Poker is a card game where players place money into the pot voluntarily. While there is a significant amount of chance in any hand, skill factors into long-term expectations for each player, and betting patterns are driven by psychology and game theory.
A player may say “check” (pass on the turn to act), “bet” (put money into the pot), or “call” (match the last person’s bet). Some people even bluff. The best bet size depends on how many other players are in the hand and their relative strengths.
When a player has a strong hand, it is best to raise the action. This will put pressure on the other players to call, especially if they know you aren’t bluffing. This is a good way to make sure you win the hand.
It’s also important to keep the chips clear. This prevents players from making the mistake of palming their cards to others at the table. It also makes it easier to reconstruct the hands when the players reveal their cards.