Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing money) into the pot to compete for a winning hand. Generally, the highest hand wins. Before betting begins, players must ante up (the amount varies by game, but our games typically require a nickel). Players then receive two cards face down. If the cards are of low value, they can say hit to receive another card from the dealer. After the second card is flipped, the player may decide to stay in their current hand, fold, or raise.
Players then use their own cards and the five community cards to form a poker hand. Each hand has a category, and hands of higher categories beat hands of lower categories. A straight is any 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. A flush is a hand that contains 3 cards of the same rank and 2 matching side cards. A full house is a hand of three matching cards of one rank, and a pair is two matching cards of different ranks.
Many beginners think about poker hands in terms of their individual strength, which isn’t the right way to play the game. Instead, it’s better to think about your opponent’s possible range of hands. This will help you make more accurate decisions at the table. For example, you should aim to put your opponent on a hand that you know they can’t call a bet for. This will force them to either call your bet, or to bluff, which can make your own hand stronger.