As poker’s popularity is still growing in the country and overseas, players new to the game itself, as well as experienced home game players, continue sidle up to the trusted safe casino poker tables asking to be dealt in.

Poker originated in the saloons of the Wild West and has probably the most game variants. It’s played player against players and not just against the dealer as in Blackjack, and there is a lot of psychology involved during play. Poker takes a moment to learn and a lifetime to understand.
The cards are ranked in descending order starting from the highest; Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace. Ace may be high or low. You will discover four suits; spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs, but no suit is higher than another.

You’ll find 2,598,960 possible combinations of cards in a poker hand you may be dealt.
For most games players must ‘ante’ a nominal amount only to have the cards dealt. In the event the cards are dealt, the betting starts. Players bet in to the pot within the middle of the table which is done in turn clockwise.

The player with the highest rank showing, will be the first to speak and to bet. He may either bet or check. By saying ‘Check’, he passes the decision to bet to the next player that will also check. If all players check, then it is the end of the round. Everybody opens his cards as well as the highest hand wins.

Say you begin with a $5 bet. If a person else raises $10, he puts $15 in the pot. When your turn comes again you’ll need to add $10 difference to the pot to stay within the game, and if you want you can also raise or maybe say ‘Pot’. Pot is a raise to the maximum, meaning to bet the exact same amount as the total money obtainable in the pot.

Well, I think you should now be equipped to go out there and play poker. Play intelligently and carefully. Keep an eye out for tells. Know your own limits, and bare in mind – play to win!