The act of placing the first bet by a player in any round of online poker is called the ‘opening’. There are a number of variations used depending on what house rules are being used. It is always best to check these rules beforehand.

For example, the house rule may state that when placing an opening bet a certain number or a minimum number of chips should be placed in the pot.  Similarly, the opening bet may be made by the person holding a particular card or cards, such as lowest or highest.

Once a bet is placed in the pot, each player in turn assesses his situation and makes a decision as to how he wants to play the game – in short how much he wants to bet. If he calls, this should be the same amount previously bet by the person next to him. For example, if the person on a player’s right puts in £10, he could call it by putting in £10 himself.

Alternatively, a player may decide to raise the stakes and place in more than the previous bet. For example, player first calls a bet of £10 and places another £10 in the pot. The next player would say raise and place a further £10 into the pot. This means the player has now bet £20. This process is then repeated around the table.

It is also possible for a player not to make a bet. This is called a check.