Poker is a game in which players place bets based on the odds of their hand. The game is primarily played using poker chips, with each player “buying in” for a specified amount of money before the betting begins. There are a variety of betting intervals, or rounds, in which each player has the opportunity to call, raise or fold their cards. The winning player takes all the money in the pot. Often, there are rules in place that stipulate how this money is to be distributed among the players who remain.
After the initial round of betting, each player is dealt 2 cards face up. The player to the left of the dealer places mandatory bets in the pot called the small blind and the big blind, which help to give the players an incentive to keep playing the game. Once all players have received their 2 cards, there is another round of betting in which the player to the left of the button has the option to call.
When you say “call” in poker, you mean that you want to make a bet the same as the person to your right. This means that you place the same number of chips in the pot as the previous person.
Poker is a game of probabilities where your emotions can sometimes get the better of you. It’s important to recognize that there will be times when your best decision will still result in an in-optimal outcome, and to learn from these experiences rather than letting them destroy your poker career.