Poker is a card game that involves betting and the creation of the best possible five-card hand. While luck can play a role in the outcome of any particular hand, the overall game is considered to be a skill-based game, and players who make decisions that have positive expected values will be profitable in the long run.

To begin playing the game, each player must place an initial amount of money into the pot before being dealt cards. This is known as the ante, and it encourages competition and betting action. If a player wishes to fold, they can do so and forfeit their hand to the person to their left.

When a player wants to bet, they must say “call” or raise the amount that the person to their left raised. For example, if the person to your right raised $10, you would bet $20 in chips or cash. If you think you have a good hand, you can also bet large amounts to force weak hands out of the pot.

The first betting round is called the flop, and the dealer puts three community cards on the table that everyone can use. After this betting round, the fourth card is revealed on the turn. Then the fifth and final community card is revealed on the river. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. If no one has a winning hand, the pot is shared among the remaining players.