Poker is played with chips representing money. Each player must put into the pot a number of chips that is at least equal to the total contribution made by the player before him.
A good poker player can narrow down the possible hands their opponents have very quickly. This can be done by observing their behavior.
Game rules
Poker is a card game where players place bets with chips that are moved into a central pile, called the pot, pool or kitty. The amount of money placed in the pot determines who wins a hand. There are many variants of the game, each with different betting intervals and rules.
During each betting round, the player acting first has the option to call or raise. If he calls, he must put in the same number of chips as the previous player. If he raises, he must add more to the pot than the previous player’s bet. Players may also check, which means staying in the hand without raising.
In fixed-limit games there is a set maximum limit for a raise. The upper limit usually doubles in later betting intervals. This rule is designed to prevent players from making a string raise, by first adding enough chips to call and then raising again. This practice is considered unfair and must be punished. Ideally, the player should announce his intention to raise and then add the chips in a single motion. This avoids confusion and misunderstandings. It also allows opponents to assess his bluffing strength and determine whether he has a strong hand or not. Moreover, it ensures that all players have the same chance to raise.
Betting intervals
Betting intervals are the periods of time between deals during which players place bets into a common area called the pot, pool or kitty. When a player makes a bet in a betting interval, the other players may call it, raise it or fold. The first player to act places a bet of one or more chips and all subsequent players must either call it or raise it by an amount equal to the previous bet or less.
In limit games, the maximum number of raises is usually restricted to a fixed number (which may vary with the stage of the game) – for example, two chips before the draw and ten after. This reduces the risk of a bad hand ruining the session and also limits the amount that an opponent can win.
Many players find satisfaction in minimizing their losses with poor hands and maximising their winnings with good ones. These are called active players and usually play a single poker variant for a whole session, going for long term profit over a large number of deals. They often prefer to play with higher betting limits, which allow greater scope for skill and bluffing. Many well organised poker tables feature a betting line that separates the private area where a player’s cards and chips are kept from the common area holding the pot, discards and community cards. Any chips pushed across the line are considered to be in the pot.
Limit games
The betting structure in limit games sets the maximum number of raises a player can make on any particular street. There are three primary limits: fixed-limit, no-limit and pot-limit. Whether playing cash games or tournaments, limit games offer players a level of predictability that appeals to many. They also typically feature fewer bluffing moves.
In a fixed limit game, the first player to act must call or raise a certain amount each round. For example, in a $4/$8 limit Hold’em game the first player must put out a minimum bet of $2 and a maximum raise of $8. The players to his left must either match this amount or fold, and the game continues.
After the flop, the betting amounts double to $4 and raises are limited to a total of $8. This is known as a pot-limit game. Because the player is limited in how much they can bet each round, they must often play draws and must make sure they are getting the correct pot odds for their bets. Because of this, gameplay in pot-limit games can move much slower than in no-limit games. This can be a good thing for some players, as it gives them more time to consider their pot odds and figure out when to call or raise.