If you want to be a top poker player it takes a lot more than just bluffing and knowing the rules. You must have a deep love and passion for the game! It’s also important to be able to read players. If you can’t tell when someone is bluffing or scared then you will never be a winning poker player!
Poker is a game of strategy, math and psychology. The best poker players in the world have a deep understanding of statistics and can visualize all the hands played by their favorite pros. This allows them to quickly analyze the odds of each possible outcome of a hand and make informed decisions. In order to become a great poker player you must be able to calculate your opponents betting tendencies, understand how the flop and turn will affect your hand as well as know when to fold or call.
After the ante is placed and everyone has two cards face down, the dealer deals three additional cards on the table that anyone can use (this is called the flop). Now everyone has a full set of six cards and must decide if they are going to fold, call or raise.
The highest hand wins the pot. The highest possible hand is a Royal Flush (10-Jack-Queen-King-Ace of the same suit). Other common poker hands include: Straight, Four of a Kind, Full House, One Pair and High Card. Tiebreakers for poker are the highest and lowest pairs and the highest card.