The Basics of Poker

As with most card games, luck plays an important role in poker. Some players have been unlucky while others have been incredibly lucky. The number of hands dealt in a game diminishes the luck factor, but the game of chance still has its place. Over time, the expected value of a hand will approximate a normal bell-shaped curve. Here are the general rules for Poker: When to fold a hand, when to raise, and when to fold.

Poker

Poker originated from an earlier game. It was a cheating game played between two to four people. In the early 19th century, Jonathan H. Green saw this game on a Mississippi riverboat and attached the word “poker” to it. The cards used were only the Aces of the deck. The game later changed the cards to a standard deck of 52 or 60 cards. The number of players in a game also varies.

A poker player may be required to place some money in the pot before the game begins. This is called the ante. The first player to make a bet is called a “bet” while the second player is known as a “call”. If a player ist more than the previous bettor, he or she is said to “raise”. Lastly, a check means that a player does not make a bet. The last player to check or raise is deemed the winner.