Although online poker can be an infamously unpredictable game, the bare bones of the game itself are actually quite clear and simple. There are five 'moves' a player can make:
Open: the first elective bet of a round (this does not include forced bets such as antes or blinds). This is also known as 'opening the pot,' and rules may be affected by game variations
Call: to match a bet. This is also known as 'to see.'
Check: this is only possible if no players have opened the betting round. To check is sometimes called 'to pass,' and signifies a player's intention to match the current bet of zero dollars.
Raise: to increase the amount of the bet that all players must make to stay in the pot; to remain eligible, players must either call or raise.
Fold: to elect to surrender your current hand and to forfeit any interest in the current pot.
Of these five options, you may find that opening and folding are the easiest concepts to grasp; calling, checking, and raising may require some study and observation to master. The game itself is played by the same rules whether or not money is at stake, so although knowing exactly when to choose each of these three betting actions (call, check and raise) will certainly improve your game, you still need to know the basics of poker hand rankings and odds, so if you are interested in poker online at a place like Ultimate bet Poker, you may want to seek out a reputable gaming resource such as Poker.ca.
