Poker is a card game played by multiple players in turns. Each player puts chips into the middle of the table to bet on his hand. The player with the highest hand wins the pot. Getting to know the rules of poker can be confusing at first, but with practice and watching other players you will get the hang of it quickly.
The first step is to ante (a small amount of money, the amount varies by game). Then you are dealt two cards face up and everyone has a chance to say “hit” or “stay”. If you want another card you can ask for one by saying hit me! If you already like the value of your hand you can stay in and continue betting.
After the first betting round is over the dealer will put three more cards on the table that anyone can use, called the flop. Then you can again choose to bet, raise or fold.
Unlike other card games where suits are equal, in poker the higher the rank of the card is the stronger the hand. For instance a straight that runs Ace-King high beats a straight that runs 7-8-9-10-J, but a wraparound straight like A-2-3 doesn’t even qualify as a poker hand. This is why you need to be able to read your opponents and understand how they are betting. This will help you make better decisions in the future. It also helps to learn the basic betting rules of poker.