In the game of Poker, each player pays a small amount of money (the amount varies by the game) and is dealt cards. Then there is a round of betting, and the person with the best hand wins the pot. It is possible to increase your chances of winning by betting aggressively with a strong hand, forcing weaker hands out of the game. It is also a good idea to bluff from time to time.
If you want to raise the amount of money that is being bet, say “I open.” The other players will take turns opening betting in a clockwise direction until everyone checks or your turn comes up again. If you have the best poker hand, you can stay in the pot and bet a larger amount by saying “call.” You must be able to read other players and watch for tells, unconscious habits that reveal information about a player’s strength of their hand.
After the flop, each player can choose to discard and draw 1 to 3 new cards or “hold pat” on the cards they have. If you hold pat, the dealer will have to shuffle and add your cards to the bottom of the draw stack. Depending on the rules of your game, you may be able to exchange your two personal cards for replacements after this step as well.
