The Basics of Poker
Poker is a card game in which players make bets on the strength of their hands. The cards are dealt in rounds, and the winner of each round takes all the money bet. At the start of each round, players must place a contribution, called the ante, into the pot. In some games, the ante is a small fixed amount; in others, it is a percentage of the pot, or a set number of chips.
The aim of the game is to extract the most value from winning hands and minimise losses with losing ones, a concept known as Min-Max. This is achieved by a process of analysing the probabilities of receiving specific cards (e.g. spades) and adjusting your actions accordingly.
A tournament is a competition with a large number of participants taking part in the same game over a short period of time. Tournaments are often organised by game clubs and can be found in gaming bars, casinos, community centers and some universities.
The smallest tournaments are known as local or weeklies and are the most common way for new players to experience the competitive scene and develop their skills. They are also a great way to meet other gamers and form a social group. The biggest tournaments are global events where many thousands of players take part and are usually held in a casino or hotel. The best players are usually invited to participate and often receive a lot of recognition and cash prizes.