Poker is a card game with betting. Each player contributes to a pot before being dealt cards and then can call, raise or fold. The highest hand wins the pot. Players may also bluff, which increases their chances of winning. Generally, it is best to raise when you have a strong hand and fold when you don’t. This will force weak hands out of the game and increase your chances of a win.

Typically, before the cards are dealt, players make a contribution to the pot called an ante. Then, in a series of betting intervals, each player has the option to call, raise or check. A player who makes a bet that exactly meets the previous bet is said to call, and one who raises more than the last bettor is said to raise. A player who checks stays in the game without increasing his stake, but may do so later.

After the ante and blind phases, 3 cards are dealt face-up (revealed to all players) in the center of the table. These are called the flop, and they form the community cards that each player uses to build a 5-card hand.

Each player has a tell, which is an unconscious habit that reveals information about his hand to other players. These can be as simple as a change in posture or as complex as a gesture. The more you understand your opponent’s tells, the better you will play.