Poker is a card game where players bet to try to win the pot. It’s a numbers game, so it’s important to understand hand rankings and the best way to play.

High Card Rules

The highest-ranking poker hand wins the pot. In most games, the highest-ranking hand is a Royal Flush (10-Jack-Queen-King-Ace of the same suit), followed by straight flushes, four of a kind, full house, flash, three of a kind, two pair and one pair.

Cards on the Table

When you’re playing poker, think about the hands that other players may have – and don’t get too attached to them! Pocket kings and queens are strong, but an ace on the flop can spell doom for them.

Tells

There are several “tells” in poker, including the way a player looks, acts and how much they bet. If you can read a person’s behavior, it will help you decide whether to call or raise.

Betting Intervals

Each betting interval, or round, begins when a player to the left makes a bet. The other players to the left must either call (put into the pot the same number of chips as the previous bettor) or raise. When a player raises, they put in more than enough chips to call.

Folds

When a player folds, they don’t put any more chips into the pot; they simply discard their hand and are out of the betting until the next deal. If they call, they add more money to the pot, so they can force other weaker hands out of the pot and increase their chances of winning.