The game play can be taught with very simple steps. No matter how many cards are dealt or how many players are present, the basics of poker apply to all types of the game. The player is able to focus on the more important parts of the game like bluffing, when he knows the basics of the game.



There can be any number of players depending upon table size. There must be a dealer to pass out the cards and to call who won each hand. The role of the dealer can pass from player to player always in a clockwise fashion.

The player to the right of the dealer is the person who cuts the cards and plays first. All the players put an ante into the middle of the table. The players can bet, what is called a blind bet or all players ante, or they can wait for the dealer to begin the game.

The dealer passes out the appropriate number of face down cards and, depending upon the version played, the appropriate number of face down cards. Then the players either bet again or they check showing that they do not want to bet. Checking or passing is a sign that the players do not feel the need to make the pot higher.

After each face up card is dealt, the players either bet or check. During this time, the players bluff about what they have in their hand. A player bluffs by betting a certain amount making the other players believe that they have the better hand.

The technique of bluffing is what differentiates this game from any other card game. The other games that involve bluffing also involve dice. The French word Poque means to bluff which is where poker received it name.

Through the game, if one player bets and all the others fold, then the betting player wins the hand. A player calls when they see a bet or raise it. A player folds if they have bet but do not want to continue in the game.

If there are players who wish to see or raise the bet, then, after the last card has been laid out, there is a showdown. This is where all the remaining players flip over their hidden cards to see who won the hand. The highest hand wins the pot and the game starts over again.

Chips, which represent money in poker, are used to keep the betting orderly. Going "all in" is when a player bets all of their chips. A player is eliminated from the game if he or she has lost all their chips.

Poker is not a hard game to play if you know the basic rules of game play. The hardest part of the game is knowing when to bluff and when to fold your hand. Many people use poker as a means of income, this is not recommended unless you have developed your talent of bluffing.