Poker is a card game played between two or more people. Its origin is obscure, but it was likely popularized in the United States by riverboat crews and soldiers during the Civil War, then became a fixture of Wild West saloons. From there, it spread across the country and around the world.
Players have the option to check, which means passing on betting; or to bet, which is putting chips into the pot that their opponents must match. They can also raise, which is betting more money than their opponent’s previous bet. Ideally, players learn to read their opponents’ tells — eye movements, idiosyncrasies, hand gestures, betting behavior etc. An example would be a player who calls frequently and suddenly makes a large raise, which indicates they are probably holding a strong hand.
There is a lot of psychology and math behind poker. While much of the outcome of a single hand depends on chance, there are certain hands that tend to win more often than others. Generally, the best strategy is to always bet when you have a premium opening hand like a pair of Kings or Queens.
When you have less than premium cards, it’s usually better to fold. The exception is when you have a strong draw and can get some action. In this case, you should be raising to price out all the worse hands and make your own odds of winning that much higher.