Poker is a card game with millions of fans. To appeal to them, a book about it must have anecdotes and other interesting information. It should also include the rules of the game and the tells that players display. Tells are unconscious habits that reveal information about a player’s hand. They can be as simple as a change in eye contact or as complex as a gesture. Practicing and watching experienced players will help you develop good instincts in this area.

In most games, players ante a small amount of money (the amount varies by game) before being dealt cards. They can then call, raise, or fold. The person with the highest hand wins the pot. If you don’t have a high enough hand, you can also bluff to win.

When betting is around to you, say “call” if you want to match the bet made by the last player. If you are raising, say “raise” and add the amount of your new bet to the previous player’s stake.

If you have a good hand, it’s better to raise than to call. This will force weaker hands out of the game and increase your chances of winning.

Depending on the rules of your game, you may be able to draw replacement cards for your original cards. This is usually done during or after the betting round.