Poker is a game of chance with a lot of skill and psychology involved. It is important for beginner players to focus on relative hand strength and not be too entangled in bluffing at the start (which requires a certain level of psychological mastery).
Ante – the first amount of money that every player must put into the pot to begin betting. Call – to raise the amount of your own bet in response to another player’s. Fold – to discard your cards and end your turn in the betting cycle.
To calculate the frequency of a particular poker hand you need to know some basic math and how to read the other players in the table. For this reason it is recommended that you play poker with experienced players and observe their gameplay to build your own instincts.
Pair
Two cards of one rank and two unmatched side cards. If players have the same pair they compare their high cards to decide a winner. Straight
Five consecutive cards of the same suit, but they may skip around in rank or sequence. If two players have a straight they compare their second highest cards to determine the winner.
Flush
Five cards of the same suit in a row, with the ace being high or low. If two players have a flush they compare the ranks of their third highest cards and so on to find a winner.
Bluffing is an integral part of the game and can be very profitable when done correctly. However, it is important for beginners to develop good poker instincts and learn how to read the tells of other players (eye movements, idiosyncrasies, betting behavior etc).