Poker is a card game of chance, skill and strategy. It is played by 2 to 14 players and the object is to win a pot, which is the sum total of bets placed during a deal. The player who wins the most hands is declared the winner of the pot. There are many forms of poker, but all share the same basic principles. In general, the player who makes the first bet places chips (representing money) into the pot. After that, the players may call, raise or fold.

To play poker you need to know some basic rules of the game, such as betting and hand rankings. Then you need to practice your skills in a low-stress environment. Observe other experienced players and try to figure out how they act in certain situations. This will help you develop your own quick instincts.

There are a few other terms that you should familiarize yourself with before you play your first poker hand. These include ante, check, call, and raise. Ante is the first amount of money that is put up, usually by the player to the left of the dealer. Check means to not bet, and it’s a good idea for beginner players to check more often. A call is when you put up the same amount as another player and are willing to go on to the next round of betting. A raise is when you are willing to put up more than anyone else and are confident that you have a strong hand.

Once the antes have been placed the dealer deals two cards to each player. If your hand is weak you should say “check” and then decide whether to stay in the hand or fold. Then, if you are going to stay in the hand, you should say “stay” or “hit”.

After the flop is dealt the dealer puts a third card face up on the table that everyone can use. This is called the turn. Once the flop has been dealt the players get another chance to bet and then to decide whether to raise or fold their hand.

Finally, the fourth and final betting round takes place after the dealer reveals the fifth community card called the river. The player with the highest ranked five-card hand wins the pot.

Ties are broken by looking at the higher ranking cards in each hand. So, a pair of kings beats a high pair of tens but not a high pair of eights. Two high pairs also tie but the higher ranking pair wins. If both players have a high pair, the one with the higher kicker wins. Similarly, a straight beats a flush but not a three of a kind. In any case, if no one has a high pair or better, the highest single card determines the winner.