Poker is a card game where the goal is to form the highest-ranking poker hand and win the pot at the end of each betting round. The pot is the sum of all bets made by players on one deal, and can be won either by having the best hand or by making a bet that no one else calls.
Poker requires a combination of theoretical knowledge and practice. New players should begin by grasping the basic rules and hand rankings, and by studying popular strategies. Then they should practice as much as possible to hone their skills. A good poker player also constantly improves his or her strategy by reviewing their own play and that of other players.
One of the most important aspects of poker is learning to read your opponents, or detecting tells. To do this, you should always pay attention to your opponent’s action when he or she isn’t involved in the current hand. This is because you will pick up small details that you wouldn’t be able to see if you were actively playing the hand.
For example, if you have two face cards and a high pair, you should often stay in to see the flop, even when it’s unlikely that you’ll hit a flush. This is because a high pair is a strong value hand that can often take money from players who call your bets and then raise them, hoping to find a higher hand.