Poker is a card game where players place money into a pot (the amount of the bets vary by game), then get dealt cards and place further bets over a number of rounds. Whoever ends up with the best five-card hand wins the pot. Depending on the rules, the dealer may reveal replacement cards after the betting phase.
When it’s your turn to act, you have a choice: call, raise or fold. If you call, you add the same amount in your bet as the person to your right did. Saying “raise” means you want to increase the size of your bet and add more money to the pot. Saying “fold” means you have a bad hand and don’t want to play it for the pot.
Knowing your starting hands and position is a key element of success in poker. It allows you to make more informed decisions and maximize the value of your chips. It also helps you read other players and anticipate how they will act based on their previous behavior.
After the first round of betting is complete the dealer places three cards on the table, known as the flop, which anyone can use in their poker hand. Then another betting round takes place. If you have a strong poker hand, such as a straight or a full house, bet at it to force weaker hands out of the pot and raise the value of your hand.