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The Basics of Poker

A game in which players make bets into a common pot. The player with the highest hand wins the pot. Most games require that each player ante something (the amount varies, in our case it is typically a nickel). When betting comes around to you, you can either call, raise or fold your hand. When you call, you have to match the bet of the player before you or raise it if you want to stay in the pot.

While many people think of Poker as a game of chance, there is a fair amount of skill involved when you consider the psychology of the players and their decision making. In fact, Poker is a great way to improve your decision-making skills under uncertainty by learning how to estimate probabilities.

The most common hands in Poker are pairs, three of a kind, straight, and flush. A pair is two cards of the same rank, three of a kind is three matching cards of one rank, and a straight is five cards in sequence but not from the same suit.

The high card rule breaks ties when the hands have the same rank of a pair, three of a kind, or straight. If no hands have the same rank, they look at the next highest ranking card. This process continues with the highest ranking cards until a hand is formed. Practice and watch other players to develop quick instincts that will lead to success.