Poker is a game of cards that you play against other players. While there are different variants of the game, the basic rules are the same in all of them. In each round a player puts chips into the pot in their turn. If they want to add more than the previous player, they say “raise.” They can also choose to raise none of their chips, or even drop (fold).
Players begin with two personal cards called hole cards. The dealer then deals three community cards face up on the table, known as the flop. Everyone still in the hand gets a chance to bet on those cards, and there are a number of different hands that can be made with them.
The highest five card poker hand wins. This can include straights, flushes, or three of a kind. A pair includes two cards of the same rank, plus another card that is unmatched.
One of the most important aspects of poker is understanding what your opponents are holding. Professionals pay just as much attention to their opponent’s moves as they do to their own. This can be done by observing subtle physical poker tells like scratching their nose or playing nervously with their chips, but it’s also possible to pick up patterns in how they play. By watching their betting behavior you can guess what kind of cards they might have, and then make moves based on that.