Poker is a game of chance but it can also involve a lot of psychology. Adding betting to the game makes it even more interesting and adds quite a bit of skill.
To start a hand you have to ante something (the amount varies by game, in our games it is a nickel). Then you get dealt 2 cards face down. Once you have your cards you can decide to fold, call or raise. Betting usually takes place in a clockwise fashion.
Say “I open” if you want to raise the bet. This will make your bet the same as the person before you and puts more chips into the pot.
If the betting interval ends without anyone raising or putting in less than they owe, the next player will bet. Say “I call” to match the last bet or raise if you have a good poker hand.
Once the first betting round is over a 3rd card will be dealt face up. This is called the flop. This is a community card that everyone can use. After the flop there is another betting round.
A pair is two matching cards of the same rank. A three of a kind is three cards of the same rank plus one unmatched card. A straight is 5 cards in sequence but they can skip ranks and may be from more than one suit. A flush is 5 matching cards of the same suit, such as A-K-Q-J-T. Ties are broken by the highest card.