Poker is a card game. The player who opens the pot must show a pair of Jacks-or-Better. If the player has any other cards, he or she may keep them hidden. If the player has a pair of aces, he or she can fold and not reveal any other cards.
While poker is a game of chance, it also combines skill and psychology. This basic primer on poker merely covers the rules, and there are hundreds of different variations of the game. However, the steps described in this chapter will apply to most varieties. A poker book or a poker group will give you more information about the rules and strategy.
A strong poker hand consists of at least five cards of the same suit. A weak hand is one in which you have fewer than five cards. If you have a hand that has only one pair, you may fold and lose the entire hand. A hand with four or three of a kind, however, is a strong hand.
During a poker game, the players place bets on the board. These bets create pots, which become larger as players play. There are also betting limits, including pot-limit and fixed-limit games.
