Poker is a card game where players try to make the best five-card hand by betting against other players over a series of rounds. While there are many different poker variants, they all share a core set of rules. Players bet on the strength of their cards and can fold when they believe they can’t win.

Each round of betting in a poker game starts with the player to the left of the dealer making an opening bet of one or more chips. The player to their left must either call this amount of chips into the pot, raise it (by putting in more than the opening bet), or drop (which means they give up their hand and lose all the chips they have put into that pot so far).

After everyone has acted once, the dealer will deal two cards face down to each player. This is called the ‘showdown’ phase of the game and each player will look at their cards to see if they have a good enough hand to continue betting. If they do, then they will continue to bet in future rounds.

As well as having a strong poker hand, you must be able to read the other players at your table. This involves looking beyond the cards they are holding and working out their ranges. This will enable you to know what kind of hands they might have and how likely they are to have them. For example, if you see that an opponent frequently folds when they don’t have a strong hand, you should bet aggressively to put them under pressure.

To understand your opponents, you must be able to tell when they’re calling or raising. A rookie mistake is to call a lot of bets, but this can quickly drain your bankroll. A better strategy is to raise, since this forces weaker hands out of the pot.

Once all the players have revealed their cards, the dealer will announce which hand is the highest and push the pot of chips to the winner. It’s important to learn these basic rules so you can play the game with confidence. However, don’t be afraid to make mistakes – every error you make will become a brick in the foundation of your poker knowledge.

If you’re new to poker, it’s a good idea to practice with friends or join a local club. This will help you to develop quick instincts and improve your game over time. It’s also worth watching experienced players and imagining how you’d react in their shoes to get a feel for the game. Ultimately, poker is a game of instincts, so the more you play and watch, the better you’ll become. You can even ask an experienced player to help you with your bets if you’re not sure what to do!