The Basics of Poker

Poker is a game that requires a lot of time to learn and practice. However, it is a game that can be very profitable as well.

There is an old saying in poker that says, “Play the player not the cards.” This is because your hand is usually good or bad only in relation to what the other players have. For example, if you hold K-K and the other person has A-A, your kings will lose 82% of the time. If you have A-J and the flop comes up 10–8-6, your two 10s will lose only 40% of the time.

Each round begins with the player to the left of the dealer placing 2 mandatory bets (called blinds) into the pot before everyone is dealt their cards. Once the blinds are placed, betting begins and each player can check (no raise), call or fold.

After the flop, turn and river are dealt, each player can then make a final decision. If they have a hand that beats (40 % ) of the possible hands their opponent can have, then they will win the pot plus all of the bets made.

The key is to have a plan and stick to it even when your emotions try to derail you. You will inevitably lose hands because of bad luck, and you may have to make a few bad calls or ill-advised bluffs. That is all part of the game and it is what makes poker so exciting to play.