Poker is a card game that involves betting between two players. The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum total of all bets made during one deal. The game can be played by two or more people, but it is most often played by six or seven players.
The first step in learning to play poker is understanding the rules and basic strategy. There are many different poker games, but they all share similar rules. Players put money into the pot each time they bet, and the player with the highest hand wins the pot. Players can also bluff to make their opponent believe that they have a strong hand.
When it is your turn to act, you can either call the bet made by the player before you or raise it. To call, you must place chips (representing money) into the pot equal to the amount raised by the player before you.
A good rule of thumb is to always raise when you have a strong hand. This will force weaker hands out of the pot and improve your odds of winning. However, if your hand isn’t good, don’t be afraid to fold. You can always come back later in the hand and try again with a better hand.
Another important aspect of poker is knowing what hands beat which. It is helpful to memorize a chart so you know what beats a straight, what beats a three of a kind and so on. Having this information will help you read other players’ bets and determine whether they are bluffing or not. It is also helpful to learn other players’ tells, such as their eye movements, idiosyncrasies and betting behavior.