Poker is a card game that involves betting and raising your hand to win the pot. Each player must “ante” a certain amount of chips (this varies by game, in ours it is typically a nickel) to be dealt cards. After that, players bet into a central pot in the middle of the table. They can say “call” to call a previous player’s bet, say “raise” to increase the amount of money they are betting into the pot, or they can simply fold their hand.
Keep in mind that other players may have good hands. It is important to learn to read the other players and their betting patterns. For example, players that are very conservative will generally bet low early in a hand and can be bluffed into folding by more aggressive players.
Also be aware of the strength of your own hand. It is important to only raise with a strong hand. A strong hand is one that has a good chance of beating any other hands at the table. For example, a pocket pair of kings or queens is a strong hand but an ace on the flop could spell disaster.
It is also good to practice your hand reading skills before playing for real money. Shuffle and deal four hands of hole cards, then assess each hand and note which ones have the best chance of winning. Repeat this process for the flop, the turn and the river.