How to Play Online Poker
Whether you are playing poker in a home or in a casino, the basic rules of the game are the same. All poker games involve one or more rounds of betting. After each round, players collect the bets and place them in a central pot. The player who has the best hand wins the pot. In some variants, the pot may be divided among the highest and lowest hands.
In standard poker, a player may either call, raise, or fold his bet. A raised bet is a bet that is higher than the previous bettor’s bet. A player may bluff by putting money into the pot if he thinks that other players will not match his bet.
In a pot-limit game, a player may be required to contribute a certain amount to the pot before the deal is made. This amount is called the ante. When a player folds, he discards his hand and loses his right to compete in the main pot. The player who bets the highest amount in the first betting interval is referred to as the first bettor.
In a no-limit game, a player may bet or raise the pot without having to limit his bet. The amount of chips that a player can have in the pot at the beginning of the deal are called his limit. A player may bet more than his limit if he thinks that he has a better hand. Alternatively, he may bet less than his limit if he thinks he has a weaker hand.