Poker play starts with the dealer handing out the cards clockwise from his or her left. As soon as the cards are dealt, the players are left with four options. You may check the bet (bet nothing but still remain in the game), call the previous bet (bet the same amount as the previous bet), raise the previous bet (increase the amount of the previous bet), or fold (giving up a chance to win the pot by not matching a bet). You can only check when no other players have made any bets and it`s your turn in that round.

Tips for Poker Playing

1. Limit play to only the best starting hands. If you are dealt a weak hand, do not wait; fold quickly. One of the biggest and mot common mistakes made by novice poker players is to play most of the hands they are deal. The top expert poker players, amazingly enough, only play about 20-30% of their starting hands.

2. Play selectively and aggressively. Expert players understand when to avoid committing chips to a hand. They also understand when it is in their best interest to play aggressively in order to get more money in the pot. Aggressive poker players can win two ways: by forcing others out of the hand through aggressive betting and good bluffing, or by holding the best cards. Passive poker players, on the other hand, win only when they are holding the best cards at the showdown.

3. Study the other competitors. In online poker, body language doesn`t exist, but when playing face-to-face poker, study the actions of the other players and you`ll earn an advantage. Even when playing online, some poker rooms allow you to watch a table before actually joining in the game; even this allows you to learn something about the playing style and skills of those at the table. Observe how each player bets, the amount they bet, times at which they hesitate and note the position in which they are better. This can give you a lot of clues to help you once you join the table.

4. Position is power; use it. Being seated at the table in a position that allows you to act after other opponents is extremely valuable because you can gather a great deal of information about other player`s hands while letting almost no information about your cards become known to other players. When you have a choice, position yourself so that you act last and avoid placing yourself where you must act first. Frequently, in small games where there are only one or two other players, you can take the pot with just one bet if the other players have checked to you. So, use the power of position to your advantage.

5. Gear down when losing. When the cards just seem to be falling against you, play fewer hands, avoid playing marginal hands, make the other players find it difficult to draw any information from your actions, and never play weak hands when placed in a starting position.