Poker is a card game where players place bets into the pot in order to win the hand. The game is played with a maximum of six players, although two-handed hands are common as well. There is some skill involved in poker, especially when betting is introduced, but it still mostly involves chance.

Each player must ante something (amount varies by game, our games typically require a nickel) before being dealt cards. After each round of betting one player, as designated by the rules of the game, must place a bet into the pot in order to have a chance at winning the hand.

Once the initial bet is made a dealer deals three cards face up on the table that are community cards anyone can use, this is called the flop. Then each player with a hand must decide whether to call, raise or fold.

Then the last cards are revealed and the highest hand wins the pot. If no one has a high enough hand to win the pot, the dealer wins it.

A good poker strategy is to keep your opponents guessing. If they know exactly what you have, you can’t bluff as effectively and you will never win. This is why it is important to mix up your style of play so that your opponent doesn’t get too comfortable in the table. Learn your opponents tells (eye movements, idiosyncracies, betting patterns etc) and read their body language.