Poker is a card game played by two or more players. A player takes turns being the dealer and betting. The action moves clockwise around the table. When a player has the best hand, they win the pot. Players can fold, check (don’t put money into the pot), call (match a previous player’s bet amount) or raise (put more money into the pot).
Top players fast-play their strong hands for one reason: to build the pot and chase off players who might have a better hand. However, to do this they need to know their opponents’ ranges – their selection of possible cards. So it’s important to practice your range-building skills by studying the cards your opponent could have and how those rank against your own.
There are a number of different types of poker hands, but the most common ones include full houses (3 matching cards of one rank), straights (5 cards in consecutive rank but from more than one suit) and pairs (2 cards of the same rank plus 3 unmatched cards). Each of these hands has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of them are easy for players to identify, and some of them can be difficult to conceal. This is why position matters so much in poker – acting first means you can get raised or re-raised and have less information than your opponents, while last to act gives you more bluff equity.
The quickest way to learn the game is by watching other players play. Observe how experienced players react to hands to build your own instincts. Don’t just watch the hands that went bad, though – try to work out why the successful players made the decisions they did and apply those principles to your own gameplay.