliminate the impact of chance.
Each player is dealt 2 cards and then has the option to discard them or keep them. Then they can draw replacement cards (usually 1 to 3). Once everyone has their replacements and the dealer has reshuffled, the 5 community cards are then dealt face up. Each player can then create their best five-card hand from the combination of their two personal cards and the community cards.
The strongest hands are Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks and 10, followed by Straights running 7-8-9-10-J, Flush and Full House. A player can win the pot by showing a high hand or by convincing the other players that they have a strong one.
During your turn you can say “Check” when you match the bet made by the player to your right or left, or “Raise” to increase your bet amount. You must always raise if you have a higher hand than the player to your left or right.
It is considered bad etiquette to play out of turn or talk about your hand before it is your turn. This can influence the way others play and give them a clue as to how strong you think your hand is, potentially allowing you to steal their blind bets.
