Poker is a card game where players make bets during each round of the hand. The goal is to form the highest ranked hand based on the cards you have, and win the pot at the end of the hand.

The dealer shuffles the cards, then deals them to the players one at a time, starting with the player to their left. Each player must place a bet before they can act, either by raising or folding. Players can also “check” if they don’t want to bet. This lets them see the other players’ cards before deciding how to act, but they can’t call any bets made by others.

After the first betting round is over the dealer puts three more cards face up on the table, which anyone can use to help make a better poker hand. This is called the flop. Then another round of betting takes place, with everyone still in the hand getting a chance to raise or fold. The dealer then puts a fifth card on the board that everyone can use, which is known as the river.

To get good at poker you must develop quick instincts based on what the other players are doing, and how their odds of making a winning hand are changing from round to round. Many players write books about their poker strategy, but you can also learn by observing experienced players and trying to predict how they would react in your own situation.