Poker Card Game Basics and Actions

(Casinos Guides)

Beginning the Game

When beginning the game of poker, one of the first actions is to make sure that the pot contains some money, known as 'seeding the pot'. This simply means that each player must make a specific bet, known as the 'ante', which is generally the minimum stake for that particular table and game.

Many larger casinos have specific rules about betting in poker, where stake amounts must fall within agreed limits. It is always important to be completely familiar with casino rules before betting to play, as they can vary.

Information about Discarding and Exchanging Cards

When the initial cards have been dealt by the casino dealer, players must decide how to proceed with their particular hand. Players are able to discard and exchange a number of their cards as required, in an attempt to improve their overall hand.

Betting in the game of poker moves around the table in a clockwise direction, with each player either betting and then subsequently raising, or folding and withdrawing their hand.

Information about Basic Actions

Once each player has received their hand of cards, they need to decide how to proceed and which action to adopt.

The main actions in poker are as follows:

• Raise - a bet that must be matched or increased by each player
• Call - matching the bet of the previous player, calling enables the player to continue in the game
• Fold - to quit the particular game, losing any bets that have been staked in the actual game, with discarded cards remaining unseen