Poker is a card game in which players place chips into the pot (representing money) to make bets. The player with the highest-ranked five-card hand wins the pot. There are several variants of poker, but the core game is always the same.

Before cards are dealt, there are two mandatory bets called blinds put into the pot by the two players to the left of the dealer. These bets create a pot right away and encourage competition.

The next step is dealing 2 hole cards to each player. A round of betting begins, with the player to the left of the button making the first bet. A player can call, raise, or fold at this point, depending on their cards and the situation.

One of the most important things to remember is that your cards are just a part of the overall picture. Your hands are only good or bad in relation to what the other players have. For example, pocket kings are a great hand, but an ace on the flop will kill them almost 82% of the time.

It is also very important to learn to read other players and look for tells. This means not just the obvious nervous body language, like fidgeting with their chips or wearing a watch, but also how they play. For example, a player who is usually a caller and suddenly makes a raise is probably holding an unbeatable hand. Learn to recognize these tells and use them to your advantage.