Choosing Your Actions in Poker

Poker is a game of chance, but it’s also a game of choice. Players choose their actions based on probability, psychology, and game theory. This makes it a strategic game where the skillful player can achieve positive long term expectations.

When you say “call,” you’re putting the same amount of money into the pot as the last person who called. If you want to raise the amount you’re contributing to the pot, you can do so by saying “raise.” If you don’t say anything and someone else raises, you’ll have to call their new bet and/or fold your cards.

Depending on the rules of the game, there may be an initial forced bet all players are required to place into the pot before the cards are dealt. These bets are called antes, blinds or bring-ins. These bets give the pot a value right off the bat and can help you gauge how strong your hand is.

The best poker hands are made up of five cards of consecutive rank and from the same suit. Straights and flushes both skip around in rank or sequence, but the difference is that a flush contains five cards of the same suit while a straight only has two matching cards.

The position you’re playing from has a huge impact on your starting hand range and strategy. The earlier your position, the more risk you take as you’re acting first and don’t have any idea what other players are holding.