Poker is a card game in which players place bets using chips that represent money. Players make a hand based on the cards they have and try to win the pot at the end of each betting round. A player may win the pot by forming a strong hand, calling a bet made by another player (matching their bet size), or by bluffing.

Each player places a mandatory bet called a blind before being dealt 2 hole cards. After the blinds have been placed, a round of betting begins with the player to the left of the dealer. Players can fold, call, or raise. Raising means that you want to add more money into the pot than the last player. If you raise and nobody calls, then the pot is yours.

The goal of poker is to make the strongest possible hand based on the cards you have. Usually, players will reveal their hands at the end of each betting round and the highest ranking hand wins the pot. To increase your chances of winning, always bet if you have a good hand or know that the person to your right has a weak one. If you don’t have a good hand, consider checking and folding instead of continuing to place money into the pot. Continually playing weak hands will eventually lead to a bad outcome. It is also important to learn to read your opponents, both for their physical tells and for the way they play the game.