Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. The goal is to make the best five-card hand using your personal cards and the community cards on the table. The player with the highest hand wins a pot of money, which includes all the chips bet during the hand. Depending on the rules of the game, players may have to place an initial amount of money into the pot before the cards are dealt. This is called an ante or blind.

After the players have received their two hole cards, there is a round of betting that begins with the player to the left of the dealer. Once the betting interval ends, another card is dealt to the table, which is called the flop. Another round of betting takes place, and you can say “call” to match the last bet or raise it by saying “raise.”

A good poker strategy involves understanding your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. This can be done by observing their behavior, including body language and gestures. You can also learn how to read your opponents’ hands by analyzing their betting patterns. Some players like to play it safe by only playing when they have a strong hand, but this approach can be exploited by opponents who are better at reading tells. Others choose to play aggressively, risking a lot of money early in the hand to scare their opponents into folding.