Poker is a card game of chance and skill, where players try to make the best possible hand given the cards they are dealt. A good hand consists of five consecutive cards of the same rank in a single suit, or four matching cards of one rank and two unmatched cards of another. While the outcome of any particular hand of poker is largely determined by chance, players can increase their chances of winning by acting in ways they choose on the basis of probability theory, psychology and game theory.
In most games, a player must ante something (the amount varies by game, ours is usually a nickel), after which they are dealt 2 cards face up. There are then multiple rounds of betting, with players raising money into a central pot in order to get more cards or win the current hand. If a player has a good hand, they can also choose to bluff with their bets in an attempt to force other players into folding.
To start a hand, a player must first raise money into the pot by saying “open”. Players can then choose to call this bet (adding the same amount to the pot), or to raise it by adding more money. After all players have called or raised, their cards are revealed and the winner takes the pot.
