Poker is a card game with a surprising amount of skill involved when it comes to betting. There is still a lot of luck involved, but if you know how to make your opponents believe that you have a weak hand then it will be very hard for them to call your bets.
When you say “call” you are saying that you want to place the same amount of money in the pot as the player before you. This is typically done when you are unsure of your hole cards, but want to see the flop or turn.
You should try to play as few hands as possible until you have a good one, such as AA or KK. This will save you a lot of money from being exploited by players with stronger hands.
There are 13 card ranks in poker and you receive two cards for a starting hand. This gives you 169 different rank combinations. A straight is 5 cards in a row, consecutive in rank but from more than one suit. A flush is 5 cards of the same suit. A full house is 3 of a kind and 2 pairs. High card breaks ties.
It is important to learn the rules of the game, such as the different types of hands and the meaning of positions. You should also spend time learning how to bet. Knowing when to check, call, raise, or fold is both an art and a science. The art is being disciplined enough to follow your best strategy and the science is understanding how to communicate with your opponent through your actions.