Poker is a card game where players place chips (representing money) into the pot in order to make the best five-card hand. This process is known as making a “showdown” and the player who has the best hand wins the pot. There are many different poker variants and the rules of each differ slightly, but the basic game is the same across all.
The first round of betting is called the preflop. During this round each player has the option to call any amount of bets placed in front of them by other players at the table. Once this round is complete, the dealer deals three cards face up on the table. These are community cards that anyone can use. This is called the flop.
After the flop, another betting round begins with players having the option to check (call) or raise any bets made by other players at the table. In this third round, the dealer places a fourth community card face up on the table which again, everyone can use. This is called the turn.
One of the keys to success in poker is learning to read your opponents. This can be done through subtle physical poker tells or through analyzing their behavior over time. For example, if a player is constantly raising their bets during early rounds of the hand, they can be assumed to have a strong hand. Conversely, if they are consistently folding, then they probably have a weaker one.