Poker is a card game in which the goal is to win money by placing bets against other players. A player can bet to either show he has a strong hand and force others to fold or make bets to increase the amount of money in the pot (the sum of all bets made).
To play poker you need two personal cards which are your hole cards and five community cards which are dealt face up on the table. There is a round of betting once all players have received their cards and the dealer has revealed three community cards called the flop. The player to the left of the dealer then places a mandatory bet, known as a blind bet, into the pot.
After the flop betting round is completed the dealer deals one more card which is common to all players called the turn. There is another round of betting and the player with the highest poker hand wins. High hands include a pair, three of a kind, straight, flush or full house. The high card breaks ties.
The more you play and watch experienced players, the better you’ll get. Study how they play and react to build your instincts.
When you’re ready to try your luck at a real table, be sure to learn the rules of the games you’ll play. Also, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the various terms used in poker, such as “ante,” “call,” and “raise.” The more you understand, the easier it will be to read the betting patterns of your opponents.