Using the cards you have, your goal is to make the best hand possible. There are hundreds of different games, but there are some basics that are true of all.
A poker hand is made up of five cards. Each of the five cards is ranked from the lowest to the highest. The best hand is a straight flush. A straight flush is 5 cards of the same suit. A high card breaks ties if a number of players have a similar high card.
There are two main forms of bets. You can bet into the pot or you can check. The latter is often called “sandbagging.” You can also raise more chips on top of a bet by your opponent.
The rules for betting are usually governed by the rules of your particular game. For example, you might be required to put an ante in the pot before receiving the first five cards. If you check, you are required to pay the same amount as the preceding player.
The rules of the game will vary from casino to casino. Generally, you can only have a limited number of bets in any round. The pot can be up to 10 or 20 times the amount of the bet.
The kitty is a special fund set aside for all the players. It is a sum of money that is cut from pots with more than one raise. The kitty is then divided amongst the players still in the game.