7 Ways to Learn the Basics of Poker

Poker

Poker is a game where players place bets on the cards they are holding. It is one of the most popular games in the world, and there are a number of different variations to choose from.

1. Play the Player, Not Your Cards

You can learn a lot from watching the other players at your table and studying their behavior. Ideally, you want to be able to pick up on their tells – hand gestures, eye movements and their betting habits.

2. Learn Implied Odds

You need to understand the odds of your hands and how they affect your equity on every street. Knowing this will help you to make better decisions in real-time.

3. Learn Your Opponents’ Strengths and Weaknesses

You should know your opponent’s weaknesses and strengths on each street so that you can make smarter pre-flop and post-flop decisions against them.

4. Know Your Cards

In many types of poker, a hand consists of five cards. In some variants, a hand can be made up of more than five cards, but only the best five-card combination counts.

5. Bluff

If you think a player is holding a bad hand, you can bluff them to see if they will call your bet or raise it. A bluff is an aggressive move that will give the impression to other players that you have a good hand.

6. Call

In a poker game with betting, there is a minimum amount that each player must put into the pot for the round to continue. If you call a bet, you will put the minimum amount in the pot and continue with the other players.