Poker is a card game played by two or more players. It has a significant element of chance, but it also involves a great deal of skill and psychology. There are many different variations of the game, but most share some basic rules. The objective is to win the pot, which is the total of all bets made during a hand. This can be done by having the best hand or by bluffing other players.

The game starts with each player putting in forced bets (the amount varies by game but is usually small) before seeing their cards. This creates a pot and encourages competition. The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them out to each player one at a time, starting with the player to his left. The cards may be dealt face up or down, depending on the variant being played. Once everyone has their 2 cards, a round of betting begins. During this round players can fold, call or raise.

Saying raise means that you want to add more money to the betting pool. You can only raise if you have a good reason to believe that your hand is better than the other players’. If you aren’t sure about your hand, then you can call and see how the rest of the players react.

Once the first round of betting is complete, the dealer puts three additional cards on the table that anyone can use. This is called the flop and it’s a great time to bluff or try to improve your hand. Saying bluff or bluffing is when you want to pretend that you have a bad hand, such as a pair of kings, but actually you have something more valuable, like a flush.

As the betting continues on later “betting streets” it becomes important to understand how to read your opponents’ betting patterns. Identifying conservative players and aggressive players is key to reading the game. Conservative players often fold their hands early and can be bluffed easily. Aggressive players are risk takers that will often call a lot of bets in the hope of improving their hand.