Poker is a card game played between two or more people. Each player is dealt cards and then puts in a pot (representing money or chips) the amount he thinks his hand is worth. The winner of the pot is the person who has the best hand. The game can be very fast paced, with each player betting at each turn.
The game originated in the United States during the early 19th century, but its basic rules are based on much earlier European vying games. It became a very popular pastime in the US and many other parts of the world.
When it is your turn to bet, you can say “call” if you want to make a bet equal to the last one. This means you will put in chips or cash equal to the amount of the previous bet. You can also say “raise” to increase your bet.
If you don’t have a good hand, it is often best to check (pass on placing a bet) and let the other players continue betting. This way you can minimise your losses and still be a part of the pot when someone has a good hand.
The goal of the game is to extract as much value from your winning hands and minimise your losses when you have a losing hand. This is known as Minimise Losses – Maximise Winnings, or Min-Max.