Poker is a card game in which players wager chips (traditionally cash, though there are games where players exchange other units) to assemble the highest-ranking hand of cards. While a great deal of chance is involved, the game can also involve skill and psychology.
A dealer is typically chosen from the table and he or she shuffles the cards and then deals them out to all of the players one at a time, beginning with the player to his or her left. A player who wishes to make a bet must do so after all players have received their cards. Players must either raise, call or fold.
The first round of betting is known as the flop. On the flop there are four community cards that are shared by all players. The strongest hand wins the pot at this stage.
After the flop comes the turn. The dealer puts a fifth community card on the board, this is usually a face up. On the turn all players get another chance to bet and check their hands. The last betting round is called the river. During the river people reveal their hands and whoever has the highest ranking poker hand wins the pot. It’s important to pay attention to your opponents, especially their behavior. While many poker tells come from subtle physical poker “tells” like scratching the nose, playing nervously with your chips and so on, a good amount of reading other players is actually done by looking for patterns in their betting.