Poker is a card game played between two or more players. Each player puts up an amount of money before the cards are dealt, which is called the ante. Players then bet in order to win the pot, which is the total of all the chips bet during a betting round. The player with the best poker hand wins the pot.

A lot of poker is about putting your opponent on the back foot by making big bets when you have strong hands and calling re-raises with weak ones. This kind of aggression is very important, but it’s also vital to have the ability to read your opponents.

You’ll need to learn about the game’s lingo to understand what other players are saying. Saying “call” when someone else bets means that you’re adding your own money to the pot, while saying “raise” means that you want to put up more than your opponent did. You can also say “fold” if you don’t like your cards and want to get out of the hand.

Poker can be a very addictive game, but it’s still gambling, so you need to be prepared for the possibility of losing money. Learning to manage risk is an important skill that will serve you well in many other areas of your life. This requires patience and discipline, but it will also help you to avoid getting discouraged by bad luck or a bad beat. If you’re able to stay focused on your goals, you’ll be a much better poker player.