A game of incomplete information, Poker requires a player to make the best 5 card hand possible using their own two cards and the five community cards dealt (called the flop). Players start with a fixed amount of chips that they can bet with each round. If they bet and all the other players fold, then they win the pot (all the chips that have been bet so far).
In addition to being a fun game, Poker can teach valuable lessons about probability and risk management. The game is also a great way to exercise your imagination, and you can often make up stories about the other players at your table. The by-play between players, like who flinched or smiled at a bet, is a crucial element of a good story. You can even find interesting things to write about, like tells (the unconscious habits of a player that reveal information about their hand strength).
To play Poker, each player must “ante” money into the pot before they are dealt two cards. Then, if there is enough money in the pot for everyone to bet, the dealer will deal 3 more cards that are all community cards that anyone can use. There is another betting round, and the highest hand wins the pot. Ties are broken by looking at each player’s high pair (two cards of the same rank, for example two sixes) and then comparing the rank of the unmatched card, or “kicker” (a higher rank beats a lower one). The highest card breaks ties if no other hands qualify.