Poker involves betting real money or other assets on an outcome that primarily relies on chance. It is a gambling game, and some people who play Poker suffer from problem gambling symptoms. This is a serious issue that should be addressed with professional help.
To begin a hand, each player must ‘ante’ something (amount varies by game; our games are typically a nickel). Betting is done in clockwise order, and when it is your turn you can choose to call, raise or fold. Calling means placing your chips or cash into the pot equal to the highest bet that has been placed so far. Raising means adding more to the pot, and may also mean increasing your own bet. Folding means discarding your cards and sitting out the hand.
When the betting has been completed, whoever holds the best 5-card hand wins the pot. The winning player can then either collect the money in the pot, or choose to continue betting to try to improve their hand. If a player continues to bet, they will risk losing the amount of money that they have invested in the pot. Some players will even choose to “call” and then bluff at their hand, if it appears that their opponent has a good one. This type of bluff can sometimes win the entire pot, depending on how well it is executed.