Poker is a card game played by two or more players. Whether you play poker at home with friends, online or in a casino, the objective is to form a winning hand using the cards you are dealt. There are many different variations of the game, but all share some common rules.
The game is generally played with poker chips, which are color-coded to represent different values. A white chip is worth the minimum ante bet; a red chip is worth five whites; and a blue one is worth 10 or 20 whites. The person to the dealer’s right cuts the cards before betting begins.
Players may check (match the current bet and stay in the round) or raise their bet. If a player raises, the other players may call (match the raise and stay in) or raise again (re-raise). The last player to act can raise even further if no one else has raised yet.
Understanding how to read an opponent’s betting patterns can make a huge difference in the strength of your own hand. For example, if an opponent always folds to high bets you can be more aggressive with your own betting to see if you can bluff them into folding. Conversely, if you know that an opponent is very conservative and often folds early in the hand, you can be more cautious with your own betting.