Poker is a card game with a lot of skill and psychology. But it’s also a game of storytelling. Every action — whether you fold, check, call, raise or bluff — gives away bits of information that help your opponents construct a story about you. Those stories can reveal your strength and weakness — to your advantage.
Once everyone has two cards there is a round of betting. This is initiated by the mandatory bets (called blinds) placed into the pot by players to the left of the dealer.
After the flop is dealt, another round of betting takes place. The action continues clockwise around the table. Each player can either call or raise a bet by matching or raising the amount of the previous player’s bet.
A player holding a strong hand is apt to play quietly and not make a big show of it. A good player is a “reader” of other players’ tells. Tells aren’t just nervous habits like fiddling with chips or wearing a ring, they can include things such as how quickly an opponent acts in the hand. Someone who moves in fast might be signalling that they have a strong hand while someone who stalls for a long time might be indicating that they don’t.
It’s important to study the actions of experienced players so that you can learn from their mistakes and understand how they play. Pay attention to the reasoning behind their decisions as well so that you can incorporate successful elements into your own gameplay.