Poker is a card game in which players bet on the strength of their hand. The game can be played in many different ways, but the basic rules are the same: each player has five cards and places an ante before betting. The dealer shuffles the cards and deals them to each player. After a round of betting, the player with the best hand wins.
Strong poker strategy can make a huge difference in the way you play the game, whether you’re playing for fun or as a career. It is important to set a bankroll for every session and over the long term, and to resist the temptation to make up losses by making big bets. Keeping your emotions in check will also help you avoid going on tilt.
You deal yourself a pair of kings off the deal, which is not bad but not great. You check (calling when you don’t owe anything to the pot) and Charley calls. If you don’t have a good enough hand to raise with, fold!
The rest of the hand is determined at the showdown. If everyone else folds on the final betting round, the winner collects the pot without revealing their hand. If more than one player has a high hand, the highest-ranking pair breaks the tie. Otherwise, the highest card wins. Other hands include three of a kind, two pair and straight. All of these hands can be bluffed, but you should know your opponent’s tendencies to make the most accurate bluffs.