Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing cash) into the pot based on the strength of their hand. The player with the best hand wins. There are several types of poker, each with its own set of rules. A basic strategy can be learned by studying charts that map hands to their ranking. For example, a flush beats three of a kind and two pair beats one pair.

When a hand starts, 2 mandatory bets called blinds are placed in the pot by the players to the left of the dealer. This creates a pot immediately and encourages competition. Players can then choose to fold, call or raise.

Once the first round of betting is complete the dealer deals 3 cards face up on the table. These are community cards that anyone can use. This is called the flop. Another round of betting occurs and then 1 more card is dealt. This is called the turn. A final round of betting takes place and then the player with the best 5 card hand wins.

A player can bet by saying “call” if they wish to match the last person’s bet amount or say “raise” to increase their bet amount by an increment of 1. If someone calls your raise, you must call it in order to stay in the pot. If you don’t want to call, you can fold your cards and exit the hand.