Poker is a card game played by two or more players. There are many varieties of the game, but they all tend to share certain aspects: Each player puts money into a pot (amounts vary by game) and is then dealt cards in a round. The player with the best 5-card hand wins that round and the money bet during it. Players keep their cards hidden from each other, making bets on the strength of their cards.

After the ante and blind bets are made, each player is dealt two cards face down (called their hole or pocket). Then three additional cards are dealt to the center of the table (revealed to all players) called the flop. Then another betting phase begins.

A player can choose to check the pot (bet nothing), call a bet, or raise a bet. Each time a bet is raised, every player has to either call the bet or raise it themselves.

In addition to learning the basic strategy of the game, you can improve your poker skills by studying your opponent’s tells. Observe their eyes, their facial expressions, and the way they handle their chips. The quickest and most reliable tells are usually those that indicate strength or weakness. Longer, drawn out tells are more likely to be false and may be a disguised attempt to confuse you. Learn how to sift through these tells so that you can recognize genuine tells from those that are intended to deceive.