Poker is a card game in which players wager chips (representing money, for which the game is almost always played) on the outcome of a hand. There are many different poker variants, but in all of them the same basic rules apply. Each player places an ante, or a small amount of money into the pot, and is then dealt 2 cards. Then betting takes place, and the player with the best hand wins.
One of the most important things to know about poker is that your luck depends on what everyone else is doing. This is why many poker players are able to turn break-even beginner players into million-dollar winners. They learn to view the game in a more cold, detached, mathematical, and logical way than they did when they were beginners.
Another important thing to know is that you must be able to read your opponents. This doesn’t just mean the subtle physical poker “tells” like squinting or fiddling with their chips, it also means looking at how they play their hands. A player who calls all the time and then suddenly makes a big raise is probably holding an unbeatable hand.
Finally, you need to be able to play a wide range of hands from late positions. This is because you will be able to manipulate the pot on later betting streets, and this will help you to win more often than if you play too many weak hands from early positions.