How to Play Poker

Poker is one of the oldest card games in America. It's fun, challenging, and sometimes can make you a little money. Poker is currently undergoing a surge in popularity, due in part to its prominence on television and popularity with celebrities. Want to join the fun? It's easy to get started.

1. Understand that there is no one poker game. Classic games like 5- and 7-card stud, and 5-card draw, are still played today. Texas Hold 'em is the most popular format today.

2. Know that learning the rules is only the first step. Poker is a game that is simple to understand but hard to master.

3. Consider finding an experienced friend, and ask him or her to teach you how to play.

4. Print out a ranking of the poker hands and memorize the hands.

5. Concentrate on learning the basic rules and procedures, such as when to ante, what to say when you want to bet, etc. Once you feel comfortable you will be better able to learn the nuances of the game.

6. As a general rule, beginners play too many hands. When in doubt, fold.

7. "Position" in the hand is very important. When you are first to act, you have less information on your opponents than if you were to act last. You should fold more hands when you are one of the first people to act, and play more hands when you are one of the last people to act.

Tips

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  Beginner players usually end up showing how strong their hand is with what is known as a tell. Some tells include; shallow breathing, lack of or too much eye contact, fascial muscle flexes, etc. Trying to reduce these tells will give you a better chance.


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  If attempting a bluff, be sure to go with a big enough bet to scare of some hands that may end up beating your hand in the end.


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  Betting after a weaker card comes up can sometimes get other people to bet more. For example, lets say the fourth card is a deuce and after the flop you already paired up your ace in your hand. Someone with less than a pair of aces is more likely to keep betting.

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