A game of poker is played with a standard pack of 52 cards (though some variant games use more than one card). The cards are ranked high to low: Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10. Some games also incorporate wild cards that can take the rank of any suit.
The game is a form of gambling and the players must contribute an initial amount of money into the pot before they are dealt cards. This contribution is called the ante. Then players bet into the pot during each hand of play. The highest hand wins the pot at the end of the round.
Bluffing is a vital part of the game but it is important not to bluff too often. It can give your opponent the wrong impression and they may be less likely to call a bet. If you do choose to bluff, make sure it fits into your overall strategy and that you are careful who you bluff against.
The game requires patience and commitment. You must be willing to spend a significant amount of time learning the game by playing low stakes games and reading strategy articles from poker websites. Also, you must stay level-headed regardless of recent results—you’ll win some and lose some. Watch videos of Phil Ivey to see how he handles bad beats and other ups and downs.