Hi Rosalind,

Thanks for your question. As with anything, rules have their place. If you were a brand new player and knew nothing about poker, I would give you a list of rules to play by initially. Rules like starting hands, when to raise, call, fold, etc. But, once you gained some poker knowledge, I would tell you that poker is situational, and that no rule can be applied in every situation. This is why we all need to understand the math of poker, its psychological aspects, tells, and all the other elements of the game. Knowledge and the ability to use it is the key to winning, not a set of strict rules.