Poker is a card game played by two or more players. The objective is to use the cards you are dealt to make the best five-card hand. There are many variations of the game, but they all share a few basic principles.

The first step to becoming a good poker player is playing responsibly. Play only with money that you are willing to lose, and only when you are comfortable doing so. Never increase your wagers or dive back in after losing a significant amount of money. It is also a good idea to track your wins and losses as you play, so that you can see how much you are winning or losing on average.

There are several betting intervals in a poker hand, and one of the most important factors is position. The last player to act before the flop will have more information about how strong the other players’ hands are, and they will be able to manipulate the pot on later betting streets by raising and re-raising. However, players in early positions can be exploited by aggressive players who try to steal their blind bets.

When it is your turn to bet, you must put chips into the pot equal to or greater than the highest bet that has been made at the table. To place your chips into the pot, say “call” and then put the amount of money you are putting up in front of you. A raise is a bet that is higher than the previous high bet, and you must say “raise” to make a raise.