Poker is a card game played by two or more people. It can be a fun hobby or a lucrative career. Regardless of whether you play in glitzy casinos or seedy dives, it’s important to keep your head in the game and make smart decisions. This is especially true if you are trying to make the transition from amateur to professional. If you don’t stay on top of your mental game, you’ll lose more money than you could have saved.

To begin a hand, each player antes some amount (it varies by game but in our games it’s typically a nickel) and then they are dealt cards face down. They can either call, raise or fold. The highest hand wins the pot.

A pair is made up of two matching cards of the same rank, and any number of unmatched cards. Three of a kind is 3 matching cards of the same rank. A flush is five cards of the same suit. A straight is five cards in order but not consecutive. A full house is a pair plus three of a kind.

Often, the highest ranked hand doesn’t win, it is the most well disguised hand that wins. If you have a good pair but can’t get anyone to call your bet, it won’t matter how strong your hand is. This is where poker strategy really starts to kick in. Observe experienced players and think how you would react in their position to build your instincts.