Poker is a card game in which players try to form the best 5-card hand. The winner of the hand wins the money in the pot, which can be cash or chips. Often there is an agreement that the last player with a winning hand will share some of the money.
If you are a beginner, start by playing low stakes games and micro-tournaments. This will help you get familiar with the game and understand the mechanics of betting. Once you are comfortable with the basics, you can move up in stakes as your confidence grows.
Before the deal, each player puts in a fixed amount of money into the pot (the “buy-in”). This is called the ante. The dealer then deals each player two cards face up, which are community cards that anyone can use. This is the first betting round.
After the first betting round, the dealer puts three more community cards on the table. This is known as the flop. The second betting round begins. Then the dealer puts a fourth community card on the table, which is called the turn.
Say “call” if you want to bet the same amount as the person before you. This will force the weaker hands out of the hand and raise the value of your bets. Say “raise” if you want to increase your bet. Then the other players will have to choose whether to call your new bet or fold.