Poker is a card game played by a group of players. It’s a great game to play with friends and family in a social setting. It is a game of chance and skill where the player with the best hand wins. The first thing a beginner should learn is how to assess their own cards and the hand strength of an opponent. This is a critical part of the game and will help them to place pressure on opponents, forcing them to fold.
When you are a beginner it’s best to only gamble money you can afford to lose. It’s recommended that you track your losses and gains over a period of time. A good rule of thumb is to only wager an amount that you can afford to lose 200 bets in a row at the highest limit.
After the antes are put up (these are mandatory bets that each player puts into the pot) cards are dealt. Then there’s a round of betting where the player to the left of the dealer places their chips into the pot. After that a third card is dealt face up called the flop, then another card is dealt face down called the turn and finally the fifth card is dealt face up called the river.
After the flop, turn and river are dealt the players must decide whether to raise their bets or not. If a player wants to raise their bet they say “I call” which means they want to place the same amount as the person before them. Players also have the option to check, which is when they pass on placing any chips into the pot.