Poker is a card game where players bet on the strength of their cards and the value of their hands. The game has countless variants, but all share some basic elements. The goal is to form the highest ranking poker hand, based on the card rankings, in order to win the pot at the end of each betting interval.
When playing poker, each player receives two cards face down, and then a round of betting takes place. After the first betting interval, if the player thinks that their card combination is of low value and does not want to call any more money into the pot, they can say ‘stay’ or ‘double up’ to the dealer and be dealt another card.
Each time that a new betting interval takes place, one player must put into the pot, or call, the amount of chips equal to the amount that was placed in the pot by the previous player. If a player raises the amount that was raised in the previous betting interval, this is called a check-raise. If a player does not call, or raise, they must discard their card, or ‘drop’, and may no longer compete for the pot.
As a poker beginner, the best way to learn is through practice and observation. Watching experienced players and thinking about how you would react to their actions will help you develop quick instincts. Trying to memorize and apply tricky systems will only slow you down.